How to open a .fb2 file
Quick, free ways to open FB2 on any system.
A .fb2 file is a FictionBook eBook. If double-clicking does nothing, your computer simply does not have an app that reads FB2 yet. Here is how to fix that on each operating system, using free software wherever possible.
Open a .fb2 file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .fb2. Drop it into the WhatFileType file identifier, which reads its signature without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with Calibre or FBReader.
- On Mac, use Calibre or FBReader.
- On Linux, try Calibre or FBReader.
- Still stuck? Convert the .fb2 to epub, which opens more widely.
Best apps to open .fb2 files
Windows
- Calibre
- FBReader
- Cool Reader
macOS
- Calibre
- FBReader
Linux
- Calibre
- FBReader
- Cool Reader
!
Before you open it: Safe. FB2 is book content in XML, read by e-reader software.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I open my .fb2 file?
Almost always because no installed app understands FB2. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads.
How do I open an .fb2 file?
Use Calibre or FBReader, both free and both supporting FictionBook. Many mobile e-reader apps read it too.
What is FB2 used for?
It is an open eBook format, widely used in Russian-language libraries, that keeps a book's structure in a single XML file.