Which Kobos this works on
Our Kobo files are made for the Kobo Libra Colour, Kobo Sage and Kobo Elipsa / Elipsa 2E. All three can pull PDFs from Google Drive or Dropbox and write on them with the Kobo Stylus. Google Drive needs Kobo software 4.37 or newer, and Dropbox needs 4.18 or newer.
Download your PDF to a computer or phone first. Your download links are in your order email.
Option 1: Google Drive
- On your Kobo, tap More at the bottom of the Home screen, then My Google Drive, then Get Started. You’ll see a code.
- On your computer or phone, go to kobo.com/googledrive, enter the code and allow access. This creates a Rakuten Kobo folder in your Google Drive.
- Put the PDF in the Rakuten Kobo folder.
- On your Kobo, sync over Wi-Fi. The PDF appears in My Books. Tap it to open it.
Kobo’s guide: Add books to your eReader using Google Drive.
Option 2: Dropbox
- On your Kobo, tap More, then Settings, then Accounts. Under Dropbox, tap Get Started to see a code. Your Kobo needs to be on Wi-Fi.
- On your computer or phone, go to kobo.com/dropbox, enter the code, sign in to Dropbox and allow access.
- In Dropbox, open Apps, then Rakuten Kobo, and add the PDF to the Rakuten Kobo folder.
- On your Kobo, tap Sync, then Sync now. You’ll find the PDF under More, then My Dropbox.
Kobo’s guide: Add books to your eReader using Dropbox.
Writing on the pages
Our PDFs aren’t copy-protected, so the Kobo Stylus can write on them. Write anywhere on the page, and Kobo saves your notes into the PDF on the reader as you go. On the Libra Colour you can write in colour.
Your handwriting stays on that Kobo. It doesn’t sync to the Kobo app or to another Kobo, and Kobo says you’ll lose your notes if you reset or sign out of the reader. Kobo’s guide: Write notes in your book with Kobo Stylus.
What about the links?
Our PDFs have tap links to jump between pages. Kobo’s help pages don’t say whether links inside a PDF work on a Kobo, and we haven’t tested them on one yet. Everything in the file is in order and numbered, so you can use it by turning pages if the links don’t respond.
If the PDF doesn’t show up
- Check the file is inside the Rakuten Kobo folder, not next to it.
- Sync your Kobo again while it’s on Wi-Fi.
- Check your Kobo software version in Settings. Google Drive needs 4.37 or newer and Dropbox needs 4.18 or newer.