The hidden code errors that cause KDP and Apple Books to reject your EPUB

Authors are encountering issues with EPUB files getting rejected by KDP and Apple Books due to hidden code errors. The Amazon Pre-Viewer can be misleading because it visually fixes errors without repairing the underlying file. Automated converters often generate ghost spacing, empty span tags, and improperly mapped images, which can cause formatting problems on older e-readers. To avoid these problems, authors should validate their EPUB files locally using the W3C standard EpubCheck before publishing. This tool identifies specific CSS errors that may lead to file rejection. Authors can seek assistance with error codes.

  • The Amazon Pre-Viewer essentially lies to you.
  • Automated converters routinely generate what we call ghost spacing –thousands of empty span tags, forced inline margins, or they fail to properly map images in your .opf manifest file
  • You have to validate the file locally
📚 BookAddict’s Take: If you are self-publishing, especially on KDP, running your EPUB through EpubCheck should be a mandatory step in your workflow — it could save you a lot of headaches.

Source: Reddit r/selfpublish  | 
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