FAQ

How do I install it?

Download the file for your computer from the Install section. There are builds for Windows, macOS and Linux, and each takes a minute to set up.

How do I get a dark background?

Click the Appearance button at the right end of the top toolbar. Pick Dark, or Dim for a softer dark, or Match system to follow your computer.

The same menu has Colour scheme, with six sets of colours to choose from. Both change the window right away, with no restart.

Can I hide the book preview at the top?

Yes. Click Preview next to the search bar. The eye icon shows whether it is on, and the app remembers your choice.

Do my plugins still work?

Yes. calibre-zen is calibre underneath, with every feature and the same plugin system. Each new calibre release is merged in, roughly once a month.

DeDRM, FanFicFare, Export to Markdown and Quality Check are tested and work. Plugins that change fonts or colours may clash with the new look. The Known limitations page has more.

Can I run calibre and calibre-zen side by side?

Yes. They are separate apps, so both can be installed and open at the same time. Each has its own settings and its own plugins, so install your plugins again in calibre-zen.

Both apps can open the same library. Use it in one app at a time so they do not overwrite each other.

Will my library keep its custom setup?

Yes. Everything stored in the library comes with it, on every platform.

• Kept: custom columns, virtual libraries, saved searches, identifiers like Goodreads and Amazon, read dates and all other metadata.
• Set up again: plugins and their settings, the toolbar, and other app preferences. These belong to calibre, not the library, and calibre-zen starts from its own defaults.

Can I edit metadata without adding books to the library?

Not yet. Like calibre, the app copies each book into its library folder and works on that copy. Your original download stays where it is.

A new metadata editor is on the Roadmap. Upvote the ideas you want on r/CalibreZen to help set the order.

Is the source code available?

Yes. All of it is on GitHub, under the same open licence as calibre.

The website said I was blocked

A firewall rule on the site blocked some visitors by mistake. It is fixed now. If a page still will not load, every download is also on GitHub Releases.

Why a fork and not a change to calibre itself?

calibre-zen changes the whole interface, and calibre has its own direction and its own users. Building on top lets me try ideas quickly without asking calibre to change.

calibre’s code is left alone, so each calibre update merges in cleanly. The Architecture page shows how.