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EverReed field guide

How to connect an OPDS server to EverReed

If you already run a personal ebook server that publishes an OPDS catalog, connecting it to EverReed takes just a few pieces of information: an HTTPS URL and, in most cases, a username and password. Once the connection is in place, the books your server publishes show up inside EverReed, and the supported ones open in the built-in reader without a separate download step. This guide walks through what you need before you start, how EverReed talks to an OPDS server under the hood, and what actually happens when you tap on a book. It is written for readers who are new to self-hosted libraries as well as people who already have a Calibre, Kavita, Komga, or NAS-based setup and just want to know how EverReed fits in.

What you get

Designed around the way readers actually move.

  • What you need before you start

    A personal ebook server that already publishes an OPDS catalog, and the HTTPS URL of that catalog. If the server requires authentication, you also need the username and password you use with it. EverReed does not provide the server itself and does not install or configure server software.

  • Why the HTTPS requirement matters

    EverReed only connects to OPDS catalogs served over HTTPS. That rules out plain HTTP and local-only addresses that are not reachable over HTTPS from outside your network. The requirement is there so credentials, catalog listings, and file streams travel over an encrypted connection instead of the clear.

  • How the connection works

    When you add a server, EverReed sends a request to the OPDS URL you provided and reads the catalog feed it returns. That feed describes the books available, their metadata, and the download links. EverReed does not need any special API on your side beyond a compliant OPDS feed served over HTTPS.

  • Connecting inside EverReed

    Open the section for personal library sources, choose to add a server, paste the OPDS URL, and enter credentials if your server requires them. EverReed validates the URL by fetching the top-level feed. If the feed loads, the connection is saved and the catalog appears alongside the rest of your library.

  • Browsing your catalog

    Once connected, browsing your server feels the same as browsing the rest of your library. Titles, authors, and covers show up in EverReed based on what the OPDS feed publishes. Renaming, tagging, and organising still happen on the server side — EverReed reflects whatever the feed exposes.

  • Reading a book

    Tap a supported book and the file streams from your server into the built-in EverReed reader. EPUB and PDF open in the same reader used for uploaded files, with the same typography controls, in-book search, table of contents, and dictionary. Progress is saved to your account, so the next session picks up where you left off.

  • Benefits after connecting

    Your server-hosted books and your EverReed activity live in one place: taste signals, series tracking, TBR, reading stats, and reading progress. That means the same recommendation engine and the same library tools apply to books that live on your own hardware — no separate reading app, no separate tracker.

  • When something does not work

    Most connection issues come down to three causes: the URL is not HTTPS, the URL does not actually point at an OPDS feed, or the credentials the server expects are wrong. Confirm you can load the feed URL from a browser that is not on your local network, then try the connection again in EverReed.

Useful details

Frequently asked questions.

What is an OPDS catalog URL?

It is the URL your server publishes as the entry point of its OPDS feed. It usually ends in something like /opds or /opds/v1.2 depending on the server software. Check your server's documentation for the exact path.

Does EverReed provide the server for me?

No. EverReed does not install, run, or host your ebook server. You bring your own server and give EverReed its OPDS URL and, if needed, credentials.

Do I need to open my server to the internet?

For EverReed to reach it, yes — the OPDS URL has to be reachable over HTTPS from outside your local network. How you expose it safely (a reverse proxy, tunnel, or VPN with public HTTPS) is up to you.

Is a self-signed HTTPS certificate enough?

Use a certificate that mobile devices trust by default. Self-signed certificates that are not trusted by the operating system will typically prevent the connection.

Where are my credentials stored?

They are stored so EverReed can reconnect to your catalog on your behalf. They are only used to fetch from your server; they are not shared with other users.

Can I connect more than one server?

EverReed treats connected OPDS sources as first-class library entries alongside uploads. If you have more than one catalog, add each one and the books from each appear in your library.

What happens if my server goes offline?

Browsing new titles and streaming books both require the server to be reachable. If your server is down, EverReed cannot open books served by that connection until it comes back.

Does EverReed change anything on my server?

No. EverReed reads your catalog and streams book files. It does not write, rename, tag, or delete anything on your side.

Are reading progress and highlights synced to my server?

No. Progress, bookmarks, notes, and highlights are stored in your EverReed account so they follow you across devices. Your server file is untouched.

Can I use EverReed without connecting a server?

Yes. Personal server support is optional. You can still track books, plan a TBR, follow series, and read uploaded EPUB and PDF files without any OPDS catalog at all.

Continue exploring

Keep reading

Connect your library and start reading in EverReed.

If you already run an OPDS-capable server, EverReed is ready to be the reading side of that setup.

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