ReaderTweaks

Kobo Clara BW · Calibre

Send books to the Kobo Clara BW with Calibre

Add EPUB books to Calibre and copy them to the Clara BW over USB, with an optional step for sending them as Kobo's KEPUB format.

Tested on
Kobo Clara BW
Software
Calibre 7.21
Difficulty
Easy
Estimated time
10 minutes
Last tested
August 2026
Last updated
August 2026

This is the direct way to get your own EPUB books onto the Clara BW. Calibre keeps the master copy of each book in its library on your computer; sending to the device makes a copy there. Deleting a book from the Kobo later does not remove it from Calibre. The process is identical to the larger Kobo models — the only real difference on the Clara BW is that its smaller screen makes the in-book margin and font-size settings worth checking once a book is open.

Before you begin

  1. Install Calibre on your computer if you have not already

    Calibre is free and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. Download it from calibre-ebook.com and open it once so it creates its library folder.

  2. Add your books to Calibre

    Drag your EPUB files into the Calibre window, or use "Add books". Calibre reads the title and author from each file and can download covers and descriptions if you right-click and choose "Edit metadata". The files now live in Calibre's library folder on your computer, separate from whatever you send to the device.

  3. Connect the Clara BW with the USB-C cable

    On the Kobo, choose "Connect" when it asks. After a few seconds Calibre recognises the device and a "Device" button appears in its toolbar. If it does not appear, the cable may be charge-only — try a different one.

  4. Optional: set Calibre to send books as KEPUB

    KEPUB is Kobo's version of EPUB, with better page numbers and reading statistics on Kobo hardware. To turn it on, open Preferences, then Plugins, expand "Device Interface plugins", double-click "KoboTouch", and enable the option to convert EPUB to KEPUB when sending. Plain EPUB works without this step; skip it if you are unsure.

  5. Select the books and send them to the device

    Highlight one or more books in the list, then click "Send to device" (or right-click and choose "Send to device", then "Send to main memory"). Calibre copies them across and shows a "Jobs" counter in the bottom-right corner while it works. Wait for that to finish.

  6. Find the books on the Clara BW

    Unplug the device. On the Kobo home screen, open "My Books". Sideloaded books appear alongside anything from the Kobo store, sorted by the most recent by default.

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