Guides

EPUB Won’t Open on Your Computer? Common Errors and How to Fix Them

Double-clicked an EPUB and nothing happened? Or imported a book into Wizread and it doesn’t show up the way you expect? In this guide we’ll go through the most common problems that stop an EPUB from opening on your computer and how to fix them so you can get back to reading in Wizread.

First check: is the EPUB actually in Wizread?

Before assuming the file is broken, it’s worth double-checking that the book really made it into your Wizread library. The expected flow is always:

Open Wizread on Windows, macOS or Linux.
Import the EPUB:
- Drag & drop the .epub file into the app, or
- Click the Import book icon in the top navigation bar and choose the file.
Look for the book in your library view.
Click Read to enter the reading view.

If the book doesn’t appear in your library at all after import, something is going wrong at the file level, not just in the reader view. If you’re not even sure how to open EPUB files on your system, you can also follow our guide to opening EPUB files on Windows, macOS and Linux before digging deeper into troubleshooting.

Quick checklist

When an EPUB won’t open or doesn’t show up in Wizread, most of the time it’s one of these:

The file isn’t really an EPUB (wrong extension or different format).
The file is incomplete or corrupted.
The book is still DRM-protected and tied to a specific app or device.
The file lives on a disconnected drive or moved location.
The import step in Wizread never actually finished.

1. Make sure it’s really an EPUB file

Some files look like EPUBs at first glance but aren’t. A valid EPUB should end with .epub and actually be in EPUB format, not just renamed.

Check the extension. In your file manager, confirm the file ends with .epub, not .pdf, .mobi, .azw3 or something else.
Watch for double extensions. Files like book.epub.zip or book.epub.pdf are usually not valid EPUBs.
Don’t just rename other formats. Changing .pdf to .epub won’t magically turn a PDF into an EPUB; it will simply break the file.

If the file turns out to be something else (like MOBI or AZW3), you’ll need to convert it to EPUB or PDF first before importing it into Wizread. For help deciding between those formats, see EPUB vs PDF: Which format is better for reading on your computer? , or for Kindle-specific formats, our guide to converting Kindle books (AZW3/MOBI) to EPUB or PDF .

2. Check if the file is incomplete or corrupted

A broken or partially downloaded file can’t be opened properly by any reader. A couple of quick checks:

Look at the file size. If it’s 0 bytes or far smaller than you’d expect for a book, the download probably failed.
Redownload the EPUB. If you still have access to the original source, download the file again and overwrite the broken copy.
Try another EPUB. Import a different, known-good EPUB into Wizread. If that one works, the issue is almost certainly with the original file, not the app.

If the file repeatedly downloads in a strange size or from an unfamiliar site, it’s worth being cautious. For broader safety practices around ebook files before importing them into Wizread, you can read our guide on whether EPUB and PDF files are safe .

3. Make sure the file is actually reachable

If the EPUB lives on an external or network drive, things can break in less obvious ways:

Reconnect external drives. If the file was on a USB drive or external disk, make sure it’s connected and mounted before importing.
Avoid moving files mid-session. If you move or rename an EPUB while Wizread is running, reimporting from the new location can be more reliable.
Keep a stable “Books” folder. Storing EPUBs in a consistent local folder (like Documents/Books) simplifies imports and reduces surprises.

If you’d like a simple structure that works across Windows, macOS and Linux, our guide to organizing your ebook library on desktop shows one way to keep EPUB and PDF files easy to find and import into Wizread.

4. Be aware of DRM-protected ebooks

Some ebooks are protected with DRM and are meant to be opened only in specific apps or on specific devices. Even if the file ends with .epub, DRM can prevent it from working in other readers.

Store-locked EPUBs may only open in the official app they were purchased for.
Generic converters or readers usually cannot handle DRM-protected files in a way that’s consistent with store terms.
If a file is DRM-protected, the safest option is to keep using it in the official ecosystem you got it from.

This guide does not cover, recommend or endorse any method of bypassing DRM or ignoring copyright/licensing restrictions.

5. Re-import the EPUB into Wizread carefully

Sometimes, the simplest fix is to remove any assumptions and go through the import flow again, step by step:

Step 1 – Open Wizread

Start Wizread on Windows, macOS or Linux.
Make sure the main library view is visible.

Step 2 – Import the file again

Use either of the two supported ways to add the book:

Drag & drop
Drag the .epub file from your file manager and drop it directly into the Wizread window.
Import book icon
Click the Import book icon in the top navigation bar, then use the file picker to select your EPUB.

After a successful import, the book should appear in your library list. If it doesn’t, go back through the earlier checks about file type, size and location.

Step 3 – Click “Read” from the library

Find the imported book in the Wizread library view.
Click the Read action associated with the book.
Wizread should open the reading view focused on that EPUB.

If other books open fine but this one doesn’t, it’s almost always an issue with that specific file. Once you’ve solved the opening issues, you can also look at how to make reading EPUB and PDF more comfortable on desktop so your fixed books are nicer to read.

6. Test with a known-good EPUB

A very quick way to separate “app issue” from “file issue” is to try another EPUB:

Grab a different EPUB you know worked previously, or a sample from a trusted source.
Import it into Wizread using the same method (drag & drop or Import book icon).
Click Read in the library and see if it opens normally.

If the second book opens without any issue, then Wizread itself is behaving correctly and the original EPUB likely has a format, corruption or DRM problem that needs to be addressed at the source. If you want a bit more background on what an EPUB file actually is, our intro guide to EPUB files can help clarify what’s going on under the hood.

Recap: getting stuck EPUBs to open again

When an EPUB won’t open on your computer or in Wizread, work through these steps:

Confirm it’s a real .epub file, not another format with the wrong extension.
Check that the file isn’t empty, tiny or corrupted; redownload if needed.
Make sure the file is stored on a reachable drive that’s currently connected.
Be aware that some ebooks are DRM-protected and won’t open outside certain apps.
Re-import the file into Wizread using drag & drop or the Import book icon, then open it via the Read action in your library.
Test with a known-good EPUB to confirm everything else is working as expected.

Once you’ve eliminated format issues, broken downloads and unreachable files, most EPUBs will open cleanly in Wizread, so you can focus on reading instead of wrestling with file errors. From there, you can refine how they feel to read with comfort tips for EPUB and PDF on desktop and keep your library itself tidy with a simple cross-platform ebook organization system .