This article describes what AZW files are, how to open one on your computer or other device, and how to get the eBook into a different format like PDF or EPUB so that you can read it on a specific device.
What to Know
What Is an AZW File?
A file with the AZW file extension is a Kindle eBook Format file. It’s based on the Mobipocket (MOBI) format and has usually been DRM protected to prevent copying.
These files can store things like bookmarks, annotations, last read position, page numbers that correlate to the physical version of the book, and more.
Newer Kindles use KFX (KF10 format) or AZW3 (KF8 format) files for eBooks.
How to Open an AZW File
How to Convert an AZW File
The easiest way to convert an AZW file to another eBook format (or convert another format to AZW) is with Calibre. It supports not only popular formats like EPUB, MOBI, PDF, AZW3, and DOCX, but also PDB, RTF, SNB, LIT, and others.
There are also some free document file converters that you can use to convert the AZW file to another format. Zamzar is our favorite because it works in a web browser, is very simple to use and understand, and supports converting to over a dozen eBook formats.
Still Can’t Open the File?
A common reason a file doesn’t open the way you think it should is if you’re misreading the file extension, which is really easy to do when there are only three letters. The file extension is the best way to identify the format, so getting it wrong could mean that the file doesn’t open in any of your installed programs.
You can’t usually change a file extension (like AZW) to one that your computer recognizes and expect the newly renamed file to be usable. An actual file format conversion using one of the methods described above must take place in most cases. AZW files that are not DRM protected, however, may be renamed to .mobi or .prc and used wherever MOBI and PRC files are supported.
A few examples of file extensions that are easy to confuse for AZW include AWW, AZ!, and AZZ. Each of those are actually in entirely different formats that have nothing to do with eBooks, so attempting to open one with the programs mentioned above will not be helpful.
If you have one of those files, you really have an Ability Write document, Vuze partial download file, or Cardfile database, respectively. If not, reread the file extension closely and start your research again so that you can find the right program to open or convert the file.
You can’t print an .AZW file on its own and will first need to convert the file to a more standard format, like PDF. Once it’s in a more compatible format, you can print the file like you would any other.
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