Guide to programs for reading books. E-book formats: supported and not supported Download file formats on fbreader

In the article we will analyze which free FB2 reader for computer will help us, and also list the TOP 10 such programs. Many of us love to read. A fascinating book is able to transport us to other eras, overcome distances, we become one with the hero of the plot, experience happiness and disappointment with him. Previously dominant paper books are giving way to electronic alternatives, among which the popular FB2 holds an important place. We can find a lot of e-books of this format on the Internet, but what kind of e-reader programs allow you to work with FB2 on a PC absolutely free of charge? Read on.

Popular FB2 format

The FB2 extension is an abbreviation for the words "FictionBook eBook". FB2 files are DRM free, can contain images, notes, text formatting, Unicode, tables. Any images used in the eBook, such as PNG or JPG, are converted to Base64 (binary) and stored inside the FB2 file.

The FB2 format itself is a regular XML file. However, some FB2 files are stored in ZIP archive files, and are therefore called FB2.ZIP.

There are many FB2 file readers for almost all platforms. On a PC, you can open such files with programs such as “Cool Reader”, “FBReader”, “Athenaeium”, the Firefox plugin “FB2 Reader” and others. At the same time, many such readers easily open the FB2 file in a ZIP archive.

Let's look at the best free FB2 readers for computers available for download on the Internet.

CoolReader - reader of various formats

AlfaReader - e-book reader

In addition to most of the standard options for readers, Genius PDF has a number of advanced options. You can display every two pages side by side or switch to book view. You can also display your document in full screen while maintaining the currently selected viewing mode. Additionally, you can switch to presentation mode, which is similar to full screen mode, but it displays each page individually, like a slideshow.

ICE Book Reader Professional

"ICE BOOK Reader Professional" is a popular and powerful tool for reading FB2 on a computer. It is free and available in more than 70 languages. In addition to the standard functions for such programs, it provides support for archived texts, a quick search function, conversion to other text formats, and smooth scrolling. The program has a special container for storing books, allowing for quick file compression and automatic defragmentation of internal data

The built-in artificial intelligence system allows the reader to correctly recognize the encoding, format of text files and their language automatically.

Conclusion

The above TOP 10 rating allows you to choose a free FB2 reader for your computer from the most common options that currently exist. Among the entire list, I especially recommend “CoolReader” and “FBReader” - these are the most convenient and functional alternatives from the list above.

It’s good when for the device that you use to read e-books, you can choose an e-reader that will be ideal for it, and will make everyone happy, and in general will make you forget the problems associated with searching for the most convenient utility in the world, designed to forget about paper literature, completely switching to its electronic analogues. And it’s even better when the software you find allows you to forget about the difference between operating systems and use it on virtually any device - from a desktop PC to a smartphone. And FBReader can do just that.

Initially, the program for reading e-books FBReader was created exclusively for Sharp Zaurus, and, characteristically, by our St. Petersburg developers, but over time, apparently deciding to keep up with progress, the developers began to release versions for other platforms. And now FBReader feels quite comfortable under Linux, and on Windows XP and Vista, and on more and more popular smartphones running the Android operating system.

The main thing is that, regardless of what device and under what operating system you use FBReader, you always have access to the same, and, moreover, very good functionality. Namely:

• support for FB2, ePub, PalmDoc, TCR, zTXT, HTML, RTF, CHM (the last 3, however, without displaying tables), OEB and DRM formats
• ability to work directly with texts in tar, bzip2, gzip and zip archives
• support for koi8-r, iso-8859, windows-1252, windows-1251, us-ascii, GBK, Big5 utf and ibm866 encodings
• working with hyperlinks
• remembering recent books and open files
• possibility of rotation by 270, 180 and 90 degrees
• full screen mode

However, all this, including the ability to change fonts, their color, background color and much more, can be considered standard functionality inherent in most readers configured to work with Linux and FreeBSD and any other OS. The main difference between FBReader is how it is all implemented in the interface, coupled with the main feature of the program - the ability to create libraries by section.

In other words, in FBReader, unlike many other programs for reading e-books, by creating thematic sections, you do not have to scroll through the titles of books and the names of their creators in alphabetical order - you can store Strugatsky, Zelazny, and Harrison in one section – and any authors in general. Which, you see, greatly simplifies both moving between them and searching for specific works.

However, for your convenience, FBReader always has a regular search, so even if your virtual library contains the complete works of several authors at once, it will not be difficult to find their specific works, as well as some of their parts, chapters, lines and words no work. Moreover, in the absence of a regular menu, using separate panels at the top or bottom of the screen, you can find and organize books, as well as customize FBReader for yourself, easily, conveniently and quickly. What, adding versatility and free access, can be called the entire FBReader.

In order to read books in the popular FB2 (FictionBook) format, created specifically for compatibility with various operating systems, you need to use a special application - a reader. There are many such programs for PCs that allow you not only to view, but sometimes also to edit texts. Early versions are intended for use on Windows 7 and XP platforms, later versions are intended for Windows 10.

Almost every program for opening FB2 also supports most other formats. And the best readers are able to read information from an e-book out loud.

For the convenience of users, in the settings of almost all applications, from the popular Cool Reader to the infrequently used “Balabolka”, there are changes in the size and color of fonts, background and page turning options.

But in order to find the most suitable option, the user should look at the top similar programs with a description of their capabilities, disadvantages and advantages.

Fiction Book Reader

This fb2 reader for a computer gives the user the ability to work with files with the extension .epub, .mobi and .txt. The PDF format is not supported, but it is possible to sort books using OPDS catalogs.

Main menu of the free version of Fiction Book Reader.

To make text easier to read, the application allows you to switch to full-screen mode by removing panels from the screen. The disadvantages of this fb2 reader for a computer include its availability in the Microsoft Store online store - that is, the program can only be installed on Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.

In addition, the application is paid - although it is possible to use it for free by downloading the Lite version.

STDU Viewer

The program is designed to open other formats - from DjVu and PDF to ePUB and TIFF. And it has good functionality, allowing you to perform the following operations:

• scale the font size to see the text better;
• choose the page orientation and their number on the screen (one or as a book spread);
• adjust contrast and brightness.

STDU Viewer App

The application also has the ability to print the text being viewed by selecting various print settings. Using the program, you can create bookmarks in open documents. In this case, the files themselves are not edited or changed.

And to transfer information from one computer to another, they use the procedure of importing and exporting a tree of bookmarks.

Cool Reader

Another popular reader program is Cool Reader, which is considered one of the best due to its support for more than ten commonly used formats and its simple user interface.

The application works with archives, opening books that have been packed to reduce their size, provides reading texts aloud and editing information. With Cool Reader you can record an MP3 audio file using several pronunciation dictionaries.

One of the best readers is Cool Reader, v. 3.3.61.

Among other advantages that CR3 (the latest, third version of the reader) received is support for multiple languages, setting bookmarks and searching for information in an open document.

After formatting, the application allows you to save the edited text as .rtf, .txt or .html files. You can also use it to list the latest documents opened in the reader.

Sumatra PDF

• simple design that allows you to read the text without being distracted by the design;
• the ability to copy texts from an open electronic document in any supported format;
• multilingual interface, including menus in Russian and 59 other languages.

Application for working with Sumatra PDF e-books.

This program for reading books on a computer can be used in the form of a portable version, which allows you to do without installing it. And when opening fb2 files, it, unlike many analogues, displays pictures correctly.

If you download Sumatra PDF 0.9.1 or a later version of the application, you can leave bookmarks in any open electronic document.

Caliber

PC users who need a good program for reading books on their computer can also download the Caliber application, with which you can not only open texts in various formats, but also edit them and create your own electronic library.

The program supports downloading downloaded books from the network and connecting additional modules. Using the reader will allow you not to wonder how to open about 20 popular formats - from AZW and FB2 to PDF and RB.

Popular and feature-rich Caliber app

Among the features that this e-book reader provides is the conversion of one type of file to another. Moreover, the reader itself does not support all formats.

To work with most texts, an additional E-book viewer application is downloaded and installed at the same time.

FBReader

Among the features of the FBReader application that allow it to get into the ranking of the best e-readers are:

• support for various types of e-books (including in fb2 format);
• simple and convenient interface for viewing text, easily customizable even by an inexperienced user;
• automatic creation of links to books, regardless of their location on computer drives.

FBReader program

This program for reading e-books has only one drawback - the lack of a two-page mode. Therefore, if necessary, you will always have at your disposal a functional and convenient tool for working with various options for electronic documents.

It is recommended to download this fb2 reader for your computer from its manufacturer’s website. The application is open source and distributed free of charge. And the coolest thing is that there are smartphone applications for modern operating systems based on Android, Windows Phone and iOS.

Liberty Book Reader

Liberty Book Reader, a free e-book reader for your computer, was developed by Microsoft. Therefore, texts can be uploaded directly from the application to the DropBox and SkyDrive cloud services.

In addition, the program user has access to books from the Microsoft online library - although it can only be downloaded for Windows 10, 8 and 8.1.

Liberty Book Reader from Microsoft

The advantages of using the application include the option that offers similar Microsoft storage genres. In the reader menu, you can create a catalog of good books, sorting them by genre, date or alphabet.

And among the additional features that the reader provides are creating notes on the text, jumping to individual fragments of text, and changing font sizes.

ICE Book Reader Professional

The popular program for reading fb2 on a computer, ICE Book Reader, is distributed free of charge and supports more than 70 interface languages.

At the same time, it opens a large number of e-book formats and allows you to find information faster than many similar applications. Among other functions of the reader it is worth noting:

• reading archived texts;
• quick search;
• conversion to other formats.

Text reader ICE Book Reader

One of the reasons for the program to be included in the rating is that there is no need to install it in Windows and register for further use. In addition, the reader allows you to create collections of files of any type (including not only books) and manage them directly from the menu.

And when you launch the application, it opens on the page of the document that was last used.

AlReader

• reading most existing formats;
• working with Slovoed and Lingvo dictionaries;
• several text scrolling options;
• editing open e-books.

AlReader program interface

This fb2 reader supports bookmarks, footnotes, and various styles. You can download it from the official website of the developer. The latest version dates back to 2016, and the list of supported platforms includes not only Windows, but also Android.

"Balabolka"

The rating is completed by the “Balabolka” application, the functionality of which allows you not only to work with texts, but also to read them out loud. Downloading the reader will answer the question of how to read e-books on a computer, edit them and record them as audio files.

Moreover, during the recording process you can change both the reading speed and voice timbre.

Interface of the program "Balabolka"

Conclusion

When choosing a suitable application for working with e-books, the user should try several options. Finally, not only the list, but also personal acquaintance with the capabilities and interface will help you understand which fb2 reader program is best suited.

Although, if we take into account the opinions of other users, the best program for working with books in electronic format is Cool Reader, which supports dozens of extensions. Or ICE Book Reader, which you can work with not only without registration, but also without installation on your computer.

FBReader is a popular multi-platform reader that allows you to play e-books and documents in the highest possible resolution. It can be installed on both a phone and tablet, and on a computer running Windows OS.

Features of the FBReader program

A distinctive feature is the realistic interface. All saved books and documents in any format are displayed on virtual shelves. Also users can create individual directories for free and directories with data to read. This feature is only available in some reading programs. Creating your own thematic sections by author and title makes it much easier to find the works you need. There is no need to scroll through books in alphabetical order; the user himself sets the necessary parameters.

Other features of FB2 Reader include the following:

• Using exclusive backgrounds for reading books.
• Support for working with external dictionaries. When reading foreign texts, you can instantly look up the translation of an unfamiliar word, phrase or entire text using dictionaries from Google, LEO, Prompt, Flora.
• The function of purchasing books from online stores is built into the program. Without leaving the reader, you can view the range of available products and purchase the books you like. Windows users can also download books to the phone’s memory independently and for free and then open them using the installed program.
• The interface is available in Russian.
• Supports most popular document formats and e-books.
• Supports different encodings for correct text display.

The reader has another important feature. It stands out among other programs in that the user can not only read the text, but also it in different languages. This feature is very convenient for students who can listen to the necessary material through headphones on the way to study, so it will be useful for them to download FBReader.

FB2 Reader installed on a computer running Windows OS can only work with because it was created especially for her. The user can open files in FB2 format directly in the window without making any unnecessary movements on the computer. You no longer need to search for where the file was saved and open other programs, just one click is enough.

In addition, the plugin displays pictures, footnotes of the author and the title page. A Windows user can customize it to suit his perception and make the process of reading books even more comfortable. With the help of the FBI reader, they are unpacked directly in the program on the computer and opened like ordinary books.

This program is indispensable for students, office workers and book lovers who constantly work with text files of various formats.

FBReader (FB Reader)- a free application for comfortable reading books in electronic format (a large number of formats are supported). The program allows you to read directly from archives and create your own library of books sorted by different criteria. FBReader for Windows 10 can be downloaded for free in Russian, the official version can be downloaded from the link at the end of the page.

Any tables, graphs, footnotes or pictures are displayed in FBReader strictly in their place, i.e. they don't "float" across the page. This makes it possible to read your favorite books with cartoons and photographs, view abstracts or coursework with tables and graphs. The functions of document scaling and automatic canvas rotation are also implemented here. Page navigation with support for footnotes and a field with the input of the desired chapter.

Features of FBReader on a computer

• Supported document formats: FB2, TXT, HTML, RTF, EPUB, ORB, OpenReader.
• Ability to read books from ZIP, TAR, GZIP, BZIP2 archives.
• Reading in Windows-1251/1252, UTF-8, BIG5, ISO 8859-1, IBM 855, Unicode, MacCyrillic, koi8-r and other encodings.
• Creating your own library.
• Sort documents by categories (author, title, series, etc.).
• Convenient search system (by word or phrase).
• Search for books on the Internet. Both paid and free books.
• Rotate the canvas 90, 180 and 270 degrees.
• Convenient navigation.
• Synchronization with network libraries and online stores.
• Change the font style and size.
• Change the background color, text, links, lines and other elements for easy reading.
• Change text formatting.
• Support for additional modules. (Module for reading PDF documents, etc.).
• Own OpenTrue or TrueType fonts.
• Automatic word wrapping.
• Multilingual support. Supports 16 languages, including Russian.
• Supports normal and full screen mode.
• Save/read to Google Drive™.

FBReader download free

Download FB Reader for free in Russian, for Windows 7, 8 and Windows 10 from the official website. Our website monitors all software updates to ensure that you have the latest version of FBReader.