Download Google Books to Your Phone, Tablet, or Computer

PDF download Download Article
Save a book in the Google Play store so you can read it offline
PDF download Download Article

This wikiHow article teaches you how to download purchased eBooks from your Google Play Books library so you can read them offline. Note that some publishers don't allow their books to be downloaded, and you cannot download rented books. There are also some large books that cannot be downloaded.

Quick Steps

  1. Go to https://play.google.com/store/books/ in a web browser and sign in if necessary.
  2. Click or tap Your library .
  3. Click or tap the three-dot menu icon next to the book's thumbnail that you want to download.
  4. Click or tap Export .
  5. Select an export option and the book will be downloaded to your device!
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

iPhone or iPad

PDF download Download Article
  1. Go to https://play.google.com/store/books/ in a web browser. Since Apple has its own book-storing platform, the Google Play Books mobile app doesn't have the download feature available.
    • Sign into your Google account if you aren't already signed in.
  2. You can also browse the categories of books to purchase if the book you want to download is not already in your library.
    Advertisement
  3. Another menu will appear next to your cursor.
  4. A window will pop up that shows you the options for downloading.
  5. The book will only download in formats it's available in. For example, a book that originally was added to Google Play Books as a PDF will only download as a PDF. [1]
    6. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Android

PDF download Download Article
  1. It's the white icon with a blue triangle inside. This opens the app to your Google Play Books homepage.
  2. If you don't have any books in your library, you'll need to buy at least one before you can download it. To do so:
    • Tap the magnifying glass or search bar at the top.
    • Type an author, title, or keyword in the search field.
    • Select a book by tapping it.
    • Tap the book's price or Ebook Free to buy the book and save it to your library.
    • Confirm the purchase and enter any required payment details.
  3. It's at the bottom of the screen. This displays your purchased books.
  4. The icon will change to a blue checkmark with a line below it to show that the book has been downloaded.
    • To download multiple books at the same time, tap and hold a book, and once a circle with a checkmark appears in the upper left corner of the book's thumbnail, tap to select multiple books. Tap Download to get all the books at once. [2]
    • The file will be downloaded as an Ebook that opens by default in Google Play Books.
    5. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

PC or Mac

PDF download Download Article
  1. Go to https://play.google.com/books in your computer's web browser. This displays a list of books you own on Google Play if you're logged in.
    • If you're not signed in, click Sign In at the top-right corner of the page.
  2. If you haven't already purchased the book you want to download, here's how you can do so now:
    • Click the Shop tab in the left panel.
    • Type an author, title, or keyword in the search field at the top of the page. Or, if you'd prefer, click the Genres menu at the top to browse by category.
    • Click a book to view a summary and pricing information.
    • Click the price (or Free Ebook ) above the summary to purchase and save the book to your library. If prompted, confirm your purchase by entering your password and any requested payment information.
    • Click the My books tab at the top of the left panel to return to your library.
  3. A context menu will expand.
  4. This saves the book to your computer as either an EPUB, PDF, or ASCM file.
    • Depending on your browser's settings, you may first have to select a save location or confirm the download.
  5. The steps vary depending on the file you downloaded:
    • If the file saved as a PDF, you can read it in Google Chrome, Adobe Reader, Mac Preview, Microsoft Edge, and any other PDF reader.
    • If the file is an ASCM file, you will need to install Adobe Digital Editions to read the file on your PC or Mac. You can download that application at https://www.adobe.com/solutions/ebook/digital-editions/download.html .
    • If the file is an EPUB, you can read it in Adobe Digital Editions or Books (if you're using a Mac).
    6. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    Is there a way to download a PDF of a Google book (a purchased book) in the "original pages" format so that the PDF's page numbers match those of the printed book?
    Community Answer
    I'm afraid not. If you have a book in PDF and want the page numbers of the PDF file to match those of the actual book, you can use a free software such as jPDF Tweak (that's what I do, it works well).
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 4 Helpful 18
  • Question
    I need to find Elements of Insurance by Magaram Publications. Where should I look?
    Community Answer
    If you cannot find it on Google books or Amazon, consider going to a bookstore or a library where you can request assistance in locating it.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 16 Helpful 8
  • Question
    Will downloading a book cost me money?
    Community Answer
    Some of them will cost money, but some are free.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 5 Helpful 6
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      • Books purchased on desktop or Android will appear in your Google Books library on any platform on which you're signed in to the same Google Account.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • When downloading books on iPhone or Android, you'll still need to have the Google Play Books app installed in order to read the books when offline.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Wrap Books As a Gift
      How to
      Order a Phone Book
      How to
      Fix Wavy Book Pages with Water & Heat
      How to
      Tell the Edition of a Book
      4 Ways to Know If an Old Book Is First Edition
      How to
      Share Kindle Books with Family and Friends
      A Beginner's Guide to Writing a Book Report (with Examples)
      How to
      Write a Book Summary: Expert-Backed Tips & Advice
      How to
      DIY a Totally Fetch Burn Book
      How to
      Understand Homestuck Quadrants
      How to
      Quote a Book
      How to
      Sign a Book
      How to
      Write a Good Summary for a Book Report
      How to
      Get Free Books by Mail: Everything You Need to Know
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/179863?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DiOS&oco=1
      2. ↑ https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/179863?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&oco=1

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Purchase the book in the Google Play Store.
      2. Open the Play Books app.
      3. Tap the three dots on the book cover.
      4. Tap Download .

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,388,242 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement