Cover Image
Add Cover to EPUB
Upload an EPUB and a cover image to add or replace the book's cover. An existing JPEG or PNG cover is replaced in place, so pages that show it keep working; otherwise the image is added and marked as the cover for both EPUB 2 and EPUB 3 readers. If no page shows the cover, a cover page is added at the start of the book. WebP images are saved as JPEG, and the image's size is checked against KDP's and Apple's rules before you download.
Written by Jay Sudha · Published · Last updated
Input formats
Output formats
Common uses
- Add a cover image to an EPUB created from plain text or Markdown
- Replace a low-resolution cover with a higher-quality version
- Add a professional cover to a self-published manuscript
- Fix a missing cover before Kindle or Apple Books upload
Limitations
- DRM-protected EPUBs cannot be modified.
- The image is not resized or cropped; it goes in at the size you supply.
- WebP images are saved as JPEG, and an image replacing an existing cover is saved in that cover's format (JPEG or PNG).
- Store covers you upload separately to KDP, Apple Books or Kobo are not changed; this tool edits the cover inside the book.
Your e-book files, handled privately
This tool runs entirely in your browser. On this site, your files are not uploaded to a server. This tool does not remove DRM or bypass copyright protection. Only upload files you own or have permission to process.
When reaching for this tool makes sense
Add Cover to EPUB sets or swaps the cover image inside an existing EPUB. The main fit is self-publishing prep: an EPUB exported from Word, Vellum, Calibre or InDesign that needs its artwork before going to KDP, Apple Books or Kobo. KDP, for one, says every Kindle eBook must have a cover inside the book, separate from the store cover.
It also suits e-reader housekeeping: sideloaded or public-domain EPUBs with a blank thumbnail get a real one in Apple Books, Kobo, KOReader or Calibre.
The two-step flow and what is supported
Drop the .epub first; a status line says whether its cover will be replaced or a cover image and page added. Then choose the image: the preview shows its pixel size and warns if it is under KDP's 1200-pixel guideline or over Apple's 5.6-million-pixel limit. The new file ends in -with-cover.
Cover images can be JPG, PNG or WebP. An existing JPEG or PNG cover is replaced in place, in its own format, so pages that show it keep working. Otherwise the image is added as JPEG or PNG (WebP becomes JPEG) and marked as the cover for EPUB 2 and EPUB 3 readers; an old GIF or SVG cover is unmarked, and its pages point at the new image. If no page shows the cover, a simple cover page is added at the start. DRM-protected EPUBs are refused, and everything runs in your browser.
Limitations and easy mistakes to avoid
The image goes in at the size you supply: the tool does not resize or crop it. A small or blurry image will look the same inside the EPUB, and a very large one can exceed Apple's pixel limit or inflate the book, so resize it in an image editor first if the preview warns you.
The tool needs a valid, readable EPUB; damaged or DRM-locked files will not process. A cover page is added only when no page shows the cover, so a book that opens on a title page with a different image may end up with both.
Check the cover in a real reader, at thumbnail size
Open the downloaded -with-cover.epub in a real reader rather than trusting the preview alone. Confirm the new cover shows as the library thumbnail and as the opening page, that it is sharp at thumbnail size, and that the orientation and aspect ratio are correct. Check the book still opens to the right first chapter, and glance at the final file size to be sure your image did not bloat it. Testing in two readers, such as Apple Books or Kobo plus Calibre, catches viewer-specific quirks.
For a paid-store release, also run the Kindle, Apple Books or Kobo checker and the store's own preview.
Frequently asked questions
For the cover inside the book, KDP's guideline is at least 1200 pixels in width or height, and Apple Books refuses any image over 5.6 million pixels. For the covers you upload separately, KDP's ideal is 1,600 × 2,560 pixels and Apple asks for at least 1400 pixels on the shorter side. One image of 1,600 × 2,560 pixels (4.1 million pixels) meets all of those.
JPG, PNG and WebP. A WebP image is saved as JPEG, since EPUB 2 and many older readers do not support WebP. When replacing an existing cover, the image is saved in that cover's format, so pages that show it keep working.
Yes. An existing JPEG or PNG cover is replaced in place. A cover in another format, such as GIF or SVG, stops being marked as the cover, and the pages that showed it are pointed at the new image.
Yes, when no page in the book shows the cover. The page is added at the start of the reading order, because many readers open on the first page rather than the marked image, and Kobo's EPUB guidelines say cover images must be in their own XHTML page.
No. The EPUB and the image are processed in your browser. On this site, your files are not uploaded to our servers; the updated EPUB is built on your device.
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Tool last reviewed: September 27, 2026 · Report a problem