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Arguably, Amazon does not make it easy to read ePubs on your Kindle Fire. While the capability is not available by default, though, you can read your collection of ePubs on your Kindle Fire simply by downloading an e-Pub-compatible reader to your device. While specific instructions may vary depending on which reader app you use, here are the essential basics you need to know about reading ePubs on your Kindle Fire.

Part 1
Part 1 of 4:

Preparing the Device

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  1. [1] By default, your Kindle Fire is set up to prohibit the installation of applications from outside or "unknown" sources. This setting can be changed, however.
    • Tap the "Settings" icon in the upper right corner of the screen. The icon looks like a gear.
    • Scroll to the bottom of the "Settings" menu and select "More" for more options.
    • From this menu, select "Device."
    • Scroll through the "Device" options until you see the words "Allow Installation of Applications from Unknown Sources." Tap on the "On" setting to the right.
    • Close out the menu.
  2. File explorers are not available on your Kindle Fire by default, but there are a number of free file explorer applications available through the Amazon App Store online.
    • Open the "Amazon App Store" application on your Kindle Fire by tapping on the icon.
    • Search for a file explorer like "File Expert" or "ES File Explorer" through the store interface.
    • Click on the "Continue" button beneath the words "Get this app" on the application product page.
    • Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the application. A notification will pop up once the installation is complete.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 4:

Download a Reader Application

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  1. [2] There are many different reader applications available. Before downloading one, read the description thoroughly to make sure that it can open ePubs. Also check the price. Some require you to pay, while others are free. Some frequently used reader apps include:
  2. You can download the reader app to your computer and drag the installation file over to your Kindle Fire later.
    • Visit the download page for whichever reader app you choose. Follow the on-screen instructions to download the app.
    • Plug your Kindle Fire into your computer by using a USB cable.
    • Drag the downloaded file over to a dropbox folder within your file explorer on the device.
  3. If you download the application to your computer, you could also e-mail yourself the app and download it to your device that way.
    • Follow the download instructions for your chosen reader app.
    • Open your e-mail composer on your computer. Attach the file to a new e-mail and send it to your own e-mail address.
    • Open your e-mail using the Web browser on your Kindle Fire. Download the attachment you sent yourself.
  4. One of the most direct ways to get a reader app is simply to download it to your Kindle Fire without using your computer at all.
    • Use the Web browser on your device to navigate to the download page of your chosen reader app. Follow the on-screen instructions to download the app.
  5. Once the app finishes downloading, a screen should appear asking you if you would like to install it.
    • Confirm the installation on this screen and follow the instructions to complete the process.
    • If this screen does not appear, hit the name of your Kindle in the menu bar to search for the app you downloaded. Tap the name of the app to open the installation screen.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 4:

Download ePub Books

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  1. If you already have ePub books on your computer, you can transfer them to your device using a USB cable. [3]
    • Connect the Kindle Fire to your computer. You will need to use a micro-USB cable.
    • View Kindle Fire's file system on your computer. Navigate to the Kindle Fire page that tells you that you can transfer files. This can be done by swiping the slider on your device. After the device is mounted to your computer, you should be able to navigate to the Kindle Fire's file system through a finder window on your computer.
    • Open a second file explorer or finder window on your computer and navigate to the location of your ePubs.
    • Drag the eBook to the Kindle. Some reader apps have their own directories. If this is the case, navigate to the reader app's special directory and paste the file there. Otherwise, drop the file into the default "KINDLE/eBooks" directory.
    • Eject the Kindle Fire from your computer once the ePub finishes downloading to your device.
  2. This is another option you can use if you already have the ePub books you want downloaded to your computer.
    • Compose an e-mail on your computer. Type your own e-mail address in the "To" field and attach the ePub file to the e-mail before clicking "Send."
    • Open a Web browser on Kindle Fire. Navigate to your e-mail and open the message you just sent yourself. Download the file to your "KINDLE/Downloads" folder.
    • Cut and past the downloaded book to the folder you want to store it in permanently on your device.
  3. If you know where to download ePub books online, you can navigate to that source through your Kindle Fire and download the ePub directly to your device.
    • If you make use of a personal cloud, you can add the ePub to your cloud from your computer and access it through your Kindle.
    • Some libraries allow you to download and "borrow" ePub books for free. These books are usually only formatted to work with certain reader apps, though.
    • Download free ePubs from legal, legitimate book sources like Project Gutenberg or Google Books.
    • Navigate to the author's webpage or publisher's webpage for a download link.
    • After downloading the book, it will likely end up in your "KINDLE/Downloads" folder. Cut it from this folder and paste it to the folder you want to permanently store it in on your device.
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Part 4
Part 4 of 4:

Reading an ePub Book

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  1. [4] If the application you use has its own folder for eBooks, simply placing the file into that folder should be enough to import it to your app. If not, you may need to take a few extra steps to import the book.
    • Launch the reader app by tapping the corresponding icon located on your Apps page.
    • Tap the "Files" button on the main screen to view the file system on your device. Navigate to the location of your ePub.
    • Tap on the file that corresponds to your ePub. Clicking on "Open" will merely open the book temporarily. Clicking on "Import" will import it permanently to the reader's "Library" or "Bookshelf."
  2. Navigate to the "Library" or "Bookshelf" within your reader app. Tap on the transferred ePub to open it.
    • From this point on, you can read the book as you would read any other eBook on your device. Certain features, like bookmarks or highlighting, will vary depending on the app you use.
    • You will always need to open your extra reader app to read your ePubs.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Can I highlight on ePub?
    Community Answer
    It depends on the app or program you are using to open the ePub file. Some allow you to, so you have to check the help area of the program.
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      Things You'll Need

      • Computer
      • Kindle Fire
      • Micro-USB cable

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