QuireHow to open EPUB books on a Chromebook
Short answer: ChromeOS doesn’t come with an EPUB reader. Google’s list of file types that work on Chromebooks includes PDF and plain text files but not .epub, and Chrome has no EPUB reader built in.
You have three good options: a Chrome extension that reads EPUB, Google Play Books on the web, or an Android reading app if your Chromebook can install them.
Updated 12 October 2026.
What a Chromebook does on its own
- PDFs: yes. They open in the built-in Gallery app, where you can also fill in forms and add highlights and signatures.
- EPUB books: no built-in reader. Google’s list of supported file types lists Office files, media, images, .zip and .rar archives, .txt and .pdf. EPUB isn’t on it.
Option 1: read EPUB in Chrome with an extension
This keeps your books on the Chromebook and works for links on any site. The steps use Quire EPUB Reader, which we make.
- Install the extension in Chrome
On your Chromebook, open the Quire EPUB Reader page in the Chrome Web Store and choose Add to Chrome. Chrome extensions install on a Chromebook the same way as on any other computer. Quire was tested in Chrome on a Mac; if anything misbehaves on your Chromebook, please report it.
- Open books from the web
Click a link to an .epub file and the book opens in a reader tab instead of going to your Downloads folder.
- Open books saved in the Files app
Click the Quire icon in Chrome’s toolbar (pin it from the puzzle-piece Extensions menu if you don’t see it) to open your library. Drag the .epub file from the Files app onto the library page, or use the file chooser to find it.
- Read
Your place and bookmarks are saved as you read, and the book stays in the library. Press ? in the reader to see every keyboard shortcut.
Before you install it: Chrome will say the extension can “read and change all your data on all websites”. That is how it catches .epub links on any site; it has no content scripts and doesn’t read the pages you visit. Why it needs that. Read aloud uses the voices installed on the Chromebook, and books are stored in your Chrome profile, not synced.
Option 2: Google Play Books, with nothing to install
- Go to your Play Books library.
- Click Your books, then Upload files.
- Choose the .epub file and click Select. It appears under Uploads.
The book is uploaded to your Google account, so you can carry on reading it on your phone or another computer. That is the main reason to choose this route. If you would rather your books stay on the device, use an extension.
Option 3: an Android reading app
Many Chromebooks can install Android apps from Google Play, including e-book readers that open EPUB files. Turn it on under Settings › Apps › Manage Google Play preferences. Google notes that the Play Store is only available on some Chromebooks, and that on a work or school Chromebook you might not be able to add it; ask your administrator.
Option 4: a desktop app through Linux
Some Chromebooks can run Linux, which lets you install desktop apps. One of them is calibre, a free, open-source e-book manager with a built-in viewer. This takes the most setup and suits people who already use Linux.