The 2010s didn’t bring the e-book revolution everyone was expecting. Still, e-books play an important role in making books more accessible. The two most common e-book formats are EPUB and PDF.
When it comes to e-readers, the EPUB format is the most suitable. EPUB is reflowable, allowing the text to be more adaptable for smaller screens.
This flexibility becomes a problem when you want to print an EPUB file. This can be one of the reasons why you would want to convert from EPUB to PDF.
If you don’t know how to convert your EPUB files, then read on! This guide will tell you all about the two formats and how you can convert EPUB to PDF.
What Is EPUB?
EPUB stands for electronic publication and has the “.epub” file extension. In 2007, it became the official standard of the International Digital Publishing Forum. EPUB bases on HTML, giving it high adaptability.
EPUB can store text, fonts, images, stylesheets, tables of content, and metadata. Screen size doesn’t affect the formatting of EPUB files since they’re layout agnostic. This allows EPUB to display content on as small as 3.5″ screens.
Written in XML and XHTML, EPUB is an easier format for software developers to work with. It’s deliverable as a ZIP file archive. A single file can store the entire content files and organization of a book.
End-users can use EPUB on various devices or e-readers like Kobo. Android and iOS devices have native apps for reading EPUB files: Google Play Books and iBooks. On Windows, you can use various free third-party programs to open and edit EPUB files.
However, to create and build an EPUB file archive, you must have some programming knowledge.
What Is PDF?
PDF is an acronym for Portable Digital Format. Used beyond e-books, it’s a format for document exchange developed by Adobe in 1993. Aside from text and graphics, PDFs can contain interactive elements like annotations and form fields.
The PDF displays files in a two-dimensional layout. This 2D layout works regardless of most software and operating systems.
This means a PDF file looks the same on different devices. This is why PDF is the preferred format in situations like college paper submissions.
This fixed-layout also means that PDFs are not adaptable to different screen sizes. Unlike EPUB, PDF does not have inherent support to reflow its content. This makes it hard to view some PDF files on smaller screens.
The code for generating PDF is also more complex. For software developers, this makes PDF a difficult format to work with.
Anyone can view PDF files on a computer with a PDF reader like Adobe Acrobat Reader. Android and iOS devices have native support for opening PDF files.
PDF is still the most common electronic document format. It’s customizable, and you can control the document’s look, from layout to fonts. PDFs are also easy to create using programs beyond Adobe like Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
How to Convert EPUB to PDF
You’ll need specific software for converting an EPUB file to PDF. There are many of these tools online you can use or download for free. See them below if you’re wondering, “how do I convert EPUB to PDF?”
Option 1: Zamzar
Go to Zamzar’s online EPUB to PDF converter. Select the EPUB file you want to convert using the “Add Files” button. You can also drag and drop the EPUB file straight onto the page.
Once you’ve uploaded the EPUB file, select the output format as PDF. Next, click “Convert Now” to start the process.
Once the process is complete, Zamzar will redirect you to the result page with a download link. Hit “Download” and save your new PDF file.
Option 2: Convertio
Convertio is another free online converter you can use to convert EPUB to PDF. It supports advanced options that allow you to configure files according to preference. You can also convert multiple files at once.
On Convertio’s converter page, select “Choose Files” to import the EPUB file you want to convert. In the “Document” section, choose PDF as the output format.
Next, click “Convert” to start the process. Once the conversion is complete, get your PDF file by clicking “Download.”
Option 3: eBooktoPDF
This free online converter allows you to convert EPUB, MOBI, FB2, AZW, and other formats. It offers mass conversion and has high-quality outputs. Converted files keep the quality of the original files.
On the eBooktoPDF site, select the EPUB file you want to convert using the “UPLOAD FILES” button. Once it’s complete, download your file or files by clicking the “DOWNLOAD ALL” button.
Option 4: Calibre
Calibre is a free desktop e-book converter. Unlike online converters, Calibre allows you to make changes in the EPUB file. This includes adding metadata or changing the e-book’s cover.
Once you have Calibre open, choose “Add books” and select the EPUB file you want to convert. After this, the EPUB file should appear on the interface. Click the EPUB file on the interface to highlight it. Next, click “Convert books.”
A pop-up window for the conversion will appear. Set the “Output Format” to PDF. Add or make any changes you need to the metadata in this window.
If everything is set, hit “OK,” and you’ll return to Calibre’s library interface. Proceed to the left pane and select the dropdown arrow beside “Formats.” In the expanded list, select PDF.
Choose your PDF file, then click “Save to disk.” Choose the folder or device, and you’re done.
Convert Your Other Files Today With OffDrive
EPUB and PDF each have their own merits when it comes to digital document viewing. Sometimes, you’ll need PDF’s fixed layout for printability or better accessibility. In these cases, you’ll need to convert EPUB to PDF.
Now you know how to convert EPUB to PDF!
If you’re looking to convert more of your files in different formats, Offdrive can do it for you. You’ll be able to convert PDF, DOC, TXT, and XLS to JPG, PNG, HTML, and more.
Head on over to our home page and convert your files now!