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Install CoolReader

CoolReader · Touch HD 3 (PB632) · firmware 6.11.2001

Install

  1. Close CoolReader, connect the reader by USB and select PC connection mode.
  2. Back up system/bin/cr3-pb.app, system/share/cr3, system/config/cr3, system/state/cr3 and system/config/extensions.cfg if they exist. These include your settings and reading history.
  3. Download the ZIP and extract it on your computer.
  4. Copy and merge the extracted system and applications folders into the root of the reader’s USB storage. Replace matching CoolReader files and keep all other existing files.
  5. Safely eject the reader, then open Applications → CoolReader.

Existing user settings take precedence over the bundled defaults. The ZIP preserves your configuration in system/config/cr3/cr3.ini, history and bookmarks.

The first launch opens the bundled welcome book. Later launches reopen the last existing book opened with CoolReader. You can also use its Recent books menu.

Open books from Library

To add CoolReader to Library’s Open with menu, connect the reader by USB again and edit system/config/extensions.cfg with a plain-text editor.

  • If the file does not exist, copy extensions.cfg.example from the extracted ZIP to system/config/extensions.cfg.
  • If the file already exists, add cr3-pb.app to the comma-separated application list for each supported format you want to open. Preserve the existing readers and all other entries.

For example, EPUB and FB2 entries on firmware 6.11.2001 can look like this:

epub:@EPUB_file:1:eink-reader_with_blink.app,eink-reader_with_epub2.app,cr3-pb.app:ICON_EPUB
fb2:@FB2_file:1:eink-reader.app,cr3-pb.app:ICON_FB2

The stock readers stay first in the list and remain the default. Leave PDF entries assigned to the stock PDF readers.

Save the file and safely eject the reader. In Library, long-press an EPUB or FB2 book, then choose Open with → CoolReader. The entry may appear as cr3-pb.app.

Check the installation

Open an EPUB and an FB2 book. Check page-turn buttons, menus and the table of contents, then close and reopen a book to confirm its reading position is saved.

See the latest release notes for changes and validation results. Other models and firmware versions are unverified.

If CoolReader does not start

Keep system/cr3-pb.normal.log and system/cr3-pb.crash.log, and note the exact firmware version when reporting a problem in the GitHub issues.

To return to your previous installation, restore the files and configuration from your backup.

Transfer books over Wi-Fi

Easy Connect for PocketBook is a separate SSH and FTP tool for transferring files and running shell commands. CoolReader is not required to run it. See its guide for installation and security limits.

GitHub & issue reports

Browse the CoolReader source on GitHub, or report a CoolReader issue. Check existing reports first, then include your device model, firmware, reproduction steps and relevant logs from the troubleshooting section.

For SSH or FTP problems, use the Easy Connect project.