Resources Formatting Guides
How to Preview Your Book Before You Publish
How to preview your book before publishing, in both ebook and print, so you catch formatting problems before readers or the printer do.
The cheapest way to fix a formatting problem is to catch it before anyone else does. Once a book is printed or on sale, a broken chapter opening or a missing table of contents is expensive and awkward to fix. Previewing your book properly, in both ebook and print, turns those problems into quick edits. This guide covers what to preview and how.
Two previews, two jobs
A book needs two different previews because ebook and print behave differently. An ebook preview should reflow like a real ereader, adjusting to screen size and font, so you can see how the text actually behaves in a reader's hands. A print preview should show fixed pages with the real trim size, margins, and gutter, so you can see exactly where each page breaks. Checking only one leaves half the book unproofed.
What to look for
In the ebook preview, check that each chapter starts cleanly, the table of contents links work, images sit sensibly on small screens, and nothing relies on manual spacing that has collapsed. In the print preview, check the margins and gutter, the running heads, where chapters fall on the page, and that no text is drifting into the spine. Switching between a few device sizes in the ebook preview is especially useful, because problems often appear only on the smallest screen.
Preview before you pay, at every step
Amazon KDP and other stores offer an online previewer once you have uploaded a file, and ordering a printed proof copy is the final check before you approve a paperback. But the most efficient place to preview is before you export at all, while changes are still a click away rather than a re-upload. Catch the obvious problems in your formatter, and the store previewer and proof copy become confirmations rather than a list of things to fix.
Previewing in Koberger
Koberger shows a live preview of your book as you work, in both ebook and print, and lets you flip through the whole book on representative devices before you export anything. Because the preview is built from the same files you will export, what you see is what you get. When it looks right, you export a validated EPUB and print-ready PDF. For the device-specific final check, see our guides to using Kindle Previewer and sideloading a book onto a Kindle, and you can preview your own book for free.
Frequently asked questions
How do I preview my book before publishing?
Use a preview that shows the finished layout, not your manuscript. There are two kinds worth checking: an ebook preview that reflows like a real ereader, and a print preview that shows fixed pages with the correct margins and gutter. A formatter with a built-in preview lets you check both before you export.
What is a print previewer?
A print previewer shows your book as fixed printed pages, so you can see page breaks, running heads, margins, and where each chapter falls, exactly as it will be printed. It is the print equivalent of an ebook preview and the best way to catch layout problems before you order a proof.
Can I see what my book looks like before printing?
Yes. A print preview shows every page as it will be printed, and ordering a physical proof copy from your printer is the final check. Previewing first means the proof copy is a confirmation rather than a surprise.
How do I preview an ebook on different devices?
Use a preview that can switch between representative devices, since a phone, a Kindle, and a tablet show text differently. Checking a few device sizes catches problems like oversized images or awkward chapter openings that only appear on smaller screens.