If you’ve recently switched from a Kindle to a Kobo eReader, you might have noticed something frustrating — your Kindle books don’t show up on your Kobo. That’s because Kindle and Kobo use different file formats and DRM systems. But don’t worry — with a few simple steps, you can easily convert your Kindle books to kobo format so they’ll read perfectly on your Kobo.

Part 1. Kindle vs. Kobo Formats: What’s the Difference

Before diving into conversion, it helps to understand why Kindle and Kobo books aren’t directly compatible.

Kindle Book Formats

Amazon’s Kindle ecosystem uses its own proprietary file types — AZW, AZW3, KFX, and older MOBI files. These formats are designed to work only on Kindle apps or Kindle eReaders.

Kobo Supported Formats

Kobo, on the other hand, supports open formats like EPUB, PDF, TXT, and comic book files (CBZ/CBR). Among these, EPUB is the most important one — it’s the standard eBook format used by almost every eReader except Kindle.

Why They’re Incompatible

The key issue lies in Amazon’s DRM (Digital Rights Management) and file format differences. DRM locks your Kindle books to your Amazon account and prevents them from being opened elsewhere — including Kobo devices.

How to Bridge the Gap

To read Kindle books on a Kobo, you need to do two things:
1. Remove Kindle DRM.
2. Convert the DRM-free books to EPUB format.

Once that’s done, you can transfer the converted files to your Kobo and start reading right away. In the following part, I will show you how to convert kindle books to kobo in 3 easy steps.

Part 2. Convert Kindle Books to Kobo in 3 Easy Steps

Step 1: Remove Kindle DRM

First, you’ll need to strip the DRM from your Kindle books. This step is necessary because Kobo can’t open DRM-protected Kindle files.

You can use tools like imElfin Ultimate to remove Kindle DRM easily. It works with Kindle books downloaded via the Kindle desktop app or Kindle e-ink devices (running firmware earlier than 5.18.5).

Here I will show you how to remove drm from Kindle books on Windows with Kindle for PC 2.8.0.

1. Download kindle books via kindle for PC 2.8.0.

2. Download imelfin eBook Ultimate and remove drm from kindle books.

Install eBook Ultimate from the below download button.

Launch imElfin eBook Ultimate, and click "Kindle" tab in the left column to load your downloaded kindle books.

Drag the kindle books from left side to right, kindle drm will be stripped.

Once you’ve removed the DRM, you’ll have DRM-free AZW or MOBI files ready for conversion.

Step 2: Convert Kindle Books to EPUB

Next, convert your Kindle files to EPUB — the format Kobo loves.

Usually, when your kindle books decrypted by imElfin eBook Ultimate, they will be in epub format by default. If not, imelfin ebook ultimate also can help you do this ebook format conversion job.

After the decrypting, select “EPUB” as the output format, and click “Convert to epub”.

Step 3: Transfer Converted Books to Kobo

Now it’s time to move your newly converted EPUB books to your Kobo eReader.

Connect your Kobo to your computer, then drag and drop the EPUB files into the “Kobo eReader” drive.

Once the transfer is complete, safely eject your Kobo and you’ll find your books waiting on the home screen — ready to read.

Final Thoughts

Switching from Kindle to Kobo doesn’t mean you have to abandon your Kindle library. With just a few easy steps — removing DRM, converting to EPUB, and transferring to your Kobo — you can enjoy all your favorite books on a more open and flexible eReader.

Now that you know how to bridge the Kindle–Kobo gap, your reading options just got a whole lot bigger.