Unlike Kindles, Kobo e-readers don’t have generic screensavers seem on display when in standby mode. Not by default. Even on extra premium fashions just like the Kobo Libra 2 and Kobo Sage, your solely choices are your present ebook’s cowl or a clean display that claims “Sleeping.” 

Fortunately, when you’re sad with that out-of-the-box expertise, a fast addition to your Kobo’s folder construction modifications that. You can then add your personal pictures, which is able to routinely rotate randomly via no matter assortment you copy over to the gadget.

You can use one in all two strategies to get customized screensavers, assuming your Kobo is operating firmware model 4.13 or increased. Below are the directions for the less complicated technique, which is quick to implement however disables displaying present ebook covers in favor of your new screensaver pictures. For older Kobo readers or to have extra management over what shows when your newer Kobo is in standby or powered off, you’ll want to go over to the MobileRead forums for an answer created by person frostschutz.

How so as to add screensaver pictures to your Kobo e-reader

Step 1: Connect the Kobo to your PC.

Using the suitable cable in your Kobo (e.g., USB-C), plug it into your laptop.

Step 2: Allow your laptop to handle your Kobo’s information

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When the immediate seems in your Kobo asking to permit your PC to handle your eReader, click on on the Connect button.

Step 3: Open your Kobo’s information

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Your Kobo e-reader will change into accessible as a USB drive. Navigate to it utilizing File Explorer. (The drive letter will differ, relying on how your PC is at the moment arrange.)

Step 4 (Optional): Back up your Kobo

As a precaution, you could wish to create a backup of your Kobo’s storage drive. (Kobo has not revealed official documentation on this course of—quite, the information lives primarily within the MobileRead user forums.)

The most secure method to do that is by opening a File Explorer, then navigating to This PC and right-clicking on the Kobo. Select Copy.

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Next, create a folder within the location you wish to retailer the backup. Inside that folder, select Paste. Wait for the file switch to finish. Before shifting on to the subsequent step, spot examine some information to confirm the copy course of was profitable. (You can open EPUB information with a free program like Calibre.)

Step 5: Create a “screensaver” folder

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Open the folder named .kobo. If you possibly can’t see it, go to View tab within the File Explorer window’s menu. Click the field for Hidden gadgets. Then create a brand new folder and title it screensaver.

Step 6: Add pictures

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You can now begin including pictures to the screensaver folder. Every file you drop into this folder will change into a part of the set randomly displayed in your standby display. If you solely need one image to point out, copy simply that single file into the folder.

Both JPG and PNG codecs work. For the very best expertise, crop them to the decision of your Kobo reader’s display (e.g., 1264×1680 for the Libra 2). You can discover the display decision of your Kobo by looking on-line. Otherwise, the file will show with correct proportions and never fill the display utterly.

Looking for good pictures? Try royalty free websites like Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay. As for enhancing apps to crop the information, take a look at our suggestions for the top five free alternatives to Photoshop.

Step 7: Eject your gadget

From the Windows system tray or File Explorer, eject your Kobo reader as a drive.

Step 8: Change your gadget settings

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In your Kobo’s system menu, head to Settings > Energy saving and privateness. To see your screensaver information, the choices for Show present learn and Show ebook covers full display must be checked. Put your gadget into standby mode. You ought to now see one in all your customized screensaver pictures.

Additional suggestions

As talked about above, including customized screensavers on this method overrides the show of ebook covers in standby mode. In order to see your ebook covers once more, rename or delete your screensaver folder.

This trick additionally solely works for standby mode. If you energy off the Kobo, it is going to present the ebook cowl in your present learn. In order to toggle between customized screensavers and ebook covers in standby mode or to set completely different pictures for standby and power-off modes, you’ll must comply with these instructions on the MobileRead forums.