How to Convert PDF to ePub for Reading on iPad

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With the iBooks app, it’s easy to turn an iPad into a great eBook reader. Since I got my iPad several weeks ago, it starts to change my reading habit. In the morning, I read the newspaper on iPad. While on my way back to office, I used to read book using the iBooks app. The reading experience is just awesome and it saves paper.

The iBooks app connects you directly to Apple’s online iBookstore and you can easily purchase any eBook with just a tap. The eBook is then downloaded for your reading.

That’s the normal process you read a eBook on iPad. But, what if you already have a large collection of eBooks but in PDF format? Or you just want to read a PDF document using the iBooks app?

We will go into the solution soon. But before that, let me give you some more background. The iBooks app does allow you to import your own title for reading, as long as, it is in ePub format. The ePub format, which is the most popular open book format in the world, is the only format that iBooks supports. So, if you want to import any document (say, PDF) for iBooks’ reading, it should be converted into the ePub format.

This tutorial will guide you through on how you can convert a PDF document to ePub format and load it onto iPad for reading. As a matter of fact, this tutorial can apply to other types of documents for ePub conversion.

Okay, let’s get started.

Download and Install Calibre

1. First, you need to download a free application called Calibre. It can let you easily convert PDF (and other file formats) to ePub. The Calibre app supports both Windows and Mac OS X, as well as, the Linux platform. Just click this link and select your platform to download.

2. Once installed, launch Calibre. For the very first time you use the application, it takes you through a very simple setup process. Simply select “English” and accept the default eBook folder. When asked about your eBook reader, choose “Apple” and “iPad or iPhone/iTouch + Stanza”.

3. When launched, you should see the screen as shown below.

Tip: Presently, the iBooks app is only available for iPad and as announced by Apple earlier, it will soon come to iPhone with the debut of iPhone OS 4.0.

Add Your PDF and Convert to ePub

4. Next, pick your PDF document and add it into Calibre. To add a book, simply click the “Add books” button and select the PDF file.

5. Once finished, the PDF will be loaded into the Calibre. You can then right-click on the title and select “Edit Meta Information”, followed by “Download metadata and cover”. Calibre automatically retrieves the meta information (e.g. Author) and cover photo of the books.

Sometimes, Calibre may not be able to retrieve these information. Optionally, you can edit the meta information manually by selecting the “Edit metadata individually” and key in the book title, author, etc. You can also insert your own image for the book cover.

6. Next, right click on the book title again and select “Convert E-books”, followed by “Convert individually”.

7. Then make sure the output format is selected as “EPUB” and click “OK”.

8. Once you click “OK”, the eBook conversion starts. Calibre will take one to two minutes (depending on the size of PDF file) to convert the document into ePub format. When the conversion completes, you will be notified and the ePub file is saved under the default Calibre folder.

If you do not know where the ePub file is saved, Calibre already shows you the file path of your book title in the main screen.

Add the Book into iTunes

9. Now you already have the book title in ePub format. Next, let’s import it into iTunes library. Launch iTunes and click “File” -> “Add to Library…”.

10. Locate the ePub file and select it to add it into iTunes’ book library.

11. Once you click “OK”, iTunes automatically add the ePub file into its book library. You can then plug your iPad with your computer and sync it over to iPad for reading in iBooks app.