How to Convert PDF to EPUB Format for iPad?

The iBooks is the ebooks application introduced by Apple to manage and read ebooks library on iPad and iPhone. Books file format used in iBooks app is ePub. But if you have some ebooks already in PDF format and want to convert those to ePub to read in iBooks app. So, here is simple method to convert PDF to ePub using a free ebook management application Calibre which is available for Windows(XP, Vista, Windows 7), Mac OS X and Linux.

First of all you have to download and install Calibre. As we are performing this process to convert PDF to ePub format in Mac OS X Snow Leopard.

Calibre Welcome Wizard - Prepare to Convert PDF to EPUB

Once you installed Calibre and run it first time, you have to specify few things:

Set a folder where you want to store ePub file

Select Manufacturer "Apple" and device "iPad or iPhone/iTunes + Stanza" as in screenshot below.

How to Convert PDF to ePub

Step 1: Click to Add Books to ePub.

Click on "Add books" button

Step 2: Select PDF Books.

Select PDF book form your computer that you want to convert to ePub format, immediately that will be added under Calibre book list

Step 3: Download Metadata and Covers

Now click on "small arrow" on the right side of "edit meta information" and select "Download meta data and covers"

It will start searching and collecting meta information of book from online resources if its available otherwise you may need to add that information manually like book title, author name etc.

After a while you will find your PDF book's meta information at the bottom pan of Calibre interface

Step 4: Start Converting PDF Books to EPUB Format

Now, start the book format conversion process. Simply click on "small arrow" on the right side of "Convert E-books" then select "Convert individually"

It will open the summary information window of the PDF book, here just click OK

Calibre will convert PDF ebook to ePub format and you can find .ePub version of your PDF file in the folder that you have specified above in the "Calibre Welcom Wizard"

After converting PDF file to ePub, pick up an iPad to Mac transfer or iPad to Windows transfer to transfer books to iPad

PS: Calibre chops up images. It is not good at converting magazines or other PDF heavy with images and multiple columns. If you really want to read them on your iPad, you could try DONGSOFT PDF to ePub Converter 2.1.

Calibre Welcome Wizard - Prepare to Convert PDF to EPUB

Once you installed Calibre and run it first time, you have to specify few things:

Set a folder where you want to store ePub file

Select Manufacturer "Apple" and device "iPad or iPhone/iTunes + Stanza" as in screenshot below.

How to Convert PDF to ePub

Step 1: Click to Add Books to ePub.

Click on "Add books" button

Step 2: Select PDF Books.

Select PDF book form your computer that you want to convert to ePub format, immediately that will be added under Calibre book list

Step 3: Download Metadata and Covers

Now click on "small arrow" on the right side of "edit meta information" and select "Download meta data and covers"

It will start searching and collecting meta information of book from online resources if its available otherwise you may need to add that information manually like book title, author name etc.

After a while you will find your PDF book's meta information at the bottom pan of Calibre interface

Step 4: Start Converting PDF Books to EPUB Format

Now, start the book format conversion process. Simply click on "small arrow" on the right side of "Convert E-books" then select "Convert individually"

It will open the summary information window of the PDF book, here just click OK

Calibre will convert PDF ebook to ePub format and you can find .ePub version of your PDF file in the folder that you have specified above in the "Calibre Welcom Wizard"

After converting PDF file to ePub, pick up an iPad to Mac transfer or iPad to Windows transfer to transfer books to iPad

PS: Calibre chops up images. It is not good at converting magazines or other PDF heavy with images and multiple columns. If you really want to read them on your iPad, you could try DONGSOFT PDF to ePub Converter 2.1.