What is EPUB? I believe every ebook lover is very familiar with EPUB, but not each of you knows what EPUB stands for. EPUB is short for electronic publication. When a book with the extension .epub, it can be read and downloaded in devices like smartphones, tablets, computers, or e-reader. As the publishing standard for ebooks, EPUB format is applied to most of the ebooks, except for Kindle books which are using its own exlcusive format like mobi, Azw3, KFX, or azw formats.

However, if you want to read a EPUB format file on your PC, you may have difficulties from Windows not being able to recognize the format. Today, I am going to introduce two methods on readiing EPUB on PC. They are all easy-to-use and totally free.

Things Need to Do before Reading Epub on PC

If you have purchased epub books from the main stream ebook vendors, like Google Play or Kobo, they will be encrypted with DRM scheme. That means you can only open these epub files with specified Apps,let's say Adobe Digital Editons. Besides ADE, we have many other reading options. If you want to read epub on other apps, please remove DRM from epub at first to ensure your EPUB files are DRM free.

Part 1: Reading EPUB on PC by Using Browsers

For people who are in favor of browers, I will recommend 2 browers-Google Chrome and Firefox. What you have to do is installing one browser plugin to your browser. Just one step, your browser will become your ebook reader.

1. MagicScroll Web Reader for Google Chrome

If you happen to be a user of Google Chrome, you can use it as your ebook reader. Anyway, if you have not installed a Google Chrome, you can take his opportunity to have a try.

Step 1: Install Google Chrome and add the MagicScroll Web Reader

You have to download and install the Google Chrome before adding the MagicScroll web Reader. Then go to the MagicScroll extension page and click on "Add to Chrome" button to install. It will be succeed in installing in your Chrome.

Step 2: Read EPUB File

Once the MagicScroll Web Reader has been installed, you can open a new tab with the home page of MagicScroll.

You can add your book to your library by clicking “add a book to your library”. Then it will give you two options to input your ebook: PC or ebook source from the internet. Once added, all ebooks will be accessible from your library. You can read your epub book by using this library.

With 4 menu buttons available at the top left corner of each book page, you can go the library main page, table of contents, options to change font size and theme colors as well as option to download the ebook locally onto your computer.

Once your books have been added to the library, you are available to access them from any other platform. This is very convenient for book reading and makes you feel like you are reading on an e-reader.

2. EPUBReader on Firefox

If you are not a fan of Google Chrome, but there is an alternative for it –Firefox.

Step 1: Add EPUBReader to Firefox

Go to EPUBReader extension page, click on the “Add to Firefox” to finish the installation.

Step 2: Read EPUB BOOK

After the installation, an additional icon will show at the top right of your Firefox browser. You can launch EPUBReader by clicking it. In the reader page, you will find lots of ebook collections that are available from archive.org and Gutenberg.org for free.

Also, you can drag the EPUB books you want to read to the Firefox browser window or just download the EPUB file by clicking the download link. EPUBReader created a page where all the EPUB files, you downloaded/opened, are listed.

Changing reading style, increasing/decreasing font size, and setting bookmarks are all available in EPUBReader.

These extensions are made as a minimalist ebook reader that will allow you to browse through ebooks directly from these two browsers.

Part 2: Reading Epub on PC by Using Readers Apps

If you are not interested in reading by your browsers, I wil introduce 5 apps in this part. Hope there apps will help you read your EPUB books on your paper smoothly.

1. Sumatra Reader

Sumatra Reader is a free PDF, eBook (ePub, Mobi), XPS, DjVu, CHM, Comic Book (CBZ and CBR) reader for Windows. Why introduce this reader at the very beginning? Because it is very small, fast, powerful, and portable.

Supported Operation system: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista, XP.

Step 1: Download and Installation

Download it here. Then just follow the installation instructions.

Step 2: Read epub books by Sumatra Reader

Click its icon on the desktop to open it. Then you can see “open a document”. Just click it to add epub books to this reader.

We have to admit that it does not have so many features as other EPUB readers. However, simplicity has a higher priority than a lot of features. It's small and starts up very fast.

2. Adobe Digital Editions

About reading epub books on PC, I highly recommend Adobe Digital Editions to you. As a free epub reader designed by Adobe, it supports both epub and pdf formats. What’s more, books can be read on it no matter with DRM or not.

Supported system: Windows; Mac

Step 1: Install ADE and Authorize Adobe ID

Adobe Digital Editions can be downloaded and installed on windows and mac. Firstly get it ready, please. The first time you use ADE, you will receive a dialogue to creat your own adobe account. It is used to authorize your computer with ADE. Create your Adobe ID, then input it to authorize.

Step 2: Read EPUB Books by ADE

After the installation, you can add books to your library by clicking “file” and then choose “add to library”. Now you can read your epub format book on your PC.

As we can see from the surface, it is very clean, easy-to-use and customizable. You also can archive your books according to custom and build your own shelf. Full screen also can improve your view experience. Adding bookmarks and notes, and highlighting text also can make reading joyfully.

3. IceCream Ebook Reader

As one of the best EPUB readers, IceCream Ebook Reader can transform your computer screen into a convenient ebook reader. It allows you to read the following formats: EPUB, MOBI, FB2, PDF and other popular formats.

Supported Operation system: Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP

Step 1: Download and Installation

Download it here and install it according to the instructions.

Step 2: Read epub books by IceCream Ebook Reader

Please click “Add book” to add the EPUB format books to the library. Although there is “Add folder” button, it is not available in free version of the program. Once the book has been added, you will find it on the Bookshelf. Double click book title to read it.

What makes IceCream Ebook Reader so special? It will remember your reading progress, help you find a book by author or book title, and select the text to copy or translate. Also, it allows you to add notes and highlight text. Full-screen mode, night mode, and bookmarks are all available.

4. FBReader

As a popular multi-platform ebook reader, FBReader support popular ebooks formats: ePub, fb2, mobi, rtf, html, plain text, and a lot of other formats. You are also free to access to network libraries that contain many free books. Choosing colors, fonts, page turning animations, dictionaries, bookmarks, etc. are available on this FBReader.

Supported Operation System: Android, Linux, Mac OS X, Windows, Blackberry 10.

Step 1: Download and Installation

Download it from here and install it according to the instructions.

Step 2: Read EPUB Books by FBReader

After the installation, just click its icon on the desktop to open it. On the reading interface, click “+” at the right of the negative bar to add books to your library. You can select colors, fonts, page turning animations, dictionaries, bookmarks, etc. according to your reading custom.

All in all, FBReader is an easy-using e-book reader which highly improves your reading experience and makes searching texts fast and simple.

5. Calibre

As an ebook lover, I have to mention Calibre here. Calibre is a powerful, free and open-source ebook computer software. It supports a variety of formats, including epub, pdf and formats. It is not only an ebook reader, but also ebook converter. With it, you can convert your book to any other formats for free.

Supported Operation System:Windows(Windows 64bit), OSX, Linux

Step 1: Download and Installation

Download Calibre and install it.

Step 2: Read EPUB Books by Calibre

You can add books to the library by clicking “Add Books”. When the books have been successfully added to this reader, you will find it in the middle column of this surface. Just double click the book title to read it, or you can just choose the book and click “view” at navigate to read it.

As an all-in-one solution for dealing with your ebooks, Calibre has done an excellent job and win many praises from users. However, as an ebook reader, it is the lack of highlight and adding notes.

Although I have collected these 5 tools for you, but they are not a complete list. There are also other free epub readers: Nook for PC/MAC, Kobo for PC/Mac and so on.

Conclusion

Here I am sharing two methods with you about how to read epub on PC. I can not tell which one is the best, but you can choose the one you like according to your reading custom.

As we know that most of the purchased ebooks are protected by DRM. Most of the ebook readers can not handle this kind of epub books, except ADE. Suppose you are not an ADE fan, how can you solve this problem? I want to recommend you a free EPUB DRM removal software--Epubor Ultimate. With it, you can share your purchased books with your friends and families. Hope you will enjoy it.

Download the tool for free:

Iris Yan joined Epubor since 2017. She always wants to share everything related to ebook reading and improve your reading journey.