A complete guide to the OverDrive app for iOS
When you open the OverDrive app for the first time, you'll be prompted to sign in.
You can sign into the OverDrive app with:
- An OverDrive account, which lets you sign into the OverDrive app on multiple devices and authorize Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) on a computer.
- A library card, which lets you sign into the OverDrive app on multiple devices, but not ADE on a computer.
Note: The library card sign-in option is supported for most libraries, but not all. - The under-13 or school option, which lets you use the OverDrive app on a single device and does not allow you to authorize ADE.
To download ebooks on multiple devices, sign into the OverDrive app the same way on each device you plan to use.
- In the OverDrive app, tap the icon in the top-left corner to open the Home menu.
-
Tap Add a library.
- Enter your library's name, city, or postal code in the search box, then tap Search.
- Tap your library. You'll be redirected to the library's digital collection to start browsing right away, and the library will automatically be saved to your "My libraries" list.
- Open a saved library in the OverDrive app.
- Find an available title in your library's collection and tap Borrow.
Or, tap the title's jacket to open its details page and learn more about it.
If prompted, sign into your library. - Choose a lending period for the title (if available).
Then, tap Borrow again. - After you borrow the title, you can:
- Select Read now with Kindle (U.S. only) to go to Amazon's website and send the book to your Kindle or Kindle reading app.
- Download EPUB ebooks and MP3 audiobooks to your app Bookshelf.
- Some titles (like magazines and read-along ebooks) can only be read in your web browser. For these titles, tap Read now in browser to be taken out of the app and into your Safari browser to read them. These titles aren't added to your Bookshelf in the OverDrive app.
- Close the pop-up window to keep browsing and borrowing.
- Select Read now with Kindle (U.S. only) to go to Amazon's website and send the book to your Kindle or Kindle reading app.
To see all of your borrowed titles, tap at any time to go to your Loans page.
Borrowed titles don't automatically appear on your Bookshelf in the OverDrive app.
You'll need to manually add titles to your Bookshelf from the Loans section of your library:
- Open your library in the OverDrive app.
- Tap to go to your Loans page.
- Select Downloadnext to a title.
- Go back to the app Bookshelf by tapping the menu icon in the top-left corner, then tap Bookshelf.
Note: Some titles (like read-alongs) can't be downloaded to the OverDrive app. Instead, you can open these titles in your device's web browser. These titles won't be added to your Bookshelf.
Once you've borrowed and downloaded an audiobook in the OverDrive app, go to your app Bookshelf, then tap the audiobook to start listening.
How to use the audiobook player:
Audiobook player options (based on the numbered image above) include:
- Home menu (includes a link to your Bookshelf, your library list, and app settings)
- Add a bookmark
- Title menu (includes an overview, table of contents, and saved bookmarks)
- Sleep timer
- Play speed
Once you've borrowed and downloaded an ebook in the OverDrive app, go to your app Bookshelf, then tap the ebook to start reading.
In the reader:
- To move forward or backward in the book: To go to the next page, tap the right side of the screen, or swipe the screen from right to left.
To go to the previous page, tap the left side of the screen, or swipe the screen from left to right. - To create a bookmark: Tap the top-right corner of the page.
- To look up a word in the dictionary: Tap and hold the word, then tap Look up.
Note:To install another dictionary, go to your device's Settings, then General > Dictionary. - To open a hyperlink: Tap and hold the link, then select Open.
- To see your progress and access more reader options:
Tap the middle of the screen.
Reader options (based on the numbered image above) include: - Home menu (includes a link to your Bookshelf, your library list, and app settings)
- Title menu (includes an overview, table of contents, and saved bookmarks)
- Brightness
- Font settings
- Page layout settings
Titles you've borrowed are automatically returned at the end of their lending periods. However, if you finish titles before then, you can return them early.
If you only need to return one title, tap and hold it on your app bookshelf, then tap Return to library.
To quickly return more than one title:
- From the app bookshelf, tap Edit in the top-right corner.
- Tap Return to send a title back to the library and delete it from your device.
- Tap Done when you finish editing your bookshelf.
- Tap the icon in the top-left corner to open the Home menu.
- Tap the Edit button at the top-right of the menu.
- Tap the red minus sign to remove libraries.
- Tap Done when you're finished.
- A complete guide to the OverDrive app for Chromebook
- A complete guide to the OverDrive app for Fire tablets and Android
- A complete guide to the OverDrive app for iOS
- A complete guide to the OverDrive app for Windows 8/10
- Can I download the same ebooks to multiple devices?
- Do I need internet access to use the OverDrive app?
- Does the OverDrive app work with Amazon Echo or Google Home?
- How do I enable dyslexic font on my library's OverDrive website or in the OverDrive app?
- How to sync your progress and bookmarks in the OverDrive app across multiple devices
- Using keyboard shortcuts in OverDrive for Windows 8/10
- What devices work with the OverDrive app?
- Which sign-in option in the OverDrive app is best for me?