Google eBooks Help

Contents

1) What is Google eBooks™?
2) How do I buy a Google eBook from this website?
3) Which devices are supported?
4) What are the required configurations?
5) How do I access the Google eBook I bought?
6) How do I use the Google Web Reader?
7) Can I read my Google eBooks offline?
8) Can I read my Google eBooks in multiple devices?
9) How do I use the Google eBooks app for iPhone and iPad?
10) How do I use the Google eBooks app for Android?
11) How do I read my Google eBooks on my Nook, Sony Reader, or other eReader device?
12) How can I share Google eBooks?

1) What is Google eBooks™?

Google eBooks are a great way to discover, buy, and enjoy your favorite digital books, online and offline, powered by Google. You can buy a Google eBook directly from us, and then read your purchased book on your computer, your smartphone, or your electronic reading device.

Google eBooks are kept in the cloud (Google's computer servers), which means you can do more than just read your book. You can switch from one reading device to another without losing your place, manage your digital book collection on your digital bookshelf, and easily access your book on more than one device. And if your eReader device becomes lost or damaged, your books will still exist, safe on Google's servers, where you can access them any time through your Google Account.

Please note that not every book on this website can be purchased as a Google eBook. If you find a title that cannot yet be purchased as a Google eBook, please check again soon.

 

2) How do I buy a Google eBook from this website?

You can buy a Google eBook from us by linking your Google Account with your account on our website. It's easy to do, and once you've done it the first time, we'll save your information so you won't have to do it again. Click here for a step-by-step walkthrough on buying your first Google eBook from us.

 

3) Which devices are supported?

eReader devices. Google eBooks can be read with any dedicated eBook reader that runs Adobe Content Server 4's ePub DRM, including the Nook and Sony Portable Readers. The full list of Adobe-compatible devices can be found at http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/devices/. At the moment, Google eBooks books are not compatible with Amazon Kindle devices.

Smartphones. For a superior reading experience, you can download and install the Google Books reading app for free on the iPhone, iPad, or any Android phone.

Web browsers. You can read Google eBooks on any browser with JavaScript enabled.

 

4) What are the required configurations?

Once you've purchased your Google eBook, it will be associated with your Google Account (which you can create for free at any time). You can then read it on any web browser with JavaScript enabled. No special software is necessary.

Google eBooks also support several eReader devices and have apps available for the iPhone/iPad or any Android phone.

 

5) How do I access the Google eBook I bought?

Once you have purchased Google eBooks from our website, you can easily access and manage your purchased titles from the 'My eBooks' page. Since your ebook library is synced-up with the cloud, you will find all your Google eBooks purchases there.

Your most recent purchase will be the one displayed first in the list. To start reading your Google eBook immediately, just click the 'Read' link to launch the WebReader.

You can also read your Google eBooks can on any dedicated eBook reader that runs Adobe Content Server 4's ePub DRM, including the Nook and Sony Portable Readers. The full list of Adobe-compatible devices can be found at http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/devices/.

Finally, for a superior reading experience, you can download and install the Google Books reading app for free on the iPhone, iPad, or any Android phone.

 

6) How do I use the Google Web Reader?

From the 'My eBooks' page, simply click the 'Read' link next to any Google eBook you purchased to access the full screen Web Reader.

Navigation

The Web Reader allows users browsing books with Google Books to take advantage of their full screen for a more pleasant reading experience. If you re-size your browser window, the Web Reader will scale the book pages up or down to fit.

At the bottom of the page, a slider allows you to easily flip through and jump to different sections of the book. The current page number is displayed in the lower corner of the Web Viewer at all times.

  • My Library: Clicking the book icon will return you to My library settings, where you can browse and manage your bookshelves.
  • Content: The list icon provides you easy access to the book's table of contents, with links to chapters and notable sections within the book.
  • Settings: The "Aa" icon contains book viewing settings. For many books, this includes the ability to choose to view original page images or Flowing text (when available). The flowing text mode allows you to adjust the font, text size, line height, and justification, but you might find the original page images more suitable for specially formatted books, such as for poetry.
  • Search: The magnifying glass icon allows you to search for words and phrases within the book you're reading. You can easily switch between viewing search results sorted by order of appearance or by relevance.
  • About this book: Displays the title and publisher of the current book. You can also see the average rating, check out reviews--or write your own--and view additional bibliographic information.

Keyboard Shortcuts

We support the following keyboard shortcuts to easily navigate through book pages:

  • Page Forward: J, Right Arrow, P, or Page Up keys
  • Page Backward: K, Left Arrow, N, or Page Down keys

 

7) Can I read my Google eBooks offline?

Computers and eReaders. You can read Google eBooks offline if you download them. Simply click the "download" link on the My eBooks page on this website. The actual file that you download will have an .acsm extension; these downloads are for use only on devices which support Adobe Content Server 4's DRM (including the Adobe Digital Editions software for your computer, or these devices). Opening the ACSM file will then trigger the download of the actual PDF or ePub file.

Some publishers may opt to provide DRM-free downloads, in which case you can download the PDF or ePub file directly and transfer it to the machine or device of your choice.

Smartphones and Tablets. You'll automatically start downloading a book when you first open it, which you can then read online or offline. If you don't have enough space on your device, you'll receive an error message. You can free up space by going to the My Library page and removing books from the My eBooks shelf. You can always add them back in the future, as any books you've bought will remain on your Purchased bookshelf.

 

8) Can I read my Google eBooks in multiple devices?

When using the Web Reader, you can access your eBook on any computer. Please note that Google eBooks are intended for personal use, and if you've opened a book in too many locations at the same time, you may be asked to close it on some machines.

For downloadable copies, Google eBooks use the Adobe Digital Editions format, which supports the registration of up to six devices. No matter where you read your Google eBook, we'll keep track of your reading place, so you can pick up right where you left off on a different device.

We don't support device-to-device transfers, so for each additional device you wish to use to read your Google eBook, you'll need to access the eBook from our servers. This means that if you lose a device, you don't lose any eBooks you downloaded onto it -- you'll be able to read any Google eBooks you bought from your new device.

 

9) How do I use the Google eBooks app for iPhone and iPad?

The Google eBooks app for iPhone and iPad is free and you can download it from the Apple App Store. When you first open the app, you'll be asked to sign in to your Google Account. Once you're logged in, you'll be able to view a list of books you've bought.

When reading a book, turn pages by using a swiping motion or by touching the margin on either side. Icons on the upper right provide menu options to access the table of contents, change your viewing settings (such as adjusting the font size or toggling 3-D page turns), search the book's text, or view information about the title. You can return to the list of your books with the "My eBooks" button on the top left.

 

10) How do I use the Google eBooks app for Android?

The Google eBooks app for Android phones is free and you can download it from the Android Market. When you first open the app, you'll be asked to sign in to your Google Account. Once you're logged in, you'll be able to view a list of books you've bought.

When reading a book, turn pages by using a swiping motion or by touching the margin on either side. Icons on the upper right provide menu options to access the table of contents, change your viewing settings (such as adjusting the font size or toggling 3-D page turns), search the book's text, or view information about the title. You can return to the list of your books with the "My eBooks" button on the top left.

 

11) How do I read my Google eBooks on my Nook, Sony Reader, or other eReader device?

You will need to use the Adobe Digital Editions software and a USB cable to transfer the eBooks from your computer to your device. See below for specific instructions:

 

12) How can I share Google eBooks?

Google eBooks are designed to accommodate one copy of each book per Google Account. This means that sharing books among multiple users is not currently supported.

Buying Your First Google eBook | Google Books Terms of Service | Google Books Privacy Policy

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