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Windows 10: How to Open an EPUB File with Microsoft Edge or an EPUB Reader

We show you how to open an epub file in Windows 10 with the best compatible ebook reader apps,, in Microsoft Edge, and Google Chrome.

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If you enjoy books, there's a good chance you've come across the EPUB format. As the official IDFP standard for electronic book publication, it's used by EPUB reader devices like Kobo and is also distributed to users via library services.

Unfortunately, some users run into issues when wondering how to open epub files on . There's no dedicated Windows EPUB reader and historically relied on its browser, , to manage digital publishing formats. However, with the closure of its eBook store and the release of the new Chromium Edge, this is no longer an option.

Today, we're going to be showing you how to open EPUB files in Edge with a browser extension instead, as well as with Microsoft-recommended Store apps and other third-party solutions like Calibre reader. Here are the best EPUB reader apps for Windows 10. Let's get started:

How to Open EPUB File with Microsoft Store Apps

Though Microsoft no longer has a dedicated EPUB viewer, there are some apps it recommends via its Microsoft Store that do the job just fine. For the most part, these aren't as fully featured as the win64 alternatives, but they support automatic updates and are usually quick to use.

  1. Visit the “Reading room” store collection

    Microsoft's list of recommended EPUB readers is known as the reading room. At the time of writing, it features 21 apps which will all act as a Windows EPUB reader. Simply click the app and press the “Get” button.

    Windows 10 - EPUB Reader Apps Collection in the Microsoft Store

  2. Read your ebook

    Open your ebook with the app or import it, depending on the app you chose. Our personal choice is the Kobo eBooks reader, as it's lightweight but gets the job done. If you'd like something with a bit more customization, read our list below.

    Windows 10 - Kobo eBooks as EPUB reader store app

The Best Ebook Reader Alternatives to Open EPUB Files

As Microsoft's recommended store apps tend to be a bit barebones, it's worth considering a third-party win64 app. In most cases, these offer more customization, intelligent features for easier viewing, and more. We've rounded up the best options for you below so you can find your favorite EPUB reader for Windows:

  1. Cool Reader

    Cool Reader is the closest you'll get to the speedy Microsoft Edge-like ebook experience without using the browser. It's an XML/CSS-based ebook reader with a fully customizable palette, text size and re-formatting, smooth scrolling, and more. It doesn't have the prettiest interface in the world, but its snappiness can make up for it.

    Windows 10 - Cool Reader - EPUB eBook

  2. Digital Editions

    Adobe Digital Editions was one of the first readers to adopt the EPUB format. It's completely free and lets you manage as well as view your files via a digital library. Due to its proprietary DRM, you can also use Adobe Digital Editions to borrow EPUB and PDF files from various public libraries.

    Adobe Digital Editions - EPUB eBook

  3. Calibre reader

    Calibre is likely the best EPUB reader you'll find on Windows. Though its e-book viewer is relatively simple, the functionality its library provides is unmatched. You can use Calibre to import and read epub files like any other app, but you can also edit individual lines, email them to an e-reader, edit metadata and tags, backup your library, and much more. It also acts as an epubconverter, letting you change from .epub to various other formats to suit different devices.

    Its reader lets you bookmark, customize font size and layout, look up words, view table of contents, set a custom background image, and everything else you'd expect. It's all provided free of charge with no ads.

    Windows 10 - Calibre Reader - EPUB eBook

      1. KDE Okular Document Viewer

        KDE Okular is less an EPUB reader specifically and more of a universal document viewer. You can use it to open various different formats, from epub to PDF, PostScript, XPS, and more. Nevertheless, it supports annotations, tables of contents, bookmarking, and plenty of other features to make the EPUB reading experience pleasant.

        Windows 10 - Okular - EPUB eBook

  4. Extra: Polar documents managing app

    Polar is an excellent application geared toward managing extensive document libraries. You can use it to keep track of how far you are into each book, view annotations, tag, and highlight. This makes it particularly useful for students, especially as you can cloud sync your titles to the cloud to access them from anywhere. While its epub reading functionality is limited, it can be a good tool for general management.

    Windows 10 - Polar Documents managing app - EPUB eBooks

How to Open an EPUB File in Chrome

Some users prefer not to install additional software. As a result, we'll also be showing you how to open EPUB files with and an extension.

  1. Install a Chrome EPUB reader extension

    Head to the Chrome web store and add one of the extensions to your browser.

    oogle Chrome - Web Store - EPUB reader extensions

  2. Open EPUB in Chrome

    Click the extension symbol in your browser bar, then press “Open EPUB book” and start reading.

    Google Chrome - EPUB reader extension sample

How to Open EPUB File in Microsoft Edge

Microsoft has made the decision not to build native EPUB support into its new Chromium Edge browser. While this complicates the process slightly you can thankfully get similar functionality through extensions on its web store.

  1. Open the Extensions menu

    In Microsoft Edge, press the three dots in the top-right corner, then choose “Extensions”.

    Microsoft Edge - Menu - Extensions

  2. Toggle “Allow extension from other stores”

    You'll find the switch in the bottom-left of the extension interface. After pressing the toggle, click “Allow”.

    Microsoft Edge - Allow extensions from other stores

  3. Install an EPUB reader extension

    Your Edge browser now supports Chrome extensions. You can visit the Chrome Web Store and install any of its free EPUB reader offerings.

    Microsoft Edge - EPUB reader extensions from Chrome Web Store

  4. Use the free EPUB viewer

    Click the extension symbol in your browser bar, then press “Open EPUB book” and start reading.

    Microsoft Edge - EPUB reader extension sample

If you found this guide useful, you may also want to read our how to's on printing to PDF and removing a PDF password.

Ryan Maskell
Ryan Maskellhttps://ryanmaskell.co.uk
Ryan has had a passion for gaming and technology since early childhood. Fusing the skills from his Creative Writing and Publishing degree with profound technical knowledge, he enjoys covering news about Microsoft. As an avid writer, he is also working on his debut novel.
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