Convert EPUB to TXT
FileReshape's EPUB to TXT converter saves the text of a DRM-free EPUB e-book as a plain UTF-8 .txt file, in reading order, with chapter headings, paragraphs and list items kept apart. Pictures, fonts and layout are left out. The book is converted in your browser and is not uploaded. EPUBs with DRM cannot be converted.
Did a file not convert correctly? E-mail [email protected], ideally with a small sample file, and it will be fixed.
Key facts
- Input: EPUB (.epub). Output: Plain text (.txt).
- Your files are not uploaded: the work is done in your browser, on your own device.
- File size: up to 300 MB per book.
- Needs a current browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari) on a computer, tablet or phone; nothing to install.
- Free to use, with no sign-up.
Why convert EPUB to TXT
Plain text is the one format every program opens: text editors, word processors, translation and text-to-speech tools, word counters, search tools and old e-readers. Copying a whole book out of a reading app is slow, and most apps will not let you. This tool opens the EPUB in your browser, follows the book's reading order (the spine in its package file), and writes the text of each chapter with a blank line between paragraphs and headings, list items on their own lines with a dash or number, and table cells separated by tabs. Page-number markers of the printed edition are skipped, scripts and styles are ignored, and the file is written in UTF-8, so every alphabet survives.
How to convert EPUB to TXT
- Drop your .epub file in the box, or click to choose it. The title, author and number of parts appear.
- Choose a blank line between paragraphs or one paragraph per line.
- Click Convert to TXT and save the text file.
What changes when you convert
Books with DRM cannot be converted
EPUBs bought in many shops are protected with DRM (Adobe ADEPT, Apple FairPlay or similar), which encrypts the chapters. The tool reads the book's encryption list and tells you instead of writing unreadable text. DRM-free books, such as those from Project Gutenberg, Standard Ebooks and many small publishers, convert fine. Fonts that are only obfuscated are not DRM and do not stop the conversion.
Pictures and formatting are left out
A text file holds only characters. Pictures, bold and italic text, colours and fonts are dropped; a picture with a description is written as [Image: description]. If you need the layout, use EPUB to PDF instead.
Footnotes appear where the book puts them
Notes stay where the EPUB has them: at the end of a chapter or in a notes section at the end of the book. The note numbers in the text remain as plain numbers.
About the formats
EPUB
EPUB is the open standard for e-books, first published by the IDPF in 2007 and maintained by the W3C since 2017. Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play Books and most library and e-reader apps open it. The text reflows to fit the screen and the reader's chosen font size, so an EPUB has no fixed pages.
- An EPUB is a ZIP archive of XHTML pages, CSS, images and fonts, plus a package file (.opf) that lists them.
- The spine in the package file sets the reading order. EPUB 2 (2007) and EPUB 3 (2011 onwards) are both common.
- Books with DRM, such as Adobe ADEPT or Apple FairPlay, are encrypted and only open in the apps that hold the key. Kindle books use Amazon's own formats, not EPUB.
- Fixed-layout EPUBs, used for comics and picture books, have set pages instead of reflowing text.
Plain text
A plain text file (.txt) holds only characters and line breaks: no fonts, colours, images or layout. That makes it the most portable document format there is, readable by every editor, search tool and programming language.
- The encoding decides how letters beyond A-Z are stored; UTF-8 covers every alphabet.
- Windows ends lines with CR LF, Mac and Linux with LF; current editors read both.
- There is no page layout, so page breaks are written as marker lines or form feed characters.
Frequently asked questions
Is my book uploaded?
No. The EPUB is unpacked and the text is written by your browser on your own device. Nothing is sent to a server.
Which encoding does the text file use?
UTF-8, which every current editor on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS reads, so letters like é, ø, ł or Cyrillic and Japanese text come out right.
Can I convert a Kindle book to text?
Convert the DRM-free MOBI or AZW3 book to EPUB first with MOBI to EPUB, then convert the EPUB to text here.