Even the first generations of iPhone with a display resolution of 320x480 made it possible to quite successfully read e-books of various formats from the phone screen. With the advent of displays high resolution Retina with 960x640 pixels iPhone has become, if not wonderful, then very good remedy for viewing and reading e-books. But before you view any book on your iPhone, you need to write it into the phone’s memory. We will tell you how to download books to iPhone in this article.

Before downloading a book to your iPhone, you need to check if it is installed on your phone. special program for reading books. The free original program for reading books on iPhone is iBooks, which is not included by default in the package operating system iOS and installed separately. If you don’t have such a program on your phone, then launch the App Store, enter iBooks in the search bar, and after it is found, install it on your iPhone.

iBooks supports reading ePub and PDF documents.

You can download books of the specified formats to your iPhone in two ways:

1. Direct downloading of books of interest from the Internet directly to iBooks.
   
2. By transferring existing ones to home computer books using iTunes.
   

For clarity, we give examples of how both methods work.
Downloading books to iBooks

Transfer books from computer to iPhone

In addition to the standard iBooks book reader program from Apple, there is also similar software from third party developers. For example, Stanza. It is not as beautiful as iBooks, but in addition to PDF and ePub formats, it can also read DjVu and rarer CBR or CBZ files.

iBooks is Apple's standard e-reader. An application that once attracted me with its wooden shelves. Now the program is no longer the same, but iBooks still remains the most popular e-reader. The program has few secrets - everything is on the surface, but I still tried to choose the most tricky options that beginners may not know about.

Text alignment

If you are annoyed by lines in a book that have different lengths, then there is an excellent function in the settings that will correct this matter.

Settings->iBooks->Full Alignment. By default the option is disabled.

You can also turn it off here auto word hyphenation so that the entire words fit on the line. By default, the feature is enabled.

Instructions for Apple Products

It is in iBooks that you can find free instructions for Apple products (iPad, iPhone, iPod, MacBook, Apple Watch). In my opinion, they are quite sufficient for all users.

“Free user manuals” can be found in the “Selection” section.

Installing a dictionary

In iOS 10, an explanatory dictionary of the Russian language may be available in iBooks. To install it, you need to log in to:

Settings->General->Dictionary. There select “Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language”. If you don’t need them, you can disable the rest of the dictionaries (especially all Japanese ones) (this saves several megabytes).

Now, in order to use the dictionary, click on any word in the text. Select “Find” from the menu. The system will show the definition of the word. If there is no word or you need more detailed description, then click “Internet”. And iBooks will take you to Safari as the default search.

Book on fb2? No problem!

If you have books in fb2 format (or you found a site where only this format is available), the easiest way to solve the problem is to use a special converter utility from the App Store, which costs less than a dollar. In this case, you don’t even need a computer - all actions can be done directly in iOS.

I have already written instructions for this program. How to convert fb2 to ePub for iBooks directly in iOS

Finally interesting facts about iBooks in “One Line” mode:

• Even though iTunes Store and the App Store is available in 150 countries, the iBooks Store is not available everywhere.
• In Russia, the iBooks Store is not a full-fledged store! Only some selected books on English, yes Apple instructions... According to rumors Apple wanted to come to Russian market, but everyone who is not interested in this (Litres, etc.) did everything possible to prevent this from happening.
• Russian books can be placed in stores in other countries. Independent authors use this, but, as you understand, there is no effect.
• In normal iBookstores (American, for example), books can be given as gifts. The function appeared at the end of 2013.
• iBooks is only available for iOS and Mac OS. That is, there is no official way to buy books on Windows or Linux (unlike applications, music, videos, etc.).

Only good books to everyone!

From its very first announcement, the iPad has become an excellent device for reading books and studying textbooks for millions of Apple technology users. Even though the tablet was not able to completely conquer the market of electronic “readers”, it still managed to bite off a significant share. The Cupertino tablet combines a convenient aspect ratio, light weight and a high-quality screen in one device, making it a convenient and comfortable reading device.

Almost simultaneously with the announcement of the Apple device Steve Jobs and his team presented the public with a program with a laconic name, which allowed users to download their favorite books and enjoy them anytime and anywhere. Immediately, the iBooks “box” had its own book store with a significant amount of high-quality literature, but iPad owners living in the CIS countries were in for an unpleasant surprise in the absence of books written in the mighty Russian.

Even on at the moment There are few books available in Russian in iBooks, and among the possible ones you can only find classics of the last century. I’m generally silent about modern bestsellers; there are also extremely few of them in the iBook Store. Because of incidents like these, I had to look alternative methods searching and downloading books in iBooks, in this article I will tell you how to download books to iPad and iPhone, talk about formats and briefly look at the closest analogues of iBooks. Let's get started.

This is what the iTunes shelf looks like after Ive's intervention

Reading books on iPhone, iPad

combines an excellent minimalistic design that came to us after the transition to iOS7 and an easy-to-use interface that even a pensioner can easily handle. A beautiful book selection menu, excellent and eye-pleasing animation when turning pages - all this recreates the feeling of reading a real printed book. Among other things, the user can customize the required letter size, suitable font and style, of which there are three in the program: regular, sepia and night. Everything is to your taste, gentlemen. In addition, iBooks has the ability to highlight phrases and text from a book, leave notes and request the meaning of a word on the Internet or. These functions are especially useful for students of higher educational institutions and schoolchildren. So, if possible, a student can download the necessary educational literature and textbooks and take with him only an iPad instead of a bulky and heavy bag. Very convenient, what more can I say.

iBooks formats

iBooks supports three main formats - epub., ibooks. and the almighty pdf. Fortunately, you can find many online resources on the Internet where you can easily download books and teaching aids in epub and pdf format, but how can you transfer them to the iPad itself.

How to download books to iPhone, iPad using iTunes

The first method is that downloaded book files must be opened using iTunes, after which the downloaded literature will appear in the book section (in the case of iBooks, but working with other reading programs is not much different).

Next, it should be noted necessary books When you synchronize your iOS device and voila, all the literature is already available in the iTunes catalog and is waiting for your reader. Also in iTunes, using not so complicated actions, you can attach a book cover for aesthetic pleasure, but this is up to everyone.

A little thing for which many people love iBooks

How to download books to iPhone, iPad via browser directly to iBooks

The second method is the simplest and most convenient, unlike its predecessor - we find the necessary book or textbook in pdf format. or epub. Using mobile Safari and downloading. Yes, I know that you won’t be able to download it, but the iPhone and iPad will offer to open the specified file in iBooks and, by agreement, will upload it to the program’s media library, after which you can safely start reading. This method much better because there is no need to connect the tablet to a computer or laptop and allows you to find the book you need without looking up from your iOS gadget.

Example of the average cost of books

Analogues of iBooks and virtual libraries

If you still don’t want to bother yourself with finding the necessary files to download and want to buy and read books legally, then there are many options in this situation. The App Store contains a significant number of high-quality virtual programs bookstores, which allow you to purchase books at their own cost, and also within the program, developers and publishers quite often offer good discounts.

Among the most famous programs it is worth mentioning Read! (LitRes) and Kindle, each of which has a high-quality design and good functionality, but before summing up the final results, it is also worth considering the so-called online libraries, which have gained particular popularity among many users. What is their essence?

The operating principle of the mentioned programs is based on a banal paid subscription. Thus, having paid, in a sense, a monthly subscription, the user gets access to an unlimited library of books, among the list of which one can find classics, detective stories, world bestsellers, science fiction and much more. This system is quite beneficial in that in a month of subscription you can read a lot more books than, for example, buying in the same online store.

Let's give an example: for a month of subscription you will pay 229 rubles or 4.99 dollars; in 30 days a person can read more than 3 books, if they have free time. The number of three books in the online store will cost you about 600 rubles. The result is obvious.

If you love books and have enough time to read, then naturally it is most beneficial for you to purchase a monthly or annual subscription, and if you read one book throughout the month and do not have enough time, then you should think about your cooperation with the Read! and Kindle. The following programs have a subscription system: Bookmate, MyBook and iReader. All of the programs mentioned have high functionality for customizing text and more, as well as high-quality design. The choice is yours, they are all distributed free of charge.

An example of the cost of a subscription in the Bookmate program

What do we have in the end? Despite such a low rating in the App Store, iBooks is one of best options for reading various literature and studying. In addition to the fact that thanks to the program it is possible to download the necessary books, many students can easily transfer everything they need to their iPad or iPhone educational material. iBooks has analogues such as uBooks, which allows you to download files through the browser, but you must be prepared for advertising and weak design.

If we talk about the best program for reading on iPhone, iPad, the undisputed leader here is TotalReader, but you will have to pay 169 rubles for it. The program is almost omnivorous (supports a wide variety of formats), as well as many functions, including synchronization with Dropbox.

Online libraries also deserve a special word of praise. They allowed many users to profitably obtain legal content without spending a significant amount of money on reading. In conclusion, I only wish you to make the right choice and choose the most suitable option for you. Read interesting and fascinating literature.

If you haven’t found an answer to your question or something didn’t work out for you, and there is no suitable solution in the comments below, ask a question through ours. It's fast, simple, convenient and doesn't require registration. You will find answers to your and other questions in the section.

Branded electronic library iBooks developed by by Apple specifically for iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, not adapted to the readership needs of residents of Russia and the CIS. Fiction, journalistic and scientific literature presented on the virtual shelves of iBooks, as a rule, are not translated into other languages ​​(only English or “American”, an even more unusual option, and rarely perceived even in Europe, and there is no search for Russian at all). sense), is inconveniently formatted, and also suffers from a bunch of shortcomings - such as a limited number of authors and a long response time to already published works.

But the main disadvantage is, perhaps, the price - Apple developers offer to pay fabulous sums (and even in dollars) for outdated literature that has not attracted attention for a long time. And, if you want to save money, you will have to be content with rare free books, which are also out of fashion.

And finally, it’s inconvenient to add other files to iBooks - the procedure is too confusing and not intuitive. Hence the conclusion - Apple’s tool should be put aside and, finally, focus on the main thing: the ability to read for free on the iPhone or iPad that you need at the moment.

You will have to figure out your goal with the help of third-party readers, which can be easily downloaded from the App Store (it is pointless to list each option - the list will stretch to thousands of positions, but if recommended, then it is a good option for those who are just starting to understand electronic literature).

Step by step instructions

1. Preparation. First of all, you will have to look directly at the digital App Store and, using the search, find a suitable e-reader - for example, iBouquiniste. Click “Download” and wait for the installation to complete;
2. Using iTunes. If on personal computer you have long collected an impressive collection of works by different authors, which you don’t want to lose under any circumstances, so you should immediately turn to iTunes by first connecting your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch to your computer using a USB cable;
3. Next – a standard transition to setting up the device using the button located in the upper left corner;
4. After the transition – select the “Shared Files” menu item on the left side of the interface;
5. And, among the variety of programs offered, choose iBouquiniste. The list on the right will immediately display the current set of files already added to the reader. If you wish, here you can study the already generated library for protection against duplicates. But it is important to understand that you cannot part with unnecessary information through iTunes - you will have to use either the built-in iOS tools or download assistants from the App Store;
6. The last step is to scroll through the menu and find the “Add File” button, and then begin to select those books that need to be downloaded. iBouquiniste easily copes with the FB2 extension, knows ePub, and digests DOC and PDF. There will definitely be no problems with reading. After adding files through the menu, you can safely unfasten your smartphone, tablet or player from the computer and start reading;
7. Third party sources. If iTunes is far away, no library has been assembled in advance, or the USB cable is lost in the depths of an unassembled backpack, then there are alternative methods for adding books to Apple equipment;
8. The browser can easily help you with the task of breaking your literary fast. The main thing is to find the right source with an easy search or download that allows you to bypass some additional checks or advertising. And, if you have to choose, then Flibusta will definitely not leave anyone indifferent;
9. The first step is to open the main page of the service online. The second is to go to the search located in the upper right corner. Next, view the results and proceed to download through the links located at the top of the page. FB2, ePub, MOBI – there will definitely be suitable options;
10. After clicking on the link, the browser will automatically offer to transfer the information directly to iBouquiniste. The procedure will take exactly 5 minutes!

It’s even more convenient to interact with the Flibusta bot for Telegram. The idea is the same - a message is sent to the bot, which provides a download link in the required format - but the search speed is much higher, and the browser does not have to be run again.

The App Store has such a large selection of applications that it's dizzying. Therefore, I have collected for you the 10 best readers of books, articles, documents and even comics, among which you will definitely find something interesting.

Apple Books, free

Books works with ePub and PDF formats.

KyBooks, free+

Not all interesting books are available in ePub format, and there is not always time to specifically convert them. KyBooks will be an excellent solution to this situation.

This program allows you to read FB2, TXT, HTML, RTF, PDF, iWork and Microsoft Office. And the Pro version also opens DJVU, CHM and works with the TOR network (!). There is integration with Google Books, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive and Yandex Drive.

True, the application has not been updated since mid-2016, so there is no support for new iPhones.

TotalReader Pro, $4.99

If you want even more, then check out TotalReader Pro. This is a truly omnivorous thing that will allow you to read FB2, ePub, MOBI, CHM, FBZ, RTF, TXT, DJVU, PDF, XPS, MS Office, iWork, KEY and even comics in CBR, CBZ, CB7 formats on iPad and iPhone and CBT. And there’s just a ton of geeky tricks and abbreviations that neither you nor I will most likely understand.

Unfortunately, the application has not been updated since mid-2017.

The Book Converter, free+

Are you leaning towards iBooks, but the limited number of supported formats is holding you back? Install The Book Converter. This thing will convert any documents into ePub, FB2, MOBI, AZW, PDF, LRF, LIT, PDB and TCR format. The coolest thing is that you don’t have to download the book yourself, just insert the download link into the application and everything will happen automatically.

Reeder 2, free

Despite the closure of the Google Reader service, RSS remains popular. It's still the same best way follow updates of your favorite blogs and sites. Well, Reeder 2 is perhaps the best representative of RSS readers for iOS. It works with Feedbin, Feedly, Fever, Feed Wrangler, Minimal Reader, Readability, FeedHQ, The Old Reader and others. Its highlight is its nice design and gesture controls.

Pocket, free+

The program solves a typical problem busy man: you found an interesting article, but there is absolutely no time to read it right now. Pocket allows you to save publications “for later”, and during this “later” the Internet will no longer be needed - all articles are stored offline and automatically downloaded in the background via WiFi. This way you can read articles from the web on your iPad and iPhone even in an elevator shaft.

Of course, the service has a couple of serious competitors, and the main one is Instapaper. Not better, not worse, just different. Perhaps you will like its interface more, be sure to try it.

Comic Zeal, $2.99

Alternatively, look at iComics. This client can skillfully split and join pages so that they occupy a larger screen area. Many people will like Dropbox support.

GoodReader, $2.99

Great for reading PDF on iPad and iPhone. It will be useful to everyone who encounters this format every day for work or study. You can easily download files from attachments email, work with clouds, use WebDAV and FTP.

The GoodReader engine allows you to process massive PDF documents containing hundreds of megabytes in a matter of seconds. It has annotation support: adding comments and geometric shapes, drawing, etc.

Alpina.Business, free+

Another application focused on business literature. A huge library from major publishing houses, where in addition to text versions, you can listen to audio versions. Moreover, the reader itself understands where you stopped and synchronizes them. As in the case of MYTH, everything purchased remains within the program.

Bookmate. Books and audiobooks, free+

A universal library on a variety of topics: from classics to school curriculum. In it you will find most of the books from the same publishing houses MIF and Alpitna. There is support for offline reading and synchronization with other devices, including Windows Phone, Android and PC/Mac (via browser). The ability to upload your books to FB2 and ePub deserves special praise.

Bookmate also has a great social component: you can always see books recommended by friends, critics, editors, and celebrities. And a very cool subscription system - for 169+ rubles per month you will get unlimited access to the entire library.

Documents by Readdle, free+

A universal combine for working with PDF files, office Word documents, Excel and reading books in ePub and FB2. Documents can work with archives and annotations, and is suitable for viewing images, videos, listening to music, and even downloading files from the Internet.

They can download entire web pages for further reading, a kind of analogue of Pocket, GoodReader and KyBooks rolled into one.

In conclusion

If you are used to looking for versions of books online, then the ideal option for you would be iBooks in conjunction with The Book Converter, or free KyBooks. With the TotalReader Pro reader you can kill all the birds with one stone, because it even works with comics. Well, if you are a real “bookworm,” then your choice is Bookmate subscription. There is no need to think about formats here, just download what you want and go! In general, you can now read on your iPad or iPhone 24/7.