Now that you've got your new iPad and you've set it up perfectly, you'll definitely want to check out how awesome it is to read books on the gorgeous new retina display. Text looks better than ever and reading on an iPad has never been more enjoyable. Whether you want to use Apple's own iBooks service, Amazon's Kindle powerhouse, or something different, we've got you covered.
iBooks
Apple's own iBooks and iBookstore are a great way to purchase and read books as well as save PDF documents from the web. Many free and paid books are available directly on your iPad through the iBookstore.
From the latest novels to the best non-fiction to high school textbooks to cartoons like Bloom County and comics from Marvel, you'll think you're looking at digital paper.
iBooks is a free download from the App Store.
Free - Download Now
Once you've got iBooks installed, it's simple to download books.
- Open iBooks and tap Store in the upper left hand corner. The bookshelf will turn around to show you the iBooks bookstore. You can browse for books from here just as you'd browse for apps or any other type of media in iTunes or the App Store.
- If you find a book you think you may be interested in, you can download a preview before buying if you'd like via the Get Sample button.
- Once you've decided to buy, just tap on the price and it'll ask you to tap it again to confirm the purchase.
- Enter in your iTunes password and your book will begin downloading.
- When you go into the iBooks app, you'll now see your new book on the book shelf. Just tap into it to start reading.

Kindle for iPad
iBooks isn't the only way you can read eBooks from your iPad. The Kindle app for iPad is a free download from the App Store and if you've already got a Kindle collection built, you'll probably want access to those books. Simply download the app and sign into your Amazon account to access all your purchased books. Best of all, it's just been updated for Retina on iPad.
Free - Download now
Additional resources:
- How to read eBooks as white on black
- How to re-download previously purchased apps, songs, and books in iTunes
- Books, magazines, and comics help and discussion forum
- Everything you need to know about the new iPad
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Massive Apple VR leak reveals headset price, release window
A new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple's first VR headset will cost well over $900 and have a chip faster than the M1 Mac.

iPhone 13 will have a smaller notch thanks to Face ID upgrade
A new Digitimes report says that Apple will reduce the size of the notch in the iPhone 13, enabled by a redesigned Face ID system.

Apple still can't keep up with iPhone 12 Pro demand
Morgan Stanley's Katy Huberty says that Apple has slashed 2M iPhone 12 mini units so it can try to keep up with iPhone 12 Pro demand.

Great video editing software for your Mac
You don't need to buy expensive video-editing software to get the job done. Here are some of the hottest video-editing software for Mac on the market today.