AZW3 format is a variation of AZW and also known as KF8 (Kindle Format 8). It has been released in 2011 when the Kindle fire was launched for the first time. As the Amazon's successor to AZW format, it not only supports most of the HTML5 and CSS3 but also improves the eBook's formatting capabilities. Since it is the exclusive format of Amazon, AZW3 file can only be read on Kindle related devices and softwares. If you don't have a Kindle device, how can you read your AZW3 books? Are there any free readers that you can download to open azw3 ebooks?
Sure, there it is! This is also what I want to share with you today. I am going to share the best 3 AZW3 readers for both Windows and Mac with you. One important thing to be mentioned is that almost Kindle AZW3 files are protected by Kindle DRM. If you want to read Kindle AZW3 books with any reading apps that are not exactly Kindle-related software, you have to remove the DRM from the AZW3 files at first. Here Epubor Ultimate can help you to do so.
1. Kindle for PC/MAC
As the official reading app for Amazon Kindle books, Kindle for PC/MAC supports all Amazon Kindle formats. So it is not suprising that it is on the top of my list.
Firstly, please download Kindle for PC/ Mac.
Then run it on your computer, sign in with your Amazon account. In the library you will see all your books. Just double-click the book cover to start downloading the ebook. Once the book has been downloaded, you can see them in "Downloaded". Now click the book cover and start reading.
2. Kindle Previewer
Kindle for PC/Mac is just used for readers to read and manage books on computer. But here Kindle Previewer is a little bit different. It helps us preview how books display when delivered to Kindle devices and Kindle apps. So the authors, publishers and eBooks service providers will choose to use Kindle Previewer to preview their books before publish their eBooks. So we could even say that Kindle for PC/MAC is designed for eBooks readers, while the kindle previewer is made for eBooks publishers.
Open the AZW3 ebooks to review. You can also set the layout depending on the devices you are using.
3. Calibre's eBook Viewer
Calibre, as a powerful ebook management tool, is not only a free ebook converter, but also a perfect ebook reader. It supports nearly all the major ebook formats, including azw3. Since Calibre can only open DRM-free eBooks, you have to remove DRM from Kindle AZW3 before adding the AZW3 files to Calibre. You can download the Epubor Ultimate mentioned at the beginning of this article to decrypt your AZW3 files. Once DRM-free AZW3 ebook has been added to Calibre, you can double click the cover to start reading.
Notice: There are many people complaining on some platforms that they have met problems while reading AZW3 books on calibre.
Frequently Asked QuestionsQ1: My Calibre could open my MOBI files but not the AZW3 files. Why?
A: Calibre's viewer supports 22 input ebook formats, but only EPUB, FB2, HTML, LIT, LRF, MOBI, PDB, PRC and RB formats are open in the calibre internal viewer. So for other formats such as AZW3, it will automatically view book files with an external viewer.
You can add AZW3 format manually to Calibre here:
Preferences -> Behavior -> and select the formats you want in the right column.
Q2: Why can't I open my books with Calibre?
A: In fact Calibre viewer could only support books with non-DRM. So please remove the DRM from AZW3 file at first, then you can view it with calibre. Please read this complete guide on how to remove DRM from AZW3 files.
4. Epubor Reader for Windows/Mac
Epubor Reader is the most beautifully designed ebook reader with powerful functions. As the best azw3 reading app for both Windows and Mac, it supports almost all the mainstream ebook formats, including azw3, epub, mobi, azw, txt and so on. What's more, it also enables you to customize your reading experience by changing font, font size and background color. The user-friendly interface also help users to remember the reading postion automatically. More than eBook reader, it is also the best ebook manager which allows you to search and organize your ebook in one app.
To sum up:
| AZW3 reader | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Kindle for PC/MAC | Good for Win / Mac users | Keyed to Amazon account |
| Kindle Previewer | Good for eBooks authors and publishers | Keyed to Amazon Kindle |
| Calibre eBook Viewer | Also supports Linux system | Only support DRM-free AZW3 files |
| Epubor Reader for Wins/Mac | Support Wins/Mac system; Support multiple eBook formats, including azw3, epub, mobi... | Only support DRM-free AZW3 files |
These are the best 4 free AZW3 ebook readers I want to share with you today. All of them have pros and cons. But there's one powerful software can solve all the cons these readers have. That is Epubor Ultimate which allows you to strip DRM from all mainstream book stores like Kindle/Kobo/Google Play and convert the ebook formats so that you can read these AZW3 books anywhere you want. Trust me this tool can meet all of your demands.
Ada Wang works for Epubor and writes articles for a collection of blogs such as ebookconverter.blogspot.com.
