3 Easy Ways to Convert PDF to MOBI

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Free & safe ways to convert PDF to MOBI on your PC or Mac
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If you convert your PDF file to a MOBI file, you'll be able to read it on popular hardware and software e-readers like the Amazon Kindle. This wikiHow article will teach you how to use Calibre to convert PDFs with special formatting, and Auto Kindle eBook Converter on Windows for plain text PDFs.

Things You Should Know

  • The easiest way to convert PDF to MOBI is to use Calibre, which you can download from https://calibre-ebook.com/download .
  • If you're converting to MOBI to read on your Kindle, email the PDF to your Kindle address with the subject "Convert."
  • On Windows, you can install simple app called Auto Kindle eBook Converter that can convert text-only PDFs to MOBI.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Using Calibre

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  1. Calibre is a free e-book management app that can convert various file formats. If you don't have Calibre installed, visit https://calibre-ebook.com/download to download the correct version for your operating system.
  2. You'll find it in your Start menu if you're using Windows. Mac users can find it in the Applications folder.
    • If you installed Calibre on Linux, you can convert the file at the command prompt using the command ebook-convert test.pdf output.mobi . Replace "test.pdf" with the full name of the PDF file and "output.mobi" with the desired output file name.
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  3. It's the green book with a plus + symbol at the app's top-left corner.
  4. This imports the PDF file into Calibre.
  5. It's the brown book icon with two curved arrows inside, and you'll find it at the top of Calibre. This opens the "Convert" window.
  6. It's at the top-right corner of the "Convert" window.
  7. Since some PDF files contain proprietary formatting features, the MOBI file may look slightly different than the PDF. The options on the left side of the screen allow you to specify elements of the final file. [1]
    • The Metadata tab allows you to change the way the title, cover, author, and other descriptive info appears in the converted file.
    • The Look & Feel tab lets you customize colors, text, and layout.
    • MOBI output has format-specific options for ignoring margins, avoiding JPEG image conversion, disabling compression, and changing the MOBI version.
      • By default, "MOBI file type" is set to "old" to ensure compatibility with all Kindles. However, if you have a newer Kindle (3rd generation or later, except Kindle DX), changing to New adds additional formatting features.
    • The Heuristic Processing section is here in case you wind up with missing words or extra spaces in your MOBI file after converting. Since this option could mess up an otherwise fine PDF-to-MOBI conversion, don't select it at first. If the converted file has spacing issues, try converting again with this option selected.
  8. It's at the bottom-right corner of the window. The PDF will now convert to the MOBI format.
  9. It's the blue disk icon in the toolbar that runs along the top of Calibre. You can now select a location on your hard drive to save the converted file. Once the file is saved, you can move it to your favorite e-reader or e-reading software.
    • If you don’t see Save to disk , expand the window to see the entire toolbar.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Emailing to Kindle

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  1. If your goal is to convert a PDF to MOBI so you can read it easily on your Kindle, you can email the PDF to your personal Kindle email address with "Convert" as the subject. Before doing this, you'll need to find your Kindle email address and add your regular email address to its sender list.
  2. You'll see "Account & Lists" in the upper-right corner of Amazon once signed in.
  3. It's at the top of the Digital Content page.
  4. If you have more than one Kindle registered, select the one you want to use to read the PDF.
  5. By default, your Kindle's email address is long and filled with random letters. And unlike regular email addresses, these letters are case-sensitive. To change your Kindle address to something easier to use, click Edit , replace the part of the address before "@kindle.com" with something simpler, and click Save .
    • Write down or copy the email address to a safe location.
  6. It's at the top of the page.
  7. It's the last option on the list.
  8. Scroll down to the "Approved Personal Document E-mail List" section. If you don't see your normal personal email address listed, click Add a new approved e-mail address to add it now. [2]
    • Also, make sure you see "Archiving is Enabled" just above the email address list. If it's disabled, click Edit Archive Settings and enable it now. This ensures that when you send the PDF to your Kindle to convert it to MOBI, it'll be easy to find in your library.
  9. To make sure the PDF is converted to Kindle's MOBI format, you must type the word Convert into the email's subject line.
    • To attach the PDF to the email message in most email apps, click the paperclip icon or the word Attach , and select the PDF.
    • If you don't add "Convert" to the subject, you will still receive the PDF on your Kindle, and you'll be able to read it. However, it won't convert to the MOBI format.
    • Make sure you're sending the document from an email address in the Approved list. Your personal Kindle email address will not accept files from any other addresses.
  10. The next time your Kindle is connected to Wi-Fi, it will receive the PDF you sent, convert it to MOBI, and display it in your Kindle library.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using Auto Kindle eBook Converter

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  1. This tiny open-source Windows app can quickly convert PDF files to the MOBI format. You can get the app from https://sourceforge.net/projects/autokindle .
    • Other than being able to choose the output location, this tool doesn't allow you to customize the MOBI file in any way. It's just a quick tool for simpler conversions, such as scanned documents and other files without special formatting. If you want more control over how the MOBI file appears, use the Calibre method.
  2. You'll find it in your Start menu inside a folder with the same name.
  3. It's near the top-right portion of the window under "Default Output Location."
  4. The folder you select will be where the MOBI file is saved after conversion.
  5. It's at the bottom of the window.
  6. Closing this window makes the file browser window appear.
  7. Auto Kindle eBook Converter will now convert the PDF to the MOBI format. The finished file will appear in the folder you selected as the Default Output Location.
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      Tips

      • You can also use an online converter to convert PDF to MOBI. However, avoid doing this with PDFs containing sensitive information—there's no way of knowing who can read the PDF once you upload it to an online converter.
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      • If you're using Calibre to convert and don't like the way the MOBI looks on your e-reader, you can always tweak the settings and try the conversion again.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/conversion.html#format-specific-tips
      2. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/sendtokindle/email

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Install and launch Calibre.
      2. Click Add Books .
      3. Select the PDF and click Open .
      4. Select the PDF and click Convert Books .
      5. Select MOBI as the output.
      6. Set your conversion preferences.
      7. Click OK .
      8. Click Save to Disk .

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