Guide to Adding Page Numbers in Kindle with Calibre

The rise of e-reading devices, such as the Kindle, brings with it the significant advantage of being able to upload your digital books (like epub, azw3, mobi, etc.) and enjoy them at no cost. However, methods like transferring books via USB or utilizing the ‘Send to Kindle’ feature come with minor drawbacks, such as an absence of page numbers and the lack of accurate metadata, which can limit your Kindle’s functionality.

To address these challenges, the application Calibre serves as an optimal book management solution, capable of resolving these issues and making your sideloaded books appear as if they were purchased or borrowed directly from Amazon. This guide will demonstrate how to use Calibre to insert page numbers into your books when they are missing.

How to Insert Page Numbers into Sideloaded Kindle Books

If you’ve obtained books outside of Amazon, you might notice that their pages are organized by ‘location’ instead of traditional page numbers, which can be quite frustrating, especially if you prefer referencing specific pages as you navigate through your reading.

The good news is that these issues can be largely remedied by adjusting certain Calibre settings and utilizing specific plugins, along with installing adequate metadata. Keep in mind that the metadata you retrieve for your book pages may differ based on the edition, publication, and source.

Step 1: Download and Install Calibre

Prior to diving in, it’s important to adjust a few settings within the Calibre application. Please follow these instructions carefully to avoid future complications.

If Calibre is not yet installed on your computer, you can acquire it using the link provided below. If you already have it, proceed to the next step.

• Calibre | Download here

1. Get the 64-bit version of Calibre for Windows and execute the installer.
2. Follow the prompts to complete the installation of Calibre.
3. When asked, permit the program to create a folder for its files. Click ‘Next’ on the prompts until Calibre launches successfully.

Step 2: Create New Columns for ‘Pages’ and ‘Shelf’ in Preferences

1. After Calibre opens, navigate to Preferences located at the far right of the toolbar.
2. Select Add your own columns under the ‘Interface’ section.
3. By adding these new columns, you will simplify adding page numbers later. Click on the + icon to proceed.
4. In the field labeled ‘Lookup name’, enter pages.
5. In the ‘Column heading’ field, input Pages.
6. Click the dropdown next to ‘Column type’ and choose Integers.
7. In ‘Format for numbers’, type {0,}.
8. Click OK to confirm.
9. Use the + icon again to create another column.
10. For ‘Lookup name’, input shelf.
11. In the ‘Column heading’, write Shelf.
12. Ensure the ‘Column type’ is set as Text column shown in the Tag browser.
13. Click OK, then Apply.
14. Restart Calibre for the changes to take effect.
15. Return to Preferences and select Plugins under ‘Advanced’.
16. In the search bar, enter Kindle 2/3/4/Touch/PaperWhite/Voyage and proceed.
17. Double-click the highlighted plugin to access its options.
18. Under ‘Custom column name to retrieve page counts from’, type #pages.
19. Add Books/ before the existing text in ‘Save template’.
20. Uncheck the option labeled Overwrite existing APNX on device.
21. Click OK.
22. Select Apply and restart Calibre.

Step 3: Install Goodreads and Count Pages Plugins

1. Revisit the ‘Plugins’ settings.
2. Click on Get new plugins at the bottom.
3. In the ‘Filter by name’ box, type Goodreads.
4. Once selected, hit Install.
5. Confirm by clicking Yes.
6. Click OK. The Goodreads plugin will aid in acquiring book metadata and page counts.
7. Search for the Count Pages plugin next.
8. Install it in the same manner as before.
9. Again, confirm with Yes.
10. Add Count Pages to The main toolbar and click OK.
11. Select Restart calibre now.
12. Once back in the Plugins window, find ‘Count Pages’ and double-click to customize.
13. From the dropdown next to Custom column, select #pages (Pages).
14. Click OK and then Apply.
15. Navigate to the ‘Preferences’ window and select Metadata download.
16. Ensure Goodreads is checked here as well.
17. Finally, click on Apply.

With that set up, you’re ready for the next steps!

Step 4: Insert Page Numbers into Your E-book

Before adding page numbers, remember that depending on the original format of your book, you might need to convert it to MOBI for page numbers to be displayed.

For example, if your starting file is EPUB, it needs conversion to MOBI. However, if your book is already in AZW3, conversion isn’t necessary. Here’s how you can proceed:

1. For an EPUB file, click Convert books from the top menu.
2. Select MOBI as your output format.NOTE: Since MOBI is considered outdated, it’s recommended to use AZW3 as the output format.
3. Press OK.
4. Next, click on Edit metadata from the main toolbar.
5. Choose Download metadata.
6. This metadata includes core details that help differentiate your e-book from others, like title, publication date, ISBN, and cover images.
7. Wait as the metadata downloads from various sources.
8. Select the option that best fits your book’s details. Once satisfied, click OK.
9. Wait for the metadata download to complete, then click Yes when prompted.
10. Select the Count Pages option from the toolbar.
11. Alternatively, click the dropdown next to Count Pages and choose Download page/word counts.
12. Click Yes when prompted.

If you’ve removed the DRM from an AZW3 format book sourced from Amazon, there’s no need to change the format. Just select ‘Count Pages’ to gather the page statistics. If you encounter errors, download the metadata before attempting to obtain the page count again.

Step 5: Transfer the Book to Your Kindle

1. First, connect your Kindle to the computer using a USB cable.
2. Right-click the book file, hover over ‘Send to device,’ and select Send to main memory.
3. Open the book on your Kindle.
4. You should now see the updated page numbers.
5. The page numbers will also be reflected in the table of contents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some often-posed queries regarding Calibre’s functionality for managing book metadata and setting custom covers on your Kindle.

How can I remove DRM from Kindle books?

You can utilize the De-DRM plugins available within Calibre to eliminate DRM protection from Kindle books.

How many locations correspond to one page on Kindle?

The Kindle’s location system enables you to gauge your reading progress, where one page generally translates to roughly 15-20 locations, though this can vary based on the book’s formatting and illustrations.

Calibre is a powerful tool for organizing your Kindle library. It allows for the removal of DRM, enhances metadata for freely sourced books, and facilitates the addition of page numbers to your e-books sideloaded onto your Kindle device. We trust this guide has assisted you in incorporating page numbers into your Kindle collection, enhancing your overall reading experience. Until next time!

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