
Inside a MOBI file is firstly, a whole copy of the source of the final, built MOBI file. What's Inside a MOBI file?Īs we mentioned in our recent article, Why is a MOBI Kindle File like a Cake? a MOBI file isn't a simple thing, like a Word file. And we do that using KindleGen, an Amazon tool, rather than doing any conversion at the KDP itself. Even here at, we don't "do" one-size-fits-all eBook-making when we've completed an ePUB for a client, and it's approved, we take that file, make some tweaks, and use the revised content (with slightly different commands and instructions inside it) to create or build the final MOBI file for Kindle. But before you do that, you need to understand the ePUB format-which isn't something that most DIYers want to do. So, you can, then, effectively ePUB Kindle. ePUB is one of the accepted file formats at the KDP. You upload an ePUB at the KDP, and the process will automatically create a MOBI file for you. If you've banged around some more, you've seen some folks, including people like me, who will tell you that you can use an ePUB to Kindle formatting process.

If someone starts yammering away at you, talking about how you can convert your file to AZW or AZW3 format, for the purposes of publishing-that's not someone to whom you should be listening. Fine for personal use, but useless for publishing. Obviously, that format, then, lacks utility. You can certainly make a file in that format, and side-load it to your own Kindle device, but you can't publish it. However, just like AZW, you can't upload an AZW3 file format at the KDP.
Kindle previewer amazon software#
The latter, AZW3, is a file format, created to emulate what's called "KF8," (the more-advanced Kindle formatting) by a piece of free library software called Calibre. And, even if you could, you can't upload that format at the KDP, the Kindle Digital Publishing platform. That's not a format that you can make yourself. The former is the actual, final, encrypted Kindle format that is dispensed from the Amazon store, to your Kindle as a purchased book. Now, if you've run across various forums, you may have seen people refer to AZW format, or AZW3 format.

If you've Googled, you've likely seen all sorts of claims, ranging from some folks telling you that you can put an ePUB on Kindle, to the idea that using Word is the best "Kindle eBook format." The bottom line is, the files that Amazon sells to its readers are, by and large, a single file format, called "MOBI." What Format Does Kindle Use?

Kindle previewer amazon code#
I too am uncertain whether they keep the KindleGen online code (that actually processes your file) in perfect sync with the KindleGen bundled with the downloadable Previewer. I generally didn't trust it too much except for basic layout verifications but not special stuff.
