Convert EPUB to PDF

Turn an EPUB ebook into a PDF from the command line with sumatrapdf-tool convert, or from SumatraPDF by printing to Microsoft Print to PDF.

Use sumatrapdf-tool convert -o book.pdf book.epub: the PDF keeps selectable, searchable text. At a glance:

Command line: sumatrapdf-tool convert -o book.pdf book.epub — text stays text, small files, page size and font size are adjustable. Available in pre-release 3.7
In SumatraPDF: File → Print to the Microsoft Print to PDF printer — pages become images: no text selection or search, much bigger files.

Convert to PDF… in SumatraPDF is only for images and comics; it’s not shown for EPUB.

Convert from the command line #

Use sumatrapdf-tool.exe convert, or SumatraPDF.exe convert with the same arguments:

sumatrapdf-tool convert -o book.pdf book.epub

The book is laid out into pages of 420 x 595 points (about A5) by default. Change the layout with:

Option	Meaning
`-W <n>`	page width in points (72 points = 1 inch)
`-H <n>`	page height in points
`-S <n>`	font size in points
`-U <css>`	file name of a user stylesheet applied to the book
`-X`	ignore the book’s own styles

A4 pages with 12 pt text:

sumatrapdf-tool convert -W 595 -H 842 -S 12 -o book.pdf book.epub

US Letter is -W 612 -H 792.

Add a page range after the file name to convert only part of the book: sumatrapdf-tool convert -o start.pdf book.epub 1-20.

More options: sumatrapdf-tool convert.

Convert in SumatraPDF (print to PDF) #

Open the EPUB.
File → Print… (Ctrl + P).
Pick the Microsoft Print to PDF printer and click Print.
Choose where to save the PDF.

The same from the command line, without dialogs:

SumatraPDF.exe -print-to "Microsoft Print to PDF" -print-settings "output=C:\out\book.pdf" book.epub

SumatraPDF prints each page as an image (see Printing), so the PDF has no text layer: you can’t select, copy or search text in it, and it is many times bigger than one made with sumatrapdf-tool convert (7 MB instead of 160 kB for a short test book).

Convert from the command line #

Convert in SumatraPDF (print to PDF) #

See also #