Adobe Digital Editions

If you use any of Kobo's free reading apps or a Kobo eReader, you may never need to use Digital Editions at all. Kobo's reading apps and eReader can automatically download most books from the Kobo Store, and update your library with them.

The exceptions are when:

• You want to read eBooks from another store or from a library on a Kobo eReader;

• You buy Adobe DRM PDFs from the Kobo Store and want to read them on a Kobo eReader;

• You want to read books from the Kobo Store on an eReader from another company.

In these cases you will need to use Digital Editions to open your books and transfer them to your eReader.

The reason for this is that most eBooks from online booksellers and libraries are protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM). DRM prevents the unauthorized copying or redistribution of eBooks, to protect the rights of authors and publishers. There are different types of DRM, but Kobo supports a version by Adobe. This is why you may need to use Adobe's software, Digital Editions, to open and transfer some eBooks to your eReader.

To use Adobe Digital Editions to manage, read, or transfer eBooks to an eReader you need:

• free Adobe Digital Editions software

• an Adobe ID

If you're using Digital Editions with an eReader, you also need to authorize your eReader with Adobe before you can add books to it.

Ready to get started?…

1. Download and install Adobe Digital Editions.

2. When prompted, select Authorize Computer.
   If you don't already have an Adobe ID, click the get an Adobe ID online link. Adobe will launch your web browser and take you to the Adobe Sign In page. Follow the instructions there to create an Adobe account. When you're done, return to Adobe Digital Editions.

3. Enter your Adobe ID and password, then click Activate.

4. Click Finished when Adobe finishes authorizing your computer.

In most cases you won't need to use Digital Editions to put books on your Kobo eReader — you can use the Kobo Desktop Application instead, or add books wirelessly if you have a Kobo Wireless eReader. The only times you need to use Digital Editions are when you want to read:

• eBooks from another store or from a library

• Adobe DRM PDFs from the Kobo Store

To use Digital Editions with your Kobo eReader, you must:

1. Authorize your eReader with Adobe.

2. Add books to your eReader using Digital Editions.

Before you can use Digital Editions to transfer books to your Kobo eReader, you must authorize your eReader with Adobe. When you authorize your Kobo eReader, Adobe adds it to the list of devices associated with your Adobe account. Adobe limits the number of eReaders and computers you can use with their software, which is why this is necessary.

Authorizing takes only a moment.

To authorize your eReader:

1. Connect your Kobo eReader to your computer and select Manage Library.

2. Start Digital Editions.
   If you were already using Digital Editions, restart it so that it will find your eReader and start the Device Setup Assistant.

3. Click Authorize Device.

4. Click Finished to complete the process.

Your eReader will now be listed as one of your Bookshelves in Digital Editions. You can drag books from your Digital Editions library to the eReader icon to copy them to your eReader.

Once you have installed Digital Editions and authorized your Kobo eReader, you're ready to use the software to add books to your eReader.

To transfer a book:

1. Download your eBook from the Kobo Store (or another bookstore or library).

2. Check the type of the file you downloaded. You should have a PDF, EPUB, or ACSM file.

3. If the book you downloaded is a PDF or EPUB:

   • Start Digital Editions.

   • Select Add Item to Library from the Library list.

   • Navigate to the book you downloaded, select it, and click Add.

4. If the book you downloaded has an .acsm file extension:

   • Make certain that you're connected to the Internet.

   • Using Finder (Mac) or Explorer (Windows), navigate to where you saved your book.

   • Double-click the .acsm file.
     Digital Editions will open the file (which is a license for your book), download the rest of your book, and add it to your library.

5. In Digital Editions, drag your book from your library to the icon representing your eReader.

Most of the time you won't need to download books of this type from the Kobo Store. You can read these books using any of the free Kobo reading apps or your Kobo eReader, and these will automatically download and open your books for you.

The only time you need to manually download a copy of a book in this format is when you want to read it on an eReader other than the Kobo eReader.

In this case you can save a copy of your Kobo Store book to your computer, and then transfer it to your eReader using Adobe Digital Editions.

When you download a copy of your book you will get a file with an .acsm extension. This is the license for your book.

To open your book and transfer it to your eReader:

1. Make certain that:

   • you have Adobe Digital Editions installed

   • your eReader is connected and has been authorized

   • you are connected to the Internet

2. Download your book from the Kobo Store.

3. Connect your eReader to your computer.
   If you have a Kobo eReader, select Manage Library.

4. Navigate to where you saved your book.

5. Double-click the .acsm file.
   Digital Editions will open the license file, download the rest of your book, and add it to your library.

6. In Digital Editions, drag your book from your library to the icon representing your eReader.

Adobe DRM PDFs are different from most books in the Kobo Store. You can read most Kobo Store books using any of the free Kobo reading apps, as well as with a Kobo eReader. These apps can automatically download your books anytime you connect to Kobo. Adobe DRM PDFs are different. You can only read Adobe DRM PDFs on a Kobo eReader or other compatible eReader. To transfer them to your eReader you must use Digital Editions.

When you download an Adobe DRM PDF you will get a file with an .acsm extension. This is the license for your book.

To open your book and transfer it to your eReader:

1. Make certain that:

   • you have Adobe Digital Editions installed

   • your eReader is connected and has been authorized

   • you are connected to the Internet

2. Download your book from the Kobo Store.

3. Connect your eReader to your computer.
   If you have a Kobo eReader, select Manage Library.

4. Navigate to where you saved your book.

5. Double-click the .acsm file.
   Digital Editions will open the license file, download the rest of your book, and add it to your library.

6. In Digital Editions, drag your book from your library to the icon representing your eReader.

Your Kobo eReader can read books in EPUB and PDF format. (A file format is how books are stored on your computer.) If you downloaded a book and received an ACSM file, don't worry – this isn't a problem. The ACSM file is the license for the PDF or EPUB book you bought. To get the book itself you just need to open the ACSM file in Adobe Digital Editions. Digital Editions will verify your license and then download your eBook in either EPUB or PDF format. You can then transfer your book to your Kobo eReader (or another compatible eReader).

You will get a license file if you download a book that is protected by Adobe Digital Rights Management (DRM). DRM prevents the unauthorized copying or distribution of books, to protect the rights of authors and publishers. Most books in the Kobo Store are protected by DRM.