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Instapaper on Kobo: how to set it up and what syncs

Guides · Updated

Link Instapaper to a Kobo eReader under More, My Articles. Setup steps, which articles sync, what the integration leaves out, and fixes when an article is missing.

Instapaper is built into Kobo eReaders. To set it up, go to More > My Articles on your Kobo, tap Link with Instapaper, then scan the QR code with your phone or go to kobo.com/instapaper on a computer and enter the code shown on the Kobo. Sign in to Instapaper, click Authorize, and the articles you have saved to Instapaper sync to My Articles. Instapaper says the integration works with a free account, with no limitations.

Kobo used to do this with Pocket. Pocket shut down on July 8, 2025, and Kobo partnered with Instapaper to replace it. Instapaper says the integration is meant to match what the Pocket one did, so if you used Pocket on a Kobo, it will feel familiar.

What you need

  • A Kobo eReader that Kobo still supports. Instapaper says the integration works on all currently supported Kobo eReaders; Kobo keeps the list of supported models on its help site.
  • An Instapaper account. You can create one at instapaper.com, free.
  • Wi-Fi on the Kobo. Kobo notes that you need a Wi-Fi connection to download Instapaper articles to the eReader.
  1. On your Kobo, go to the Home screen and tap More at the bottom.
  2. Tap My Articles.
  3. Tap Link with Instapaper. The Kobo shows a code and a QR code.
  4. On your phone, scan the QR code. Or, on a computer, go to kobo.com/instapaper.
  5. Enter the code shown on your Kobo and click Link with Instapaper.
  6. Sign in to Instapaper and click Authorize on the Application Access page.

The Kobo then signs in to your Instapaper account and shows the articles you have saved. To read one, go to More > My Articles and tap it.

What syncs, and what doesn't

Going by Instapaper's and Kobo's help pages, the integration lets you:

  • sync articles from Home (your main list), Liked and Archive;
  • read articles on the Kobo; and
  • like, archive and delete articles from the Kobo.

It does not support:

  • folders: Kobo says articles placed in an Instapaper folder don't sync, and to move an article back to the main list if you want it on the eReader;
  • tags, highlights and notes;
  • some save types: Instapaper names videos and emails, and Kobo names videos and PDFs.

Instapaper says it is focused for now on matching Kobo's earlier Pocket integration and may add more later.

Getting articles onto your Kobo

Anything you save to your Instapaper main list shows up on the Kobo after it syncs. The usual ways to save:

  • the Instapaper browser extension, which adds a button to save the page you are on;
  • the Instapaper apps for iPhone, iPad and Android;
  • pasting a link at instapaper.com/save.

Instapaper also gives each account a Save to Instapaper email address, which is handy for newsletters. Keep in mind that Instapaper lists emails among the save types the Kobo integration doesn't support, so a forwarded newsletter may not appear on your Kobo.

When an article doesn't show up

  • Refresh. In My Articles, tap the Menu icon in the grey bar, then Refresh.
  • Check Wi-Fi. The Kobo needs a connection to download articles.
  • Check where you saved it. An article in a folder won't sync; move it to your Home list.
  • Check what it is. A video, a PDF or an emailed item may not come across.
  • More than one Kobo? Your articles sync to each one, but you need to sign in to Instapaper on each device separately.

If none of that helps, Instapaper asks you to email support@instapaper.com with your Instapaper login email, your Kobo model and a description of the problem.

A workaround for folders: download an ePub

If you keep reading lists in folders, there is a manual route. On instapaper.com, open the list you want (Home or a folder), click the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner of the article list and choose ePub under Download. Instapaper emails you a link to the file; each download bundle holds the first 19 articles in that list.

To put the file on your Kobo, connect it to your computer with a USB cable, tap Connect on the Kobo, drag the ePub into the KOBOeReader drive, then eject the drive and unplug. The file appears under My Books, not My Articles, and only on that one Kobo. Unlike the built-in sync, it won't update when your list changes.

Coming from Pocket

Pocket's export deadline was October 8, 2025, and Kobo says all Pocket data was permanently removed after it. If you exported your saves in time, Instapaper can import a Pocket export file, and those articles then sync to your Kobo like any others. Pocket alternatives covers the export file and the apps that take it.

Common questions

Is Instapaper on Kobo free?

Yes. Instapaper's help page for Kobo says the integration works with a free account, with no limitations.

Do my Instapaper highlights show up on the Kobo?

No. Highlights, notes and tags are not part of the Kobo integration.

Can I use Instapaper with a Kindle instead?

Yes, but it works differently: Instapaper emails digests of your articles to your Kindle, and its feature table lists Kindle integration under Premium. How to send Instapaper articles to your Kindle has the setup.

Is Instapaper the only read-it-later app on Kobo?

It is the one built into Kobo's My Articles. For how it compares with other apps, see The best read-it-later apps.

If you'd like your articles on paper

An e-reader is one way to read saved articles away from a bright screen. Paper is another: with Offprint, you text us a link whenever you find something worth reading, and your saves become a printed magazine mailed to you, with nothing to link or sync. If a Kobo is where you like to read, Instapaper is the simplest way to get your articles onto it.