How to convert AZW3 to EPUB

Published November 2, 2026 · 6 min read

To convert AZW3 to EPUB, open the file in a converter that reads Kindle formats, such as our free in-browser converter or the desktop app Calibre, and save the result as EPUB. Both keep the chapters, images, table of contents and cover, as long as the AZW3 file has no DRM. Below are the steps for each method, what to do with the EPUB afterwards, and how to fix the files that refuse to convert.

Why convert AZW3 to EPUB?

AZW3, also called KF8, is an Amazon ebook format. Inside, it is quite close to EPUB: chapters written in HTML, a stylesheet, images and sometimes embedded fonts. The difference is the packaging, and that packaging is only understood by Kindle devices, the Kindle apps and a handful of converters. (For how AZW3 relates to MOBI and KFX, see EPUB vs MOBI vs AZW3.)

EPUB is the open standard, so converting gives you a file that works almost everywhere:

• Kobo, PocketBook and other e-readers open EPUB directly. They don't open AZW3.
• Apple Books and Google Play Books accept EPUB uploads, not AZW3.
• Send to Kindle accepts EPUB but, at the time of writing, does not list AZW3 among its supported formats. So even if you stay on Kindle, an EPUB is the easier way to get a book into your library and synced across devices. See how to put EPUB books on a Kindle.
• Future-proofing: an EPUB is a standard ZIP of web pages, so it will keep opening in reading apps long after a single company's format changes.

Typical AZW3 files people want to convert are books from DRM-free publishers and bundles, files someone made for their own Kindle with Calibre, and old backups of a personal ebook library.

Convert AZW3 to EPUB in your browser

The quickest way, with nothing to install, is our MOBI and AZW3 to EPUB converter. It runs entirely on your device: the book is read and rebuilt as an EPUB inside your browser and never uploaded to a server. It works on Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebooks, and on phones and tablets.

1. Open the converter page.
2. Click Choose a MOBI or AZW3 file, or drag your .azw3 file onto the box.
3. Wait a few seconds while it converts. Large illustrated books take a little longer.
4. The EPUB downloads automatically, with the same file name and an .epub extension.

What carries over to the EPUB:

• The text, split into the book's original chapters.
• Images, stylesheets and embedded fonts.
• The table of contents and the links inside the book, rewritten so they point to the right chapter of the EPUB.
• The cover, title, authors, language, publisher, date and description.

The converter also reads older MOBI files and "combined" files that contain both a MOBI and an AZW3 version of the same book. The result is an EPUB 3 file.

Convert AZW3 to EPUB with Calibre

Calibre is a free, open-source ebook manager for Windows, macOS and Linux. AZW3 is on its list of supported input formats, and it is the better choice if you have dozens of books to convert at once or want to adjust the conversion settings.

1. Download and install Calibre from its official website, then open it.
2. Click Add books in the toolbar and choose your AZW3 files. You can also drag them onto the Calibre window.
3. Select the books in the list. Hold Ctrl (Cmd on a Mac) or Shift to select several.
4. Click Convert books. To convert many books with the same settings, use the small arrow next to the button and choose Bulk convert.
5. In the conversion window, set Output format (top right) to EPUB and click OK.
6. Watch the Jobs counter in the bottom-right corner. When it returns to 0, the conversion is done.
7. To get the file, right-click the book and choose Open containing folder, or use Save to disk to copy the EPUB to a folder of your choice.

Which method should you use?

For one or two books, the browser converter is faster. For a whole library, or if you want to tweak the layout, use Calibre.

After converting: check and tidy the EPUB

Before sending the book to your e-reader, it is worth a quick look:

• Open it to check the result. Our online EPUB reader opens the file in your browser without installing anything, so you can flip through the chapters and the table of contents. For apps on each device, see how to open EPUB files.
• Fix the title, author or series. Self-made AZW3 files often carry odd titles such as the file name. The EPUB metadata editor fixes them so the book sorts properly in your library.
• Add a cover if it is missing. If the AZW3 file had no cover, add one with the EPUB cover changer.

When an AZW3 file won't convert

The file has DRM

Most books bought in the Kindle Store are protected with DRM, including the files you get from Amazon's "Download & transfer via USB" option. Neither our converter nor Calibre converts DRM-protected books, and our converter tells you when a file is protected. If the book is also sold DRM-free, or as an EPUB in another store, that copy is the one you can convert.

It is actually a KFX file

KFX is Amazon's newest format, used for many Kindle Store books and by recent versions of the Kindle apps. It is not AZW3, even if the file name says .azw. Our converter does not read KFX, and Calibre does not read it on its own either. If you have the same book as AZW3 or MOBI, use that file instead.

The file ends in .azw4

AZW4 is Amazon's "Print Replica" format, a PDF wrapped for Kindle and used for textbooks. Its pages are fixed, so it doesn't convert into a regular reflowable EPUB. Calibre can open AZW4 files; our converter only accepts MOBI, AZW3, AZW and PRC files.

The conversion finishes but looks wrong

If chapters run together or the table of contents is empty, the problem is usually in the original file, for example a book built without proper chapter breaks. Converting with Calibre and setting the chapter detection under Structure detection in the conversion window can help. For other changes, see how to edit an EPUB file.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free AZW3 to EPUB converter?

Yes. Our in-browser converter and the desktop app Calibre are both free, with no sign-up and no watermark.

Can I convert an AZW3 file to EPUB without uploading it?

Yes. Our converter runs in your browser, so the file is never sent to a server, and Calibre runs on your own computer.

Will converting AZW3 to EPUB lose formatting?

Usually not. AZW3 is built from HTML and CSS like EPUB, so styles, images and embedded fonts carry over. Rare Kindle-specific markup, made for features that only exist on Kindle devices, may simply be ignored by other readers.

Can I convert AZW3 to EPUB on a Mac or iPhone?

Yes. On a Mac you can use Calibre or the browser converter. On an iPhone or iPad, open the browser converter in Safari, choose the file from the Files app, and the EPUB is saved to your downloads.

Can I convert Kindle books I bought to EPUB?

Not if they have DRM, which most Kindle Store purchases do. Only DRM-free files can be converted.

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