I’ve been a Kobo user for as long as I’ve owned an e-reader.
I’ve always preferred the more open nature of the company’s e-reader platform compared to Amazon’s closed Kindle ecosystem (that’sset to get a lot more siloed soon). With that in mind, I’ve noticed that a lot of people are making thejump from the Kindle to the Kobo, and while both e-reader platforms are very similar, there are also a few key settings that will improve your reading experience on Rakuten’s e-readers.
If you’ve been using the Kobo ecosystem for a while, you might already be aware of these quick tricks, but if you just got your hands on a newer Kobo like the Libra Colour, this list will come in handy.
Kobo Libra Colour
The Kobo Libra Colour is a game changer. The Libra Colour allows users to scribble down their every thought as they read, write in a separate notebook, and access their own Google Drive.
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1Hook your Kobo up to your Wi-Fi for syncing
This might seem obvious, but I’ve forgotten to do it
Make sure to always connect your Kobo to Wi-Fi for easy syncing with any books you may have purchased through Rakuten’s ebook store. This also goes forstories you’ve added to Pocketto read on your Kobo. I’ve often forgotten to connect to my parents' Wi-Fi or hotel Wi-Fi and have been confused why whatever article I saved that day hasn’t shown up on my Kobo Libra Colour yet.
You can find your Wi-Fi settings by navigating toSettings >Wi-Fi Connection, and joining a new network. Once you’re on a network, tap the two circular arrows between the battery and the search symbol at the top of your Kobo to sync.
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2Turn on auto natural light adjustment
Give your eyes a break
One of the reasons I like e-readers and, in particular, my Kobo Libra Colour, is E Ink is way easier to look at than an LCD or OLED screen, especially after staring at my monitor all day for work. Adding to this, there’s a setting that makes the Kobo Libra Colour’s 7-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 screen even easier on the eyes.
Turning onNatural Lightadjustment and setting it toAutohas been a game-changer for me. It takes the already easy-to-look-at E Ink screen and adjusts its tint based on the ambient light around you. For example, at night under low light, it tints the display a warmer yellow. On the other hand, under daylight conditions, the display maintains a bluer hue.
Not all Kobo models support Natural Light adjustment, but most recent models do, including the Kobo Libra Colour I use.
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4Use this trick to adjust your Kobo’s brightness
I uncovered this swiping gesture a few months ago
I do most of my reading in bed at night when my partner is asleep, so I often try to not wake her up with the bright light of my e-reader. Naturally, this means I set my Libra Colour’s brightness down to the lowest possible brightness setting. Before I learned about this trick, I’d tap the brightness icon and slide the sometimes finicky dial down to whatever level I’m aiming for.
Then I learned you can adjust your Kobo’s brightness by swiping up and down on the left-hand side of the screen. It isn’t quite as precise as the slider, but if you’re in a book and need to lower the brightness level quickly, it’s a useful trick I wish I had known about months ago. Most Kobo models support this brightness adjustment shortcut.
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5Adjust the font size, line spacing, and margins exactly how you want
You can even change the font type
This is another obvious one, but it’s easy to miss if you aren’t familiar with how Kobo’s interface works. To change various font settings on your Kobo, open a book, then tap the chapter information at the top of the screen. Next, press on theAaicon. Under this panel, you’re able to change the font type, size, line spacing, margins, and text justification.
You can make that happen with a few swipes if you prefer larger text. Or, if you’re like me and prefer an experience similar to reading a paperback book, you can turn down the line spacing and decrease the font.
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6Quickly skip pages if you’ve lost your spot
The number of times I’ve used this feature is embarrassing
Sometimes I’ll fall asleep with my book still in my hands, and more often than not, before my Kobo Libra Colour turns off, at least a few pages will accidentally get turned. This means that the next time I pick up my book, I often have no clue where I left off. To activate the skip pages feature, tap the middle of the screen when you have a book open, and then grab the circle icon towards the bottom of the display.
If you tap on the page preview in the middle of the screen, it’ll instantly open. I don’t use this feature often, but it’s a great way to find where you’ve left off if you’re lost.
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