How to Use OPDS with KOReader

What is OPDS?

OPDS (Open Publication Distribution System) lets ebook apps browse a remote book catalog and download publications directly.

With KOReader, you can use an OPDS server to access an existing ebook library without manually copying each book to your device.

What you need

You need:

• KOReader installed on your device
• An ebook library that provides an OPDS catalog
• The OPDS catalog URL
• A username and password if your server requires authentication

An OPDS URL may look something like:

https://example.com/opds

Add an OPDS catalog to KOReader

1. Open KOReader’s file browser.
2. Open the menu.
3. Find the OPDS or network catalog option. The exact location can vary between KOReader versions.
4. Add a new catalog.
5. Enter a name for the catalog.
6. Enter the OPDS URL supplied by your ebook server.
7. Enter authentication credentials if required.
8. Save the catalog.

You can then open the catalog from KOReader and browse the books provided by the server.

Download a book

Open the catalog and browse its available categories. Depending on the server, you may be able to browse by title, author, genre, collection, or recently added books.

Select a book to view its metadata and available download formats. Choose the format you want, such as EPUB, and KOReader will download it to your device.

Using OPDS remotely

An OPDS catalog can be used over your local network or over the internet. For remote access, use the HTTPS OPDS URL provided by your server.

For example:

https://books.example.com/opds

The important part is using the actual OPDS endpoint rather than the normal web interface URL.

Troubleshooting

KOReader cannot connect

Check that the OPDS URL is correct and that the server is reachable from the device. Try opening the endpoint from another device on the same network.

The catalog loads but has no books

Check the library server’s permissions and OPDS configuration. Your account may only have access to a subset of the library.

Authentication fails

Verify the username and password and check whether the OPDS server uses separate credentials from its normal web interface.

The catalog works but downloads fail

The catalog and its download links can fail independently. Check that the download URLs generated by the server are reachable from KOReader.

Why use OPDS with KOReader?

OPDS is useful when you maintain a large ebook library and want to access it from an ereader without manually transferring files.

The basic setup is:

Ebook library
    ↓
OPDS server
    ↓
KOReader
    ↓
Browse and download books

Once configured, you can browse the library from KOReader and download books whenever you need them.