You have ebooks on your Mac. You want them on your Kindle, Kobo, or PocketBook running KOReader. The old way: plug in a USB cable, mount the device, drag files into the right folder, eject, and hope the metadata parsed correctly.
The faster way: use BookShelves. It has three wireless methods for getting books onto KOReader, each suited to a different workflow. All work over Wi-Fi — no cables, no cloud uploads, no file managers.
Method 1: OPDS — browse and download from the device
Best for: Browsing your full library on the e-reader and picking what to read next.
BookShelves runs a built-in OPDS server on your Mac. Point KOReader at it, and your e-reader can browse your entire library — by title, by recent additions, or by favorites. Tap a book to download it directly.
How it works:
- Enable the OPDS server in BookShelves > Settings > Advanced
- Add the catalog URL in KOReader’s OPDS browser (
http://YOUR-MAC-IP:8080/opds) - Browse and download books over Wi-Fi
BookShelves also broadcasts via Bonjour, so KOReader may discover it automatically without typing the URL.
What syncs: Books download one-way from Mac to device. No reading progress sync.
Full setup guide: Send Books to KOReader over OPDS
Method 2: Calibre wireless — push books and sync progress
Best for: Sending specific books from your Mac and keeping reading progress in sync.
BookShelves includes a built-in Calibre wireless server. KOReader connects to it using the same protocol as Calibre desktop — but you don’t need Calibre installed. Once connected, right-click any book in BookShelves and select “Send to Device.”
How it works:
- Enable the Calibre Wireless Server in BookShelves > Settings > Advanced
- Connect from KOReader’s Calibre menu (IP address + port 9090)
- Push books from BookShelves to your device with a right-click
What syncs: Books transfer in both directions. Reading progress (percent read, finished status, completion date) syncs automatically when the device connects.
Full setup guide: Sync Books with KOReader via Calibre Wireless
Method 3: Email to device — send without local network
Best for: When your Mac and e-reader aren’t on the same Wi-Fi, or for sending to a stock Kindle/Kobo (not running KOReader).
BookShelves can email books directly to your Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, or reMarkable using each manufacturer’s email-delivery service. This works over the internet — your devices don’t need to be on the same network.
How it works:
- Set up your device’s email address in BookShelves > Settings
- Right-click a book and select “Email to Device”
- The book arrives on your device via the manufacturer’s delivery system
What syncs: Books only. No reading progress sync. Delivery depends on the manufacturer’s email processing — usually within minutes.
Note: Email delivery works whether or not your device runs KOReader. The book lands in the device’s storage and KOReader can read it from there.
Which method should you use?
| OPDS | Calibre Wireless | Email to Device | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direction | Browse and pull from device | Push from Mac | Push from Mac |
| Requires same Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes | No |
| Reading progress sync | No | Yes | No |
| Setup complexity | Low — one URL | Medium — IP + port + optional password | Low — email address |
| Speed | Instant (local network) | Instant (local network) | Minutes (internet) |
| Works without KOReader | With any OPDS client | With Calibre wireless clients | With any device |
| BookShelves tier | Free (OPDS server is Pro on macOS) | Pro | Pro |
Most KOReader users start with OPDS for its simplicity, then add Calibre wireless when they want reading progress to sync back. Email delivery is the fallback for situations where local network access isn’t available.
You can use all three methods simultaneously — they don’t conflict.
What formats work?
BookShelves automatically converts MOBI, AZW, AZW3, KF8, KEPUB, and PRC files to EPUB during import. That means everything served over OPDS, Calibre wireless, or email is EPUB or PDF — both of which KOReader handles natively. You don’t need to worry about format compatibility.
Even if you originally imported a Kindle-format book, KOReader receives a clean EPUB.
Troubleshooting
Connection issues are almost always network-related — wrong IP address, devices on different networks, or a firewall blocking the port. See the dedicated KOReader troubleshooting guide for step-by-step fixes.
What is KOReader?
KOReader is a free, open-source ebook reader that replaces the stock reading software on Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, and Android devices. It supports EPUB, PDF, MOBI, DjVu, and dozens of other formats, with advanced typography, dictionary lookup, and reading progress tracking.
For a detailed comparison of how it differs from BookShelves, see BookShelves vs. KOReader.
Related guides
- Send Books to KOReader over OPDS — full OPDS setup walkthrough
- Sync Books with KOReader via Calibre Wireless — push books and sync progress
- KOReader Not Connecting? Fix Common Problems — troubleshooting guide
- BookShelves vs. KOReader — feature comparison
- Where to Buy DRM-Free Ebooks — DRM-free books work best with KOReader
- 30 Best Free Classic Books — free EPUBs to fill your e-reader
