QuireHow to open EPUB files in Chrome
Short answer: Chrome doesn’t include an EPUB reader. When you click a link to an .epub file, Chrome downloads it instead of showing the book.
To read EPUB books in a Chrome tab, add a reader extension such as Quire EPUB Reader. If you’d rather not install anything, you can upload the book to Google Play Books and read it there.
Updated 12 October 2026. Checked in Chrome 155 on a Mac.
Open an EPUB in Chrome with an extension
These steps use Quire EPUB Reader, which we make. Other EPUB extensions work in a similar way; see other ways below.
- Install an EPUB reader extension
Add Quire EPUB Reader from the Chrome Web Store. Chrome warns that it can “read and change all your data on all websites”. It needs that so a click on an .epub link on any site opens in the reader. It has no content scripts and does not read or change the pages you visit. Each permission explained.
- Click a link to an .epub file
The book opens in a reader tab instead of downloading. Links that don’t end in .epub but still serve an EPUB file are caught too, and you can right-click any link and choose Open link in Quire EPUB Reader.
- Or open a book that’s already on your computer
Click the Quire icon in Chrome’s toolbar to open your library (it may be under the puzzle-piece Extensions menu until you pin it). Drop the .epub file onto the page, or pick it with the file chooser.
- Read, search and bookmark
Use the arrow keys to turn pages, T for the contents, M to switch between pages and scrolling, and D to change theme. Ctrl+F (⌘+F on a Mac) or / searches every chapter at once. B adds a bookmark.
- Close the tab when you’re done
Your place and bookmarks are saved as you read. The book stays in your library, so it reopens later without the original file.
Books on your computer and forced downloads
- Picking or dropping a file on the library page always works, with no extra setup.
- file:// links to books on your computer need one switch: open
chrome://extensions, choose Details under Quire EPUB Reader, and turn on Allow access to file URLs. - Sites that force a download: in the library’s preferences you can turn on Also catch EPUB downloads and local files. Chrome then asks for the “Manage your downloads” permission. It is off unless you turn it on, and other downloads are left alone.
Good to know
- Works with EPUB 2 and EPUB 3 books. Scripts inside EPUB files are blocked.
- Read aloud uses the voices installed on your computer, so how it sounds depends on your system.
- There are no highlights or notes inside books yet, and nothing syncs between computers.
- Your books, bookmarks and settings are stored in this Chrome profile. Removing the extension deletes them, so keep your original files.
- Quire can’t open DRM-protected books. Read those in the app of the store you bought them from.
Other ways to read EPUB files
- Google Play Books, no install. In your Play Books library, click Your books, then Upload files, and choose the .epub file. It appears under Uploads, and you can read it on any device where you’re signed in to the same Google account. The file is uploaded to Google, which is the trade-off for that convenience.
- calibre is a free, open-source desktop app for managing e-books, with a built-in viewer for the major formats. It suits large collections and converting between formats.
- Other Chrome extensions. The Chrome Web Store has several EPUB readers. Before choosing, look at the permissions each one asks for and when it was last updated.
If you use a Chromebook, there are a few more options. See how to open EPUB books on a Chromebook.