Will Kobo Kindle Books Sync Reading Progress Across Apps?

Wow, this question pops up a lot at book clubs and on forums — and I love that you asked it. Short version: Kobo and Kindle are two different ecosystems, so books bought on one normally won't have their reading progress magically show up in the other. Amazon uses its own cloud and 'Whispersync' to keep your spot across Kindle apps and devices, while Kobo syncs progress through your Kobo account and Kobo apps/devices. They both do syncing nicely within their own worlds, but they don't talk to each other.

If you bought a book on Kindle (Amazon), it will sync across Kindle apps and devices as long as 'Whispersync' is enabled and you're logged into the same Amazon account. Likewise, Kobo purchases and downloaded ePubs will sync between Kobo e-readers and the Kobo app. The real hurdle is DRM: most vendor-bought ebooks are protected, which prevents copying them between ecosystems. If you have a DRM-free file (like an ePub you legally own), you can open it in multiple readers — but each app usually stores its own reading position, so cross-app syncing still might not happen unless the reader supports cloud-synced personal files.

For practical tricks, I sometimes use Google Play Books for personal files: upload an ePub/PDF to Google Play Books, and it will sync progress across devices that use Google Play Books. For Kindle, you can email personal documents to your Send-to-Kindle address and (if Amazon processes it) it can be stored and synced. Avoid talking about DRM removal — it's legally risky and often violates terms of service. If you want a seamless experience, pick one ecosystem and stick to it, or use a cloud-enabled reader that accepts your personal uploads. Personally, I keep most purchases on one platform and use the other's app only for odd freebies — less hassle and fewer 'where did I leave off?' moments.

I won't beat around the bush: Kobo books won't sync reading progress to Kindle apps, and Kindle books won't sync to Kobo apps. They each have their own cloud and syncing mechanisms — Kindle uses 'Whispersync' under Amazon, Kobo uses the Kobo cloud — and DRM on vendor-purchased books usually prevents transferring files between platforms. If you have DRM-free files, you can sometimes open the same file in multiple readers, but the reading position is normally tracked per app, so you won't get automatic cross-app sync.

If syncing across different apps matters to you, try uploading your personal ePubs to a cloud-friendly service like Google Play Books or BookFusion; those services can sync position across devices that use their apps. For Kindle personal docs, using Send-to-Kindle can help Amazon host and sync them if the format is accepted. Otherwise, the cleanest route is sticking to one ecosystem for purchases or relying on a single cross-platform reader for your personal library. I switched to that approach after too many bookmarks got lost between phones and tablets — now my commute-read is reliable, and my reading list is less chaotic.

I get asked this in my reading circle all the time, so here's a practical breakdown: Kobo and Kindle do not sync reading progress across each other's apps by default. Kindle progress is handled by Amazon's cloud/Whispersync and appears on Kindle apps and devices tied to the same Amazon account. Kobo progress syncs through your Kobo account on Kobo devices and the Kobo app. They are separate clouds.

If you're troubleshooting sync within one platform, check these: make sure you're signed into the same account on every device, enable sync in the app settings, and ensure the apps are updated and have internet access when you close the book (some apps only upload your last position when you exit). For Kindle, confirm Whispersync is turned on in your Amazon account under 'Manage Your Content and Devices' -> Device Synchronization. For Kobo, open the app and look for 'Sync' or 'Reading Progress' in settings.

Workarounds exist but have limits. Uploading DRM-free files to a third-party cloud reader like Google Play Books or BookFusion can give you cross-device sync across devices that support that reader. For Kindle, sending personal documents via Send-to-Kindle can sometimes let Amazon host and sync them, but only if the file is accepted and not DRM-locked. In short: native purchases stick to their native apps. If syncing across apps is essential, consider consolidating purchases or using a single cloud-based reader for personal files — that's what I ended up doing, and it saved me a lot of 'where am I?' panic during my commute.