find books for ipad

Apple Books

Read, listen, discover. all in one place..

Apple Books is the single destination for all the books and audiobooks you love — and all the ones you’ll love next. Browse the Book Store and Audiobook Store to find the perfect book to read or listen to. Track what you’ve read and want to read, and set your own Reading Goals — all in one app and across all your Apple devices.

Reading Now. Your digital bookmark.

The Reading Now tab makes it easy to get to the right page in an instant, whether you’re immersed in a single story or bouncing between books. It’s also where you’ll find personalised recommendations based on what you’ve been reading.

Your library, your way.

Organise your library any way you like. With collections, every one of your books is exactly where you want it. Create your own collections and get to them easily at any time. You can also revisit an old favourite you’ve already read in the Finished collection.

So many books, so much in store.

Swipe from book to book to see which book covers, descriptions and reviews catch your eye, then add the books you’re interested in to your Want to Read list. Choose from today’s bestsellers, check out lists curated by Apple Books editors, or get recommendations based on what you’ve been listening to or reading.

Listen while you work. Or play. Or drive.

With audiobooks available on CarPlay, Apple Watch and more, it’s easy to transport yourself to another world during your commute or learn something new on a run.

Search the books you own. Browse millions more.

Now you can find just the book you’re looking for easier and faster than ever. Search through the Book Store and your personal library at the same time. You can return to your recent searches or tap a search suggestion to discover something entirely new.

A Reading Goal you can’t put down.

Setting a Reading Goal helps make reading a priority by tracking the amount of time you’re reading or listening to an audiobook. Build strong reading habits and celebrate your achievements — whether that’s a daily goal, a new reading record or how many books you’ve read this year.

Publish to Apple Books.

Stories are important. Apple Books for Authors helps you tell yours. Apple Books for Authors guides you through every step of your journey as an author, from structuring your story to packaging your digital book and selling it on our store. Even established authors will find valuable resources on how to grow sales and track performance.

Ebook Friendly

10 best ipad and iphone book-reading apps to enjoy in 2023.

Don’t limit yourself to one iOS book app. Play with as many as possible and select the ones that are most suited to fit your exciting reading life.

There are hundreds of thousands of iPad and iPhone apps in every category in the App Store. Which one answers your needs the most? You won’t know it until you give yourself a chance to compare.

Even if you are a dedicated user of your favorite ebook platform, you may find out that the connected app is not perfect. It’s nearly perfect, at most. And “nearly” can be fixed by using extra apps that can do what your primary app doesn’t.

Use the following list to discover book apps that are designed to meet various needs. Take some time to play with each one – most of them are free to download. Some offer in-app purchases or subscriptions, but the free mode offers enough features to make up your mind.

Once you make a shortlist, don’t force yourself to pick up the winner and remove all other apps. You do have more than one photo app, use more than one social network, and play more than one iOS game, aren’t you?

Don’t feel guilty of using more than one book app on your iPad or iPhone. The fact that you need a few apps – and you pick up each one for a different reason – doesn’t mean you can’t decide. It’s just the opposite! It means that you are highly effective in defining your reading needs and finding relevant solutions.

You can use additional apps to improve reading speed, motivate you to read more, get extra features (such as instant translations to less common languages or better private settings), listen to audiobooks, or support different file formats.

Is there an app that hasn’t made it to the list, but it’s worth recommending? Feel free to share it together with this list in your social media channels.

The best iPad and iPhone apps for reading books

1. amazon kindle.

Our pick: The most advanced book reader for iPad and iPhone

▸ Everyone who owns a Kindle e-reader or Fire tablet downloads this app to the iPhone and iPad, just to compare the performance and interface, test common features, and decide whether the iOS-powered device could become a default reading tool.

▸ The app is constantly improving, keeping up with upgrades of the iOS, but – most importantly – improvements of the Amazon ebook-reading ecosystem.

▸ Kindle is the most advanced book-reading app in the App Store. It offers features you already know, such as X-Ray reference tool, Page Flip in-book navigation, access to library ebooks, or Send to Kindle iOS Share Menu button.

▸ Moreover, Kindle for iOS is now extremely well-connected to Amazon’s subscription-based services: Kindle Unlimited ($9.99-per-month unlimited access to over 3 million ebooks, comic books, and magazines) and Prime Reading (a part of Amazon Prime – gives free access to a rotating list of over 1,000 ebooks and magazines).

Tip: Please keep in mind that since August 2022 the format for your sideloaded files is epub, not mobi.

▸ My favorite feature of the app is Whispersync for Voice. With it, reading an ebook and listening to an audiobook is not “either or” any longer.

▸ Whispersync for Voice technology lets you seamlessly switch between reading a Kindle ebook and listening to its audiobook version. All happens in a few taps! Even better, you can continue digesting the book at the location where you left off.

Benefits: Advanced reference tools, Whispersync for Voice lets switch between reading and listening, read-later feature via Send to Kindle button Compatibility: iPad, iPhone Price: Free

2. Apple Books

Our pick: Best integration with iOS and iPadOS

▸ Apple’s own book-reading app (previously called iBooks) rarely gets an update. It usually happens with the introduction of the new iOS. However, for anyone who is looking for an app that’s 100% integrated with the iOS and iPadOS, there is no better choice.

▸ Apple Books is the only app for iPad and iPhone which allows you to directly buy ebooks and audiobooks. Book reading apps from other ebook platforms don’t offer this quite obvious feature because Apple gets a huge fee from all in-app purchases.

▸ The latest major update of Apple Books features a quick start Reading Now section, better library management, and automatic night theme.

▸ Reading Now home screen includes books that the user might consider buying. Under the books that you’ve purchased, you will see titles that you’ve added to your wish list. Swipe down, and you will see recommendations from Apple ebook store in a few popular categories.

▸ The bookstore has a dedicated section. The homepage includes lists of trending books, plus top charts in paid and free categories. When you tap the menu icon in the top-right corner, you will also access trending titles in most popular genres.

▸ The biggest benefit, however, is the automatic theme switcher. It’s something other book readers still don’t offer for iOS. What’s important, the dark theme is applied not only to the book-reading interface, but also the library view.

Benefits: Easy to use, built-in bookstore, automatic night theme Compatibility: iPad, iPhone Price: Free

Our pick: The best iPad and iPhone app for library books

▸ Are you looking for convenient ways to read free ebooks on your iPad or iPhone? You may be surprised to discover you can do it using your library card.

▸ And there is an outstanding app that will let you start reading library ebooks in no time. It’s called Libby.

▸ Libby offers the next-generation approach to managing and digesting digital content. First, it’s a combination of the book reader and audiobook player – because modern libraries offer not only ebooks but also audiobooks.

▸ Are you wondering how much time you would need to connect Libby app with your local library account? Keep calm. All you need to do is find your library card and download Libby from the App Store.

▸ The setup process is easy. Libby, powered by OverDrive, will help you find your library and sign in. Everything happens in a few taps. More than 40,000 libraries in 40 countries are connected to OverDrive’s catalog of 2 million ebooks, audiobooks, and videos.

▸ Libby’s most outstanding feature is the ability to sign up with multiple library cards. For instance, you can use the card from your school library and the second one from the local branch of the public library system offering books in your neighborhood.

▸ Why is it important? If you want to read a hot new bestseller, you may wait in a queue in one library, but you may borrow it immediately in the other.

▸ Libby’s next killer feature is a unified catalog where all your loans, from all connected libraries, and in all supported formats, are displayed.

▸ Paraphrasing Laura Bush, “I have found the most valuable thing in my smartphone is my Libby app.”

Benefits: Easily borrow ebooks and audiobooks from a public library, ability to use multiple library cards, beautiful, user-friendly, next-generation interface Compatibility: iPad, iPhone Price: Free

4. Blinkist

Our pick: The best way to learn key insights from nonfiction books

▸ Does the fact you don’t have enough time stop you from reading books? Thanks to a clever iOS app, you can spend only 15 minutes a day to learn at the speed no one can beat. And it’s not a speed-reading app. It’s much smarter than that.

▸ Blinkist provides summaries from over 3,000 bestselling books in several categories, including career, society & culture, nature & environment, health, entrepreneurship, education, economics, creativity, leadership, or communication skills.

▸ Each book is distilled by experts into a 15-minute read, available in both text and audio. The company adds 40 new titles each month, so your to-read list will never get empty.

▸ Thanks to Blinkist, you can discover new perspectives on the world, grasp emerging trends in your area of expertise, sharpen your professional skills, and keep motivated. With tailored book recommendations, you will always know what to read next.

▸ The iOS app lets you seamlessly switch between audio and text so that you can continue, regardless of what you are doing. There is an offline mode, send-to-Kindle feature, and ability to sync highlights to Evernote.

Benefits:  A smart way to learn faster through 15-minute summaries; personalized recommendations; audio and text modes Compatibility:  iPhone, iPad Price:  Free 7-day trial, subscriptions from $1.99 to $54.99

5. Google Play Books

Our pick: The best way to access your books from any device

▸ No matter which app is your default reading tool for iPad or iPhone, Google Play Books provides a set of features that make it a great solution for your reading needs that are still not met.

▸ First, for millions of Gmail users, Google Play Books is the easiest way to start reading ebooks on their new iOS devices. You don’t need to register for a new service (such as Kobo or Barnes & Noble Nook) to start reading ebooks.

▸ Secondly, if you’ve switched from an Android-powered phone or tablet, and used Google Play Books there, you’ll find a familiar interface on the iOS device. What’s even more important, you’ll have your book library synced.

▸ A benefit of the Google Play ecosystem is easy access to your book library from a web browser. If you want to read many ebooks online on your computer, you don’t have to download any special app to start reading. A web browser, such as Google Chrome or Firefox, is enough. And you can have all these books synced to your iPad or iPhone so that you can continue reading on the go.

▸ The most significant feature of Google Play Books, however, is the translation. It is powered by Google Translate. You can choose from over 100 languages, not five or ten. A killer feature is the ability to translate not only single words, but the entire text that you’ve highlighted.

▸ The app supports audiobook playback. It can sync last listened to location with other devices connected to your Google account. Thanks to that, you can play an audiobook on your Google Home smart speaker and then continue on your iPhone.

▸ What’s important, all the content handled by Google Play Books can be used even if you don’t have access to the internet.

Benefits: Instant translations from/to over 100 languages, ease of use both on iOS and online (via web browser), quick start – Google/Gmail users don’t have to register Compatibility: iPad, iPhone Price: Free

6. FBReader

Our pick: The best independent epub and mobi reader for iOS

▸ Many users prefer independent book-reading apps over the ones offered by giant ebook platforms such as Apple or Google.

▸ There are many book apps offered by independent developers. For a long time, Marvin and Gerty were our favorites, but they have not been developed since 2017, so we had to remove them from this roundup.

▸ Currently, FBReader is by far the best independent book reader for iPad and iPhone. One of the most popular book-reading apps in the Google Play Store, it has been available for iOS devices since 2017.

▸ The most prominent feature of FBReader for iOS is the support for both epub and mobi file format. As you may know, mobi was used by Kindle ecosystem, while most other ebook platforms use epub.

Note : As of August 2022, epub is the format to import personal files into the Kindle ecosystem. Mobi format is not supported by Amazon any longer.

▸ Compared to the Google Play version, the iOS app is missing a few features, but it’s still the easiest and most familiar book-reading environment for users who have just switched from Android tablets and smartphones.

▸ The app syncs your bookmarks and reading positions with FBReader cloud, offers several customization options, and is one of few iOS book apps that respect a system light/dark setting.

Benefits: Epub and mobi book reader in one; the best solution for users who switch from Android devices Compatibility: iPhone, iPad Price: Free; full edition for $3.99

Our pick: The best app to discover and read books from indie authors

▸ There are several, better or worse, iOS apps that give direct access to free ebooks. The only thing is that most of these books are from the public domain, which means they are classic titles.

▸ If you prefer to read contemporary books for free and are ready to give a chance to indie authors, you should give a try to a dedicated app called Inkitt.

▸ This free app has been already downloaded by over 700,000 users from around the world, and is the most popular free book app in 5 countries.

▸ Once you download Inkitt to your iPad or iPhone, you get direct access to over 100,000 novels and stories from thousands of indie authors – at no extra cost. You would be surprised how many great books you can read without paying a penny.

▸ Use a handy genre picker to narrow down search results to the topic you are most interested to explore. The app also offers personalized book recommendations based on your selected genres.

💬 Inkitt is by far the best place I have posted work and I have already told some friends about it. I will be submitting more. – Patrick, Inkitt author

Benefits: Enjoy novels and short stories from independent authors and help them get recognition they deserve Compatibility: iPhone, iPad Price: Free

8. QuickReader

Our pick: The best speed-reading app for iPad and iPhone

▸ Is improving reading comprehension and speed included in your personal development plan? Picking up a dedicated speed-reading app would help achieve this goal.

▸ Some speed-reading apps, the ones that show one word or phrase at a time, may seem too extreme. Instead of getting involved, many users test using the one-word technique, get quickly disappointed, and never come back.

▸ What if training your speed reading skills is optional and not so dramatically different? It’s what QuickReader is about.

▸ On the basic level, QuickReader is a nicely designed book-reading app with many customization options and built-in access to thousands of public domain books from such repositories as Project Gutenberg or Internet Archive.

▸ What I find particularly inviting is a customization of speed reading options and display. Besides setting the speed goal (300 words per minute is an average reading speed), you can personalize the look of the highlight box.

▸ Each book can be read in two modes: Normal and Guided Reading. The latter one is a great way to gradually improve your reading speed. The technique used to control the speed is simple – a small part of the text is being highlighted and moves forward at the speed you set. With three taps, you can skip speed reading mode and come back to normal mode.

▸ The app also provides a simple speed reading test. It’s a good thing to check out before you set the speed goal.

Benefits: A well-designed book reader with optional speed reading trainer, built-in access to thousands of free ebooks, customization of speed reading options Compatibility: iPhone, iPad Price: $4.99

Our pick: The best way to organize reading life and stay motivated

▸ Some book-reading apps offer basic stats that measure your reading progress, how much time you need to finish a book, or what is your reading speed.

▸ If you, however, want to learn more about your reading habits or to keep being motivated, you should pick up an app that’s much more advanced.

▸ Try Leio. It’s like a Runkeeper app for book lovers. It’s focused on providing you extensive data on how you read books and how your reading evolves.

▸ You can time your reading sessions, and they will be logged to a reading calendar so that you can see them in a longer time frame. With a Planner tool, you can set up how often you want to read each book, and the app will remind you to read if you want to stay on track.

▸ An even more powerful tool lets you finish reading a book by a specific date. Simply, set up the deadline, and the app will tell you how long and how many pages you’ll need to read per day to finish before that date. As time flies, the app adjusts the reading plan.

Benefits: A powerful way to learn about your reading habits and keep motivated, advanced stats that show how your reading evolves, deadline reading tool Compatibility: iPhone, iPad Price: Free; $7.99 to unlock stats for unlimited books; subscriptions from $0.49 per month

Our pick: The best subscription-based book app for iPad and iPhone

▸ Are you looking for an iOS app that would give you unlimited access to ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines for a monthly or yearly subscription? One app, not two or three?

▸ Your first choice would be Amazon Kindle app with Kindle Unlimited membership. The thing is that the app doesn’t have a built-in audiobook player. You’ll have to switch to Audible app for that.

▸ Instead of switching between Kindle and Audible app (and, in fact, paying for two different subscriptions), switch once and for good to an all-in-one Scribd platform.

▸ The Scribd app for iPad and iPhone gives unlimited access not only to ebooks and audiobooks, but also popular magazines. There are over 1 million titles in the catalog, many are hot new releases and all-time bestsellers.

▸ Besides that, Scribd offers access to the world’s largest document library. There are over 60 million titles to choose from, including government reports, study guides, essays, or academic dissertations.

▸ You can download the content to your iPad or iPhone so that you can enjoy it without the internet connection. You can make notes, add bookmarks, or highlight text. The app’s interface and neat and user-friendly. You can customize fonts and themes.

Benefits: Enjoy ebooks, magazines, and audiobooks in one handy app Compatibility: iPhone, iPad Price: Free 30-day trial; in-app subscription for $8.99 per month; other plans available

Keep exploring. Here are the latest news, tips, and lists:

• Free ebooks for Christmas 2023: here are the top 20 downloads Just like a year ago, we are presenting the list of ebooks that were most downloaded from Project Gutenberg in […]
• 12 best personalized gifts for librarians and library supporters These library-themed gifts are extremely easy to personalize. All you have to do is add your own text!
• Here are the 12 best iPhone case covers for book lovers In this updated overview, you’ll see gorgeous iPhone covers that will remind you of the joy of reading books anywhere, […]
• 12 best metal accessories and home decor for book lovers Explore some of the best home decor items for book lovers that are handmade from metal: steel, brass, copper, bolts, […]

If you don’t want to miss future updates, make sure to enable email notifications in the comment box below. We are also waiting for you on WordPress Reader , Mastodon , Tumblr , and Facebook . You can also add us to your Google News channels.

If you buy an item via this post, we may get a small affiliate fee ( details ). We only use the cookies that are necessary to run this site properly ( details ).

Share this:

• Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

2 responses to “10 best iPad and iPhone book-reading apps to enjoy in 2023”

[…] Some users, however, are aware there are other book-reading solutions around. Just like there are many book-reading apps for Android tablets and smartphones, you can find many alternatives in the Apple Store. In a separate list, we put together the best book apps for iPad and iPhone. […]

[…] to take reading experience on your iPad and iPhone to a whole new level, make sure to check out the best book apps, as well as top audiobook player […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Popular posts.

Free ebooks for Christmas 2023: here are the top 20 downloads

Just like a year ago, we are presenting the list of ebooks that were most downloaded from Project Gutenberg in the last 30 days.

Ebooks may be a gateway to a harmful surveillance

The fact that you don’t reveal your reading activity to the public doesn’t mean your sensitive data is 100% protected.

All your print and digital Amazon books are now in one place – except the sideloaded ones

Amazon has just launched Your Books, a personalized space with all your print, Kindle, and Audible books. However, the service doesn’t include your sideloaded ebooks.

Turn your Kindle lockscreen into a custom composition notebook cover

This simple guide will let you use an iconic composition notebook design as a Kindle screensaver image.

Audiobook listening in 2023, according to Spotify

Spotify’s announcement of the introduction of audiobooks in the U.S. comes with an infographic about audiobook listening habits.

Almost 1,100 Kindle ebooks are on sale for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2023

This shopping season, forget about the Kindle, and get Kindle books instead. In three combines deals, well over 1,000 books are featured – and Cyber Monday hasn't started yet.

Start Reading

Big magic: creative living beyond fear.

by ELIZABETH GILBERT

Once upon a time, there was a man named Jack Gilbert, who was not related to me – unfortunately for me. 

Jack Gilbert was a great poet, but if you’ve never heard of him, don’t worry about it. It’s not your fault. He never much cared about being known. But I knew about him, and I loved him dearly from a respectful distance, so let me tell you about him.

Jack Gilbert was born in Pittsburgh in 1925 and grew up in the midst of that city’s smoke, noise, and industry. He worked in factories and steel mills as a young man, but was called from an early age to write poetry. He answered the call without hesitation. He became a poet the way other men become monks: as a devotional practice, as an act of love, and as a lifelong commitment to the search for grace and transcendence. I think this is probably a very good way to become a poet. Or to become anything, really, that calls to your heart and brings you to life.

176 words read ...

New at Reader Updated

• ALA report: public libraries see 92 percent increase in number of titles targeted for censorship 
• Study: reading on paper improves comprehension even 8 times more than digital
• Christmas reading challenge (cartoon)
• Discover the positive side of life through illustrations by Elise Gravel
• Gen Z vs. Millennials – how they read books and use libraries (report)
• Goodreads Choice Awards 2023: the winners are here!
• The current book reading habits in the U.S. (survey and infographic)
• What if Wes Anderson visited a library and made a movie about it? (video)

Revolution Begins Book Lover Funny T-Shirt – Time to start a revolution, comrades! Wait, I need to finish the book, first – and a bookmark comes as a handy excuse. This vintage artwork says: “The revolution begins as soon as I remember where I left my bookmark”.

Ebook lover's friendly companion

Discover more from ebook friendly.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

• Apple Watch
• Accessories
• Digital Magazine – Subscribe
• Digital Magazine – Info
• Smart Answers
• Amazon Prime Day
• Apple Watch 2024
• 11th-gen iPad
• New AirPods
• Best Mac antivirus
• Best Mac VPN

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn't affect our editorial independence .

How to find free books in the iBooks Store

There are plenty of things to worry and stress over during this holiday season, but where you find your travel entertainment really shouldn’t be one of them. Here’s our guide to picking up some great free reading before you hop a plane, train, or automobile.

Know where to look

The easiest place to pick up a book for your iPad or iPhone is in the iBooks Store itself. On a Mac, launch iBooks (if you don’t have it, download it for free here ) and then click on iBooks Store . To the right, you’ll see a list of Quick Links . Click on Free Books .

On an iOS device, tap iBooks, tap  Store , and then tap  Featured  at the bottom of the screen.   Scroll down to  Quick Links at the bottom of the page and click Free Books. 

Find the books you want

Apple’s free books collection is broken up into several subcategories, topped by the company’s own recommended free books. Those include such scintillating titles as Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving and Apple’s own iPhone and iPad Guides. Below that, you can browse free books, labeled by category.

Diving into a sub-category ( Fiction & Literature , for instance) will display a list of free ebooks labeled inside that section, for example Dickens’  A Christmas Carol and  H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine.  You can browse individual titles by tapping (clicking if you’re on your Mac), or scrolling to the right if nothing you see suits your fancy. There are plenty of great copyright-free books available, including Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets, Bram Stoker’s Dracula , Jane Austen’s works, Edgar Allen Poe’s poems, and more.

If you know the name of a public domain work you want to read ( Sherlock Holmes , for example), you can skip the Free Books section and just use iBooks’s search bar. That said, be careful: Some copyright-free books have multiple versions uploaded by different publishers, and though they may all contain the same content, certain ones may cost money while others are available for free. To avoid spending a few unnecessary bucks, browse on the Mac version of iBooks and click the “Only Show Free Titles” checkbox after searching.

Venture outside the iBookstore

Apple’s bookstore isn’t the only place to find great free books: My personal favorite is Project Gutenberg , which compiles (and sometimes creates) ebooks from out-of-print and copyright-free novels. There’s a decent amount of crossover with the iBookstore, but Project Gutenberg has an overall larger selection, and offers multiple download formats, too.

A few good places to start when searching Project Gutenberg include its top 100 ebooks , popular ebooks , and newly added ebooks .

Ready to Read

When you’ve found a book you like on the iBookstore, just tap the Free button and then tap the Get Book button that results. After that, the book will begin downloading to your library, and should automatically show up on all of your devices that have iBooks installed.

If you want a book from an external site like Project Gutenberg, it’s easiest to download the book to the device you plan on reading it with. If that’s an iPad, just navigate to the book’s page and tap the book’s ePub download link. The ePub should load as an icon with the option Open in ‘iBooks’ above it. Tap the link to send the file to your iBooks library. On your Mac, when you click the ePub download link, the book should end up in your Downloads folder; to add it, open iBooks and go to File > Add to Library .

Author: Serenity Caldwell , Associate Editor

Serenity has been writing and talking and tinkering with Apple products since she was old enough to double-click. In her spare time, she sketches, writes, acts, sings, and wears an assortment of hats.

Recent stories by Serenity Caldwell:

• Review: Amazon Instant Video for iOS marred by Wi-Fi-only streaming and no AirPlay
• Get started with the iPad and iPad mini
• Get started with your iPhone 5

How to search in the Apple Books app on iPhone and iPad

When browsing doesn’t cut it, you can use the search in Apple Books to find a new book or audiobook or one that’s in your library, and this tutorial shows you how to do that.

The Apple Books app is a great tool for catching up on your favorite reads or finding something new to delve into. And over time, the Books app has received its share of new features like dark mode and a sleep timer .

But when you just want to use the app to find a good book or one that you’ve heard of, you’ll need the Search feature. Like many of Apple’s other apps, the Books app’s search feature is flexible, gives you suggestions, and hopefully helps you find just what you want. Here are some tips for how to use Search in the Books app on iPhone and iPad.

Use Search in Apple Books

When you open the Books app , you have a handy tab for the Search tool. This setup is nice because you can keep what you’re doing on the other tabs separate from your search.

Tap the Search tab to start looking for a book or audiobook you want.

As you start entering letters into the search box at the top, you’ll see suggestions below. And the great part is that the Search tool in Books looks in your library as well as the Book Store. So if you downloaded a book you cannot locate or what a new one, you get both options.

You can tap See All next to In Your Library at the top to view all books, audiobooks, and documents you own that include the search term.

When you finish using Search, you can tap Cancel at the top.

You’ll then notice moving forward that the Search tab contains your Recent or Recently Searched . This is terrific for revisiting a previous search, especially if you’re waiting for a particular book to arrive in the Book Store. Simply tap one of your Recent searches to view updated results.

While you’ll only see your most recent three searches, you can tap Clear to remove them all and start fresh if you like.

You’ll can also see what other users are looking for with the Trending searches list. And you can select one of those as well.

Use Spotlight Search

In addition to using the Search option inside the Books app, you can also open Spotlight Search by swiping down on the Home Screen and typing the book’s name. In most cases and with most popular titles, Spotlight should show you the book there, and tapping it will take you directly to it in the Books app.

Finding a new book, or even one in your extensive library, is easy when you use the Books app on iPhone and iPad. What do you think of the Search tool in Books? Has it provided you with the results you wanted, or could it use an update? Let us know!

Other tips for the Books app:

• How to use themes while reading books on iPad and iPhone
• How to hide & unhide Apple books on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
• How to fix iTunes Store and Book Store not working on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or PC

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

AppleToolBox

Tools and Fixes for Mac, iPad, iPhone & iWatch

Search posts

Connect with us.

• Apple Watch
• Mac/MacBook
• Apple Services

Tips and Tricks for Using Apple Books in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17

By Sandy Writtenhouse 0 comments Last updated December 6, 2023

If you enjoy sitting down with a good book and the Apple Books app is your favorite way to do it, then you’re not alone. But with many apps, users come up with questions about how to do certain things, and the Books app is no different.

We’ve heard from a lot of readers with questions and are here to answer the most common ones for you with a set of Apple Books tips and tricks for iOS 17 and iPadOS 17.

Related Reading:

• How to Fix Apple Books Missing on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
• How to Buy and Download Books and PDF Files on Your iOS Device With Apple Books
• Apple Books Store Shows a Blank Screen: How to Fix
• How to Change the Appearance of Books in the Apple Books App
• Can I Read My Books When There Is No Internet Connection?
• Apple Books vs. Kindle: Which Books App Is Right for You?

Keep reading to discover some tips and tricks for using the Apple Books app on your device.

Accessing the Controls Menu

Highlight your text, changing the font size or style, scrolling instead of flipping, syncing with other devices, unhiding purchases, requesting a refund for an accidental purchase, don’t see the apple books app in your share sheet, closing a book, buying audiobooks, build a wish list, reading with ease using the top apple books tips and tricks.

When you read a book in the Books app, the controls menu automatically disappears. This gives you a clean view of your book without distractions.

Many people like to highlight physical books when they read them. Doing so makes it very easy to refer back to important passages and whatnot at a later date.

Did you know, then, that you can also highlight your text when reading in Apple Books?

That’s right! Simply press the pencil icon and then follow these steps.

• Adjust the thickness of your marker to something that’s somewhat transparent. That way, you’ll be able to still see the text.

• Highlight the sections of your text that you would like to refer to later.

Whether you want the text bigger, smaller, or in a different style, this is easy to do in the Apple Books app.

• With your book open, tap to open the controls menu .
• Then tap the font size button , which displays as AA.
• Press the large A to increase the size or the small A to decrease it.

• If you want your text to be bold, toggle Bold Text on.

Note that you might not be able to change fonts and themes in all books that you read.

Apple Books makes it very easy to sync your content across multiple devices. You can start reading a book on your iPhone, continue reading it on iPad, and finish it up on your Mac.

Along with syncing your current reading position, any bookmarks, notes, and highlights will be synced. To enable syncing, just follow these steps on your iPhone and iPad.

• Open the Settings app and tap your Apple ID.

If you aren’t seeing all of the books, PDFs, or other items on your device, you may have hidden them previously. But you can make them reappear in a few taps.

• Open the Books app to the Reading Now tab and tap your photo on the top right.

• You will see a list of books and other items you’ve hidden. Tap Unhide to do just that.

Did you buy a book from the Apple Books app by mistake? You can request a refund just like you would for an app, movie, or music.

• Head to Apple’s Report a Problem website and sign in.
• Select Books at the top and find the book you purchased.
• If you see Report or Report a Problem next to it, you can request a refund.
• Follow the prompts to continue with your refund request.

Note that not all items are eligible for a refund . If you’re unable to request a refund for a book, you can try these steps again at a later time or contact Apple Support .

Opening Documents in Apple Books

Many people may not be aware of it, but you can open PDF documents and other types of books you receive via Mail or Messages in the Books app.

• Tap and hold the item in your message or email and select Share .

Here’s how to add it:

• Swipe to the right of your sharing options and tap More .
• On the Apps screen, tap Edit at the top.
• Tap the plus sign next to Books or Copy to Books and tap Done .

If you finish reading a book and want to “close” it for good, you can do this with a tap in the Books app.

• Go to the Read Now tab in Books .
• Tap the More button (three-dot icon) for the book.

Did you know that in addition to ordinary books, you can also purchase audiobooks in the Apple Books app? Doing so is very easy, too.

• Navigate to Audiobook Store from the left-hand toolbar.
• Look for the audiobook(s) you want to buy.

• Verify your payment via Touch ID or Face ID.

You might have plenty of books that you want to read, but you’re trying to focus on one at a time. That isn’t a problem; just save the others for later!

While physical books have their advantages, Apple Books on iPhone or iPad lets you take your books wherever you go, pick up where you left off on other devices, add notes and highlights, plus much more.

Hopefully this list of tips and tricks for the Books app will answer some of your questions, but if you have more, feel free to comment below. And if you have some favorite Apple Books tips you’d like to share, let us know!

Related Posts:

Sandy worked for many years in the IT industry as a project manager, department manager, and PMO Lead. She then decided to follow her dream and now writes about technology full-time. Sandy holds a  Bachelors of Science  in Information Technology.

She loves technology– specifically – terrific games and apps for iOS, software that makes your life easier, and productivity tools that you can use every day, in both work and home environments.

Her articles have regularly been featured at  MakeUseOf, iDownloadBlog  and many other leading tech publications.

Reader Interactions

Write a comment cancel reply.

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.

• Terms of Use
• iOS & iPadOS
• Books and iBooks
• Game Center

Last Updated on December 7, 2023 by Mitch Bartlett

How to read books for free on your iPhone and iPad

We're all spending a lot more time at home these days, and losing yourself in a good book is an excellent way to pass the time constructively.

I love to read, and I'm always in the middle of a book. Buying books can get expensive quickly, which is why I've loved public libraries since I was a girl. In recent years, I've become spoiled by the experience of reading on my iPad. I find I much prefer being able to change the font, read in dark mode at night, and avoid carrying heavy books on vacation. But how do you read library books on your iPhone or iPad? Thanks to OverDrive's apps, it's easy and free. You can borrow both ebooks and audiobooks from your local library and enjoy them on your iOS device.

OverDrive has three different apps available for iOS. The original OverDrive app is still available, but they've recently introduced two new apps that are designed to be more user-friendly. The company recommends Libby for public library users and Sora for school libraries. This article will focus on the Libby app.

It's important to note that while there will be a huge range of books available for you to read, both older and current titles, some of the popular bestsellers may have a significant waiting list before you can borrow them. Also, keep in mind that you are simply borrowing an e-book, you don't own it. The book will disappear off of your device when the borrowing period (three weeks at my library) is over.

Libby has recently instituted some new features for an even better experience. Don't have a library card? At select libraries, you can now sign up for one instantly within the Libby app. You'll also find a fun new program, the Big Library Read , which is a worldwide digital book club. You can participate in the Big Library Read without having to worry about waitlists or holds, as the chosen book will be available to everyone at once.

Libby, by OverDrive is the app that allows you to access your local library system and borrow e-books to read on your iOS devices.

You may also want to download the Amazon Kindle app on your iPhone and/or iPad. You don't have to since you can read your e-books right in the Libby app. Personally, I prefer to read within the Kindle app because my books will sync between my iPhone, iPad, and Kindle device. This allows me to pick up any of the three devices any time and pick up exactly where I left off in each book.

The Amazon Kindle app allows you to read the e-books you've borrowed on your iPhone, iPad, or Kindle device. Your place in the book will be synced between all of your devices.

Here's how to borrow books and audiobooks from your public library with Libby.

Master your iPhone in minutes

iMore offers spot-on advice and guidance from our team of experts, with decades of Apple device experience to lean on. Learn more with iMore!

Download Libby from the App Store

Enter your library's website, find a book to read, borrow or hold the book, read your book.

Make sure you already have a library card before you get started with Libby. If not, you can now get one instantly within the Libby app with select library systems.

• Tap Yes when the AI personality, Libby, asks if you have a library card.
• Tap Copy From My Other Device , I'll Search For A Library , or Yes, Guess My Library to allow her to help you find your closest connected library.
• Choose where you want your books sent. You can have them delivered to Kindle or the Libby app . I prefer to read in the Kindle app on my iPad and iPhone, and I own a Kindle device, so I always select Kindle.

• Tap Enter The Library .
• Once you sign in, you'll see how many holds and loans you currently have on your account.
• Tap Enter The Library once again.

• Tap Preferences to set your search parameters.
• You can also sort by relevance, popularity, date added, release date, author, or title.
• Tap the magnifying glass at the top to search for a specific title, author, or topic.
• Alternatively, you can just scroll down to start browsing.

• Once you select a book, tap Borrow to download the book immediately if it's available.
• If you selected Kindle as your default reader, you'll be taken to Amazon to complete the process. Log in with your Amazon credentials and choose which device you want the book delivered to (all of your Kindle apps and devices will sync so it doesn't really matter).
• Tap Get Library Book .

The last page you've read will not be synced between Libby (if you choose to read the book within the Libby app) and Kindle, so make sure to decide which app you want to read from and stick with that through the entire book.

• If you're using the Kindle app, open the Kindle app, and tap on book's cover .
• If you'd prefer to read in the Libby app, tap Shelf at the bottom and choose the book you wish to read.

Unlike paper library books, there are never any late fees. Your borrowed book will simply disappear off of your device when your library's loan period ends, which usually lasts two or three weeks. Libby is a great way to read or listen to current, popular books without spending a dime.

How do you read digital library books?

Do you use a different app for checking out library books on your iPhone or iPad? Put your suggestions in the comments, and we'll check them out!

○ iPad Pro Review ○ iPad Air Review ○ iPad FAQ ○ Best iPad ○ Best Cases for iPad Air 4 ○ Best Cases for iPad Pro ○ Best Cases for the 2020 iPad

Karen is a contributor to iMore.com as a writer and co-host of the iMore Show. She’s been writing about Apple since 2010 with a year-long break to work at an Apple Store as a product specialist. She's also a contributor at TechRadar and Tom's Guide. Before joining iMore in 2018, Karen wrote for Macworld, CNET, AppAdvice, and WatchAware. She’s an early adopter who used to wait in long lines on release days before pre-ordering made things much easier. Karen is also a part-time teacher and occasional movie extra. She loves to spend time with her family, travel the world, and is always looking for portable tech and accessories so she can work from anywhere.

ChatGPT has arrived on Apple silicon Macs as a desktop app — here's why I'm downloading it right now

AAA Assassin’s Creed and Resident Evil games for iPhone have flopped — here’s 4 reasons why (and why Apple probably doesn’t care)

I have no problem with a cheaper Vision Pro having a worse display

Most Popular

• 2 Apple's iPhone 16 Pro could use Samsung's advanced OLED technology for an even brighter display
• 3 Is this the iPhone 16 Pro Max's battery? New video claims to show what will power Apple's best iPhone of 2024
• 4 NFC Forum hints at the future of Apple Pay with support for multiple transactions in one tap
• 5 Starting a smart home? Don’t choose wrong! Here are four Prime Day smart home deals to kickstart your ecosystem

• Accessories
• Meet the team
• Advertise with us

• Editorial Guidelines

How to Read Books for Free on iPad and iPhone

Reading Books on iPad and iPhone is the best thing to do on Sundays and other holidays. Instead of buying physical books or borrowing from libraries, eBooks ensure a more relaxed experience. You can read your favorite books on iOS devices, using features like bookmark and font and brightness adjustments. However, not all eBooks are given gratis, even on  Apple’s Book Store ; some books bear price tags. If you wish to  read books without paying a penny ,   here is how to find free eBooks on iPad and iPhone.

How to Find Free Books on iPad and iPhone

Best apps to download free books on ipad and iphone, best websites to download free books on ipad and iphone.

• On your iPhone or iPad, launch Books app.
• By default, you are on  Reading Now  screen

• Now, search the book name you want to read

Once the book is downloaded, you can access the same from the Library section of Books app.

Tap on Library → Collections → Downloaded. There you go!

You will find your free downloaded books to read.

Apart from the native Books app on your iOS device, there are several websites and third-party apps that offer free eBooks to read.

• Kindle from Amazon
• Libby by OverDrive

1. Kindle from Amazon

Although not all the books are for free in Kindle, this immensely popular Amazon book reader has a massive library of free eBooks.

With your Amazon Prime or Kindle Unlimited account, you can download many eBooks on your device for offline reading. Kindle has a smooth interface, just like Apple’s Books app.

It is divided into four parts: Home, Library, Discover, and More. Your browsing will be limited to the first three buttons, though. Discover books, download, and read them from the Library section. The app will keep adding new titles to the Home.

Price: Free Download

You may also read: How to buy Kindle books on iPhone and iPad

2. Libby by OverDrive

Libby is a free app that combines online and offline book reading experiences. Once you download the app, you need to register your local library card on Libby. Alternatively, Libby would help you find a local library, where you have a membership.

Within a few easy steps, you can find and borrow books. Enjoy the access to eBooks and audiobooks your local library has. You can use multiple library cards and sign in to more libraries.

Once you borrow a book (absolutely free), you can read it offline on a built-in eBook reader. The best thing is you can send your book to the Kindle app on your device.

There are 80 million writers and readers connected to this global platform called Wattpad. By downloading this app, you become a part of this thriving community.

Apart from reading stories, you can share your own original story on Wattpad. Members of this app will encourage you throughout your writing journey.

Select your favorite genre and read stories in more than 50 languages. You can also support other budding writers by writing comments directly in stories you read.

Price: Free (In-app Purchases start from $0.99) Download

From the popular book store Barnes & Noble, Nook has a legacy of more than 130 years. The app offers more than 75000 free titles.

You can purchase on the official Barnes & Noble website and read that title on your iOS device. Apart from books, the app provides magazines and comics.

For customizable reading experience, Nook allows you to add notes, use its day, night, and evening themes, and create your own background.

A notable feature of Nook is an in-app dictionary; you can look up words with the downloadable dictionary. This saves your time you could have spent on checking words on Google or other downloaded  dictionary apps on your iOS device .

Book lovers prefer to read books in the night, probably, for this reason, Kobo features night mode. This will make reading more comfortable, and you can sleep peacefully.

If you are listening to audiobooks, you can schedule time; after a set time, the audiobook will stop playing automatically.

On your Apple devices, you can start reading a book and then resume from the same page on another device. The app will remember where you left off.

• Project Gutenberg
• Digital Libraries
• Open Library

1. Project Gutenberg

This is a name to reckon with free books. It is your online library of more than 60000 free books to read. For students of literature, it is a treasure trove as this website stores books mostly published before 1924.

You can open this website on your iOS device and read books for free. To read them offline,  save webpages as PDF on your iOS device .

The best thing about Project Gutenberg is you are not supposed to register your name or phone number. Without paying any fee, use this online resource of classics.

Visit Gutenberg

2. Digital Libraries

Digital Libraries does not have a rich library of eBooks. However, users like to visit this online space because of its user-interface. All the books are categorized in alphabetical order. And this makes it easy for you to search for books.

Downloading eBooks is pretty straightforward. Open the book you wish to read and choose any one of the three download options: ePUB, PDF, or Kindle.

There is a downside to this website, though. You will have to put up with some ads while you are surfing and downloading eBooks.

Visit Digital Libraries

3. Open Library

As the name suggests, this website invites you to contribute and contribute in any manner. Whether it is fixing typos, add a book, or write a widget.

The website has collected more than 20 million records from people and organizations. And they keep adding more to the list.

All the books are categorized in different subjects like art, fantasy, biographies, recipes, music, medicine, history, etc. Alternatively, you can search a book by its title, author, or text.

You can click each category and choose your favorite book. And then either read or borrow a book. Before you go ahead, you need to sign in; next, log in with your email and password to explore Open Library.

Download books in five different formats: PDF, ePUB, Plain Text, DAISY, and Kindle.

Visit Open Library

4. SmashWords

Unlike Gutenberg and Open Library, SmashWords has more than 80,000 free books for you. Moreover, the website offers practical selection buttons. Apart from genres of books, SmashWords has categorized its books as Any Price and Any Length.

Like any other e-Commerce website, this offers you options like books under $0.99 or less, $2.99 or less, $5.99 or less and $9.99 or less. Next, you can choose a number of words the books contain.

The website is instrumental in publishing more than half a million books. If you are a writer, you can publish your books on SmashWords.

Visit Smashwords

That’s all readers!

Summing up…

Read more, learn more! This should be the mantra to create a knowledge-based society in this world. Which app or website do you use to read free books? Share your feedback or suggestion in the comments below.

Mehak has a master’s degree in communication and over ten years of writing experience. Her passion for technology and Apple products led her to iGeeksBlog, where she specializes in writing product roundups and app recommendations for fellow Apple users. When not typing away on her MacBook Pro, she loves being lost in a book or out exploring the world.

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Related Articles

How to use math notes in ipados 18 and ios 18, how to fix apple watch green screen of death issue, how to turn do not disturb on or off on iphone or ipad, how to fix “this accessory may not be supported” on iphone.

Amazon.com Conditions of Use Amazon Privacy Policy © 1996- 2024 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

International sites

February 22, 2024

Written by Dave Johnson

How to get to books in your Kindle library

10 things you can do on a Kindle you may not know about

From getting free library books to exporting notes to your PC, here are things you probably didn’t know you could do on your Kindle.

How to get to your library on your Kindle

How to get your library onto your kindle.

Can you share Kindle books? Yes—here's how

Families can now share Kindle content on iOS, Android, and Fire Tablets with Amazon Household.

How to troubleshoot your Kindle if it’s not showing your library

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Find purchased books on iPad Books app

After opening the books app is there a way to have a list of purchased and unfinished books?

Posted on Jan 29, 2023 12:29 PM

Similar questions

• find book delivered to iCloud Need to locate kindle book I just bought. thx 163 2
• I can’t find books I’ve purchased on my iPad I can’t find books I’ve purchased on my iPad 282 1
• how do I download an audiobook again Somehow I lost part of a purchased audiobook on my iPhone. How do I re-download the book again? 201 1

Loading page content

Page content loaded

There are no replies.

Don't break the bank with your reading habit: Where to buy cheap books near you

Have you caught the reading bug from BookTok ? Looking to check out a viral series ? Getting into reading is all fun and games until you realize new releases can run you about $30 a hardcover. 

But you don’t have to ask for a raise to finance your reading habits – there are many online platforms dedicated to making reading an accessible and even free experience. Libraries are a go-to, but there are also options for those who want to own a physical copy to build up their bookshelf.

Where to buy cheap books

The art of low-cost book buying lies in the unexpected gems. You might find a book you’ve been dying to read with a cover that's a little worse for wear or a cheap read you’ve never heard of. Searching for inexpensive books can be a great way to expand your reading palate.

Get into the habit of checking out sale sections as well. Many bookstores have a discount table or sell used books for only a few dollars. 

Buy cheap books online

While you can find cheap, used books on Amazon or eBay, you may also have luck at e-commerce platforms that specialize in low-cost books. Check out one of these sites to make your next read a steal:

• ThriftBooks
• Better World Books
• Half Price Books
• Awesome Books
• Book Outlet

Swap books with another reader

Why not kill two birds with one stone? You can donate a book and get a new one with a trusty book swap, either through friends or at an online retailer like Paperback Swap or Book Mooch .

Check for local sales

Some libraries raise funds by selling second-hand books. Find the closest public library to you using this U.S. map created with data from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and ask your librarian if they have a "for sale" table.

Independent bookstores may let you trade your old books for store credit that you can use to snag a new one. Thrift stores and consignment shops also typically sell used books.

Another place to scour is Facebook Marketplace. You never know who is doing a closet cleanout and wants to get rid of their old books for a few dollars. 

How to read books for free

You don’t have to shell out any money to become well-read – a library card is all you need to unlock a world of literature. Start by visiting your local library . You typically only need proof of address to apply for a library card.

Little Free Library’s take-a-book, leave-a-book model is also a great place for finding new free books. These outdoor pop-up hutches are all over the country. Check out Little Free Library’s map of registered libraries across the U.S. to find one near you.

You can also try e-reading. The Libby app lets readers borrow e-books, digital audiobooks and magazines with your library card.

Audiobooks are another low-cost way to access books and popular platforms like Audible , Libro.fm , B&N Audiobooks and Audiobooks.com let you listen at your leisure with a monthly subscription fee. Spotify recently unveiled a new audiobook program as well where eligible Spotify premium subscribers can enjoy 15 hours of monthly listening from over 200,000 audiobooks.

Where to donate books

You can donate books at many of the same locations where you purchase or borrow them, like libraries, donation centers, bookstores and community centers. If you’re doing some spring cleaning, check out USA TODAY’s comprehensive guide to donating and selling your books .

Cozy mysteries: Why comforting crime is your next favorite genre

Just Curious for more? We've got you covered.

USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "How to play Solitaire" to "What is my love language?" to "Do dogs smile?" – we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer for you. 

Apple Devices User Guide

• Install the Apple Devices app
• Syncing overview
• Sync your content between devices
• Sync content over Wi-Fi
• Turn automatic syncing on or off
• Save storage space when syncing
• Sync music to your device
• Sync movies to your device
• Sync TV shows to your device
• Sync photos to your device
• Transfer files between your devices
• Update the software on your Apple device
• Back up and restore your device
• Restore your device to factory settings
• Turn your device’s accessibility features on
• If you have problems syncing music or video
• If your device doesn’t appear in the sidebar when connected to your Windows device

Transfer files between your Windows device and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

You can transfer files from your Windows device to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch (other iPod models don’t support file syncing). For example, you can transfer specific files to your Apple device so you can use them while away from your Windows device.

See Intro to syncing your Windows device and Apple devices .

Connect your Apple device to your Windows device.

You can connect your device using a USB or USB-C cable or a Wi-Fi connection. See Sync content between your Windows device and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch over Wi-Fi .

If you connect your device to your Windows device using a USB or USB-C cable and don’t see the device in the sidebar, see If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod doesn’t appear in the sidebar .

Select Files in the sidebar.

A list of the apps on your device that support file sharing appears.

Drag a file or selection of files from your Windows device to an app in the Apple Devices window.

The files are immediately transferred to the device and are available using the app.

Select the app from the list to see files already transferred to your device.

To delete files, select them, press Control-Delete, then select Delete.

The files are immediately removed from the device. You don’t need to sync when transferring files this way.

You may also want to transfer files from your Windows device to your iPhone using the Files app. See Transfer files using an external storage device, a file server, or a cloud storage service in the iPhone User Guide to learn more.

Spotify is currently not available in your country.

Follow us online to find out when we launch., spotify gives you instant access to millions of songs – from old favorites to the latest hits. just hit play to stream anything you like..

Listen everywhere

Spotify works on your computer, mobile, tablet and TV.

Unlimited, ad-free music

No ads. No interruptions. Just music.

Download music & listen offline

Keep playing, even when you don't have a connection.

Premium sounds better

Get ready for incredible sound quality.