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An EPUB e-book is a ZIP package with a content.opf file that lists the title, author, publisher, dates, rights and subjects, and often records from the program that built or managed it. Books bought from Apple can include a purchase record with the buyer’s name and Apple ID, and calibre adds library details. This tool removes those records and keeps the book readable. Drop an .epub file in the box above to see what it holds.
What an EPUB e-book remembers
| Where | What is stored | Example |
|---|---|---|
| content.opf | Creator, contributor, publisher, date, rights, description, subjects, source | Creator “Jane Doe”, published 2024-03-04 |
| Refinements | Role and file-as entries attached to creators | “Doe, Jane” as the sort name |
| calibre records | Timestamps, library details and custom fields | calibre:timestamp, calibre:author_link_map |
| Purchase record | iTunesMetadata.plist with the buyer’s name and Apple ID | appleId and the buyer’s name |
| Modified date | The time the book was last saved (required by EPUB 3) | 2024-03-05T11:22:33Z |
Where the details come from
- calibre and other managers write their own records.
- Online stores can add a purchase record to a downloaded book.
- Publishing tools fill in the author, publisher and rights.
- Conversion keeps the details of the source file.
What the remover deletes, and what it keeps
| Removed | Kept |
|---|---|
| Author, contributor, publisher, publication date | The title, the unique identifier and the language |
| Rights statement, description, subjects, source | The cover image and its pointer |
| calibre and similar custom records | All chapters, styles and fonts |
| Purchase record with buyer name and Apple ID | The reading order and table of contents |
| The real last-modified time (set to a fixed value) |
How to remove metadata from an EPUB e-book
- Drop your EPUB e-books in the box at the top of the page, or choose them from your device. You can add many files at once.
- Press the clean button. Each file shows what was found and removed.
- Read the report. Anything that could still identify someone is listed as remaining, so nothing is hidden from you.
- Download the clean copy. One file downloads as it is; several come as one ZIP.
Is it safe to clean an EPUB e-book online?
Yes. EPUB e-books are cleaned entirely in your browser: the file is read, rewritten and handed back as a download without leaving your device. You can confirm it by opening the network tab of your browser while you clean a file, where no upload appears. If you use the API or the MCP server, the file is processed on our server, held only for the length of the request, and deleted within minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Will my e-reader still show the book?
Yes. The title, identifier, language and cover are kept, so readers list the book normally. It will show no author, because that is what was removed.
Can it remove DRM?
No. This tool only removes metadata, and it does not touch copy protection.
Does it clean MOBI and AZW files?
No, only EPUB. Convert the book to EPUB first.
Can I clean EPUB e-books with the API?
Yes. Send the file to POST /api/v1/clean/document with your API key and its name in the X-Filename header. It returns the clean file and reports what was removed in the response headers. The MCP server does the same for AI assistants.
How many files can I clean?
Guests and free accounts have a daily allowance and a file-size limit, shown above the drop box. Paid plans raise both. Documents, images, PDFs and audio share one daily allowance.