Sync thousands of eBooks to iPad

Question

Level 1

0 points

Sync thousands of eBooks to iPad

I have several thousand eBooks loaded into iBooks on my iMAC 27" computer. I'm trying to sync iBooks with a brand new iPad mini4 64 GB. The folder size of the iBook books is about 8.2GB, so the iPad mini 4 has plenty of storage capacity to hold all books.

When I select in iTunes Books "Sync All Books" is shows me the correct number of books in iBooks. When I hit APPLY the transfer to the iPad starts. However, after 500 - 600 books / files the transfer stops. And on my iPad I see only around 200 books. Tried it several times, always the same issue.

Strange is also the fact that when I select All Books in iTunes, the book list in iTunes shows only about 1/3 of the amount of all books in my iBook folder.

I did set both iBook and iPad to Sync Bookmarks and Sync Collections.

Any suggestion how to get all those books into my new iPad mini 4?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Posted on Mar 14, 2016 11:27 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Mar 24, 2016 8:38 AM in response to marma0525

I Had this same problem. ITunes would stop syncing after several hundred books were copied over. I had to just keep ticking the sync button to get them all copied over. However, if you have to keep clicking the apply button rather than the sync button, then I would restore the iPad from a previous or other device if you have such. For example, on my iPad WiFi I restored from my iPhone 6. All books copied over.

Reply

Answer 2

marma0525 Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 24, 2016 9:42 AM in response to Gene Surber

Thanks for your reply and suggestion. I tried to get 2,500 books on the iPad but the software randomly picked certain books and left others out. Never got past 1,200 books copied to the iPad. I searched the Internet for an OM solution and found an app called "Syncios". This app allowed me to copy all those books directly to the iPad and I can read them via the iBook app on the iPad. This little app is a life saver for me.

Reply

Answer 3

Apr 8, 2016 1:44 PM in response to marma0525

Since upgrading to ios 10.11.4, when accessing iBooks, I was asked if I wanted to sync using iCloud. Which I did. Then, about 100+ iBooks showed on my Mac but not on my iPad or iPhone, despite having the same apple id on all 3 devices and the correct syncing buttons activated. When I looked at the iBooks LIST on my mac's iBook library (next to All books, collections, authors and categories), many of my books appeared as Zero KB in size, yet I could still open them on my Mac. Yet they didn't show on my other devices. I deleted all my Zero KB books. Then went into TRASH, moved them to my DESKTOP and then dragged them into iBooks once again. This time, they showed as having a KB value greater than Zero and now appear on all my devices. So: delete, restore, re-import. Should sync.

Reply

Answer 4

dimorte

Level 1

9 points

Apr 14, 2016 8:09 PM in response to marma0525

This problem is irritating due to me having a large number of books as well. I divide those books between different devices, not all of my ePubs are from iBooks; yet, it never was a problem before this latest update. When I go to sync my devices, I only see about a quarter of those books in the sync window; whereas, my iBooks shows all of them, including my "hidden" iBooks purchases. If anyone understands how to fix this without Restoring my devices, that would be great!

Reply

Answer 5

marma0525 Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 14, 2016 8:17 PM in response to dimorte

I'm afraid that I don't have the answer. After the last iPad OS update all non iBook purchased books were gone from the iPad. I guess I will stop updating, at least for now. I continue with success to load EPUB non iBook purchased books to my iPad, using the third party app "Syncios".

Reply

Answer 6

Apr 27, 2016 10:22 AM in response to Caroline33606

"delete, restore, re-import. Should sync"

This "Apple Recommended" fix still didn't work for me. The only fix I can come up with is...

My work around for syncing imported epub documents (books not bought at iBooks store)

First be sure your books are still on Mac. Open Finder and search for epub files. Imported books should appear with a path iClouddrive>iBooks>Booktitle.epub (Different then purchased books. This, I think, IS THE GLITCH)

In iTunes select device to be synced. Uncheck 'sync automatically when this iPhone is connected to iTunes'.
On Mac open System preferences and select iCloud>iCloud drive>Options. Uncheck iBooks
Recheck iBooks and then all books should appear in iBooks on your mac and in iTunes. (They do for me)
Sync all books to your device. (in my case my iPhone 6s)
I have to go thorough this procedure EVERY-TIME I sync my phone, hence the unchecked automatically sync in 1.

Reply