Kindle Paperwhite · Calibre
Send books to the Kindle Paperwhite with Calibre
Add EPUB books to Calibre and copy them to the Paperwhite over USB as AZW3, with an optional step for the KFX format and one for wireless sending.
For a Kindle, the one rule is format: send AZW3 (Calibre does this for you automatically), not EPUB. Everything else is the same as any other reader — Calibre keeps the master copy on your computer, and sending to the Kindle makes a converted copy there. The KFX plugin and wireless sending are both optional extras you can add later.
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Install Calibre and add your books
Download Calibre from calibre-ebook.com and open it once. Drag your EPUB files into the window, or use "Add books". Calibre reads the title and author from each file and can fetch better covers and descriptions from "Edit metadata".
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Connect the Paperwhite with the USB-C cable
Choose to connect when the Kindle asks. After a few seconds Calibre shows a "Device" button in its toolbar. If it does not appear, the cable may be charge-only — try a known data cable.
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Let Calibre convert to AZW3 on send
You do not need to convert anything by hand. When you send an EPUB to a Kindle, Calibre automatically makes an AZW3 copy, because the Paperwhite does not read EPUB files over USB. Your EPUB stays in the library untouched.
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Optional: add the KFX Output plugin
For Amazon's newer KFX format, open Preferences, then Plugins, then "Get new plugins", and install "KFX Output". It needs a small helper from Amazon's own Kindle Previewer, which the plugin will prompt you to download. After that, Calibre sends KFX instead of AZW3. Skip this unless you specifically want KFX features.
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Select the books and send them to the device
Highlight the books, then click "Send to device", or right-click and choose "Send to device", then "Send to main memory". Calibre shows a "Jobs" counter in the bottom-right while it converts and copies.
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Find the books on the Paperwhite
Unplug the Kindle. Open the Library and look under "All" or "Downloaded". Sideloaded books are tagged as personal documents. If one is missing, restart the Kindle from Settings, then Device Options, then Restart.
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Optional: send wirelessly instead
In Calibre, open Preferences, then "Sharing books by email", and add your Kindle's "@kindle.com" address and the email account Calibre should send from. Add that sending address to your Amazon "Approved Personal Document E-mail List" as well. You can then right-click a book and choose "Send to device by email" with no cable.