Best Settings for ImTOO PDF to EPUB Converter: Tips & TricksConverting PDFs to EPUB can be simple — or messy — depending on the source PDF and the settings you choose. ImTOO PDF to EPUB Converter offers a range of options that can dramatically affect output quality, layout fidelity, reflow, and file size. This guide walks through the best settings and practical tips to get clean, readable EPUBs suitable for e-readers, tablets, and mobile devices.
Understand the source PDF first
Before adjusting settings, inspect the PDF:
- Is it text-based (selectable text) or a scanned image PDF?
- Does it have multiple columns, complex tables, or heavy graphics?
- Are fonts embedded or substituted?
Knowing this will guide choices: scanned PDFs often need OCR or different processing, while well-formed text PDFs convert more cleanly.
Output format: EPUB type
ImTOO may offer EPUB 2 vs EPUB 3 options. Choose EPUB 3 when you need better multimedia support, improved CSS and HTML5 features, or enhanced layout control. For older devices and maximum compatibility, EPUB 2 can be safer. Match the EPUB version to your target devices.
Page and layout handling
- Use “Flowing” or “Reflowable” output for novels and content meant to adapt to different screen sizes. This ensures readable text and adjustable font sizes.
- Use “Fixed layout” only for documents where spatial relationships, precise placement, or complex designs must be preserved (e.g., textbooks, comics). Fixed layout often results in larger files and poor reading on small screens.
Font embedding and substitution
- If the PDF uses uncommon fonts and you want consistent appearance, enable font embedding. This preserves visual fidelity but increases EPUB size.
- If file size is a concern, allow font substitution and choose a common fallback (e.g., Georgia, Times New Roman, or a widely supported ebook font). Check the result on your target reader.
Image handling and quality
- For text-heavy books with occasional images, set images to moderate compression (60–80%) and limit maximum resolution (150–300 DPI) to balance quality and size.
- For image-rich content (magazines, art books), raise DPI and reduce compression to preserve detail; consider fixed-layout EPUB.
- Enable image downscaling only when source images exceed typical device resolutions; avoid aggressive downscaling that blurs text inside images.
OCR and scanned PDFs
If your PDF is scanned or contains many images of text:
- Use OCR if ImTOO supports it or preprocess the PDF in an OCR tool first (ABBYY FineReader, Tesseract). OCR gives selectable, searchable text and much smaller EPUBs than image-based conversions.
- Choose an OCR language matching the document. Proofread OCR results for misrecognized characters, especially in PDFs with unusual fonts or low scan quality.
Table and multi-column handling
- Enable column detection and automatic reflow if the PDF has multiple columns. This helps preserve reading order.
- For complex tables, test both automatic table-to-HTML conversion and image-based preservation. Converted HTML tables are selectable and reflowable but may break layout; images retain appearance but won’t reflow.
CSS and formatting options
- Prefer using embedded CSS for consistent styling across devices. Set a readable base font size (e.g., 12–14 pt) and sensible line-height (1.2–1.6).
- Strip unnecessary PDF headers/footers and page numbers if they repeat on every page; this creates a cleaner EPUB. Many converters offer options to remove repeating elements — use them.
Metadata and cover
- Fill in metadata (title, author, language, publisher) before export. Proper metadata improves discoverability in library apps.
- Use a high-quality cover image (minimum 1400 × 2100 px recommended for many stores). Set the cover separately rather than relying on the first page of the PDF.
File size and optimization
- Balance image compression, font embedding, and embedded media. For distribution (email, download), keep EPUBs under a few tens of megabytes. For personal backups or high-fidelity requirements, larger files are acceptable.
- Run a final optimization pass (if available) to compress images and remove unused fonts/CSS.
Testing on devices and apps
- Always test the EPUB on several readers: Adobe Digital Editions, Calibre’s ebook viewer, Apple Books, Google Play Books, and at least one dedicated e-reader (Kindle apps require MOBI/AZW, so test via conversion). Testing highlights layout, navigation, and metadata issues that settings tweaks can fix.
Troubleshooting common problems
- Garbled characters: check encoding and embed fonts or choose correct text extraction options.
- Wrong reading order: enable smarter reflow/column detection or manually edit HTML after conversion.
- Large file size: disable font embedding, decrease image DPI, increase compression.
- Broken TOC: regenerate the table of contents using headings detection or a post-edit tool (Calibre can rebuild TOC).
Advanced: Post-conversion editing
For perfect results, convert then refine:
- Use Calibre or Sigil to edit EPUB HTML/CSS, fix reading order, correct metadata, and rebuild the TOC.
- For heavy layout fixes, open EPUB as a ZIP, edit files directly, then rezip. Backup originals first.
Quick recommended settings (summary)
- EPUB version: EPUB 3 (unless older device compatibility needed)
- Layout: Reflowable for books; Fixed for complex designs
- Fonts: Embed only if necessary; otherwise allow substitution
- Images: 150–300 DPI; 60–80% compression for balanced quality/size
- OCR: Use if source is scanned
- Metadata: Complete title, author, language, and cover
Converting PDFs to EPUB is often iterative: inspect the source, pick sensible defaults from the list above, convert, test across readers, and tweak settings until the output matches your needs.
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