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| E-readers from Kobo should sync more effectively after users manually apply the latest fix. |
If you've ever settled into your favorite reading nook, opened your Kobo e-reader, and realized with horror that it thinks you're still on chapter three when you actually finished chapter twelve on your phone last night, you're not alone. For years, Kobo users have been frustrated by the company's unreliable syncing system, which often failed to carry bookmarks and reading progress correctly from one device to another. Now, Kobo has announced a major fix—but there's a catch.
Kobo Rebuilds Syncing System from the Ground Up
In a series of candid posts on social media, Kobo CEO Michael Tamblyn acknowledged the long-standing problem and revealed that the company has completely rebuilt its bookmarking and progress syncing infrastructure. The old system, he admitted, dated back to Kobo's earliest days of making e-readers and had become a "scary part of the code that no one wanted to touch."
"We know some of you have been driven slowly crazy by the way your reading progress on the Kobo app doesn't always correctly sync with your ereader," Tamblyn wrote. "Annoying. Bad experience. No one liked it. So we rebuilt the entire bookmarking and progress syncing system from the ground up."
According to Tamblyn, intrepid engineers "strapped on the miner's helmets, packed snacks and energy drinks, and went deep into Kobo's syncing infrastructure and rebuilt big pieces of it from scratch." The result is a thoroughly modern way of determining which change to a book's progress is most recent, giving users a much more accurate way of deciding where they are in a book.
Read Michael Tamblyn's full announcement on BlueSky
The Fix Isn't Automatic—Here's What You Need to Do
While the backend overhaul is complete, users won't see the benefits without taking action. Tamblyn explained that the fix requires a manual step on every device and app tied to your Kobo account.
For e-readers, the process involves navigating to Settings > Device Information > Repair Your Kobo Account. For mobile apps, the equivalent step is simply signing out of your account and signing back in. Interestingly, signing out and back in also works on e-readers, though Tamblyn noted that the "Repair" option is usually quicker.
"You have to do this for all devices you're signed in to, but you only have to do it once, and when it's done, everything will stay nicely sync'd up from now on," Tamblyn assured users.
What About Sideloaded Books?
In response to a user question, Tamblyn confirmed that the fix does not extend to sideloaded content—books you've added to your Kobo device from outside the Kobo store. "Sorry - not sideloaded," he wrote. "But a person can dream."
The fix applies to purchased Kobo e-books, and presumably library and Kobo Plus titles, though the official announcement focused on store-bought content.
A Welcome Change for Multi-Device Readers
For readers who frequently switch between an e-reader, smartphone app, and the cloud reader, this update promises to eliminate one of the most frustrating aspects of the Kobo experience. The days of manually hunting for your place in a book after switching devices may finally be over.
Considering a Kobo? Here's What We Recommend
If you're in the market for a new e-reader and want to take advantage of Kobo's improved syncing, the Kobo Libra Colour offers a compelling mix of features. With its vibrant color display, physical page-turn buttons, and balanced design, it's a strong choice for both casual readers and dedicated bookworms alike.
The syncing overhaul marks a significant step forward for Kobo, which has long been praised for its open ecosystem and library integration but criticized for its clunky software experience. With this fix, the company appears to be listening to its most loyal users—and finally addressing the frustrations that have plagued them for years.