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Participant
Sep 16, 2025 6:06 PM UTC
Question

Can't make a fixed layout epub.

I'm using the latest version of InDesign, I'm trying to make a fixed layout EPUB of a book for a client.  It goes through the process like normal, but the first few pages are too big for the ebook window, and the fonts are all different weights. I made a fixed layout EPUB of the same book in May, and it was perfect. I have now tried the second book in the series, and again, the same result: the first few pages are too big, and the fonts are messed up. I have now tried a totally different book from a different publisher, and it's the same; the first page is too big, and the fonts (different from the other book) are also screwed. 

 

It's getting really frustrating, everything I change in the settings, and it produces the same epub. Can anyone help?

9 replies

BobLevine
Community Expert
Community Expert
Sep 24, 2025 12:27 PM UTC

What EPUB reader are you testing this on? Most of them, quite frankly, are garbage. I was pretty excited about fixed layout epub years ago but I've pretty much soured on it. 

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Participant
Sep 24, 2025 12:50 PM UTC
Yes, I have the Books app, which is rubbish and also Adobe’s Kindle
preview3. Ebooks are not the biggest part of my work, my focus is the print
books, I have never had issues making epubs before. As I say when I
produced the book back in May the ebook was perfect, now I can’t even get a
acceptable epub copy out. No matter what I changed in the settings nothing
changed, in what it produced, it became very frustrating!
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BobLevine
Community Expert
Community Expert
Sep 24, 2025 1:43 PM UTC

Is InDesign fully updated? There were some serious issues a while back.

 

BTW, the only reader I recommend now is Thorium.

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Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Community Expert
Sep 16, 2025 6:11 PM UTC

What OS and version?

What version of InDesign?

What settings are you choosing when exporting to fixed layout EPUB?

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Mike Witherell
Participant
Sep 24, 2025 11:59 AM UTC

Mike, hi. I'm on Mac OS15.4. I'm on the very latest InDesign, but I also tried older versions. Settings: Epub3; all pages; rasterise first page; no contents; disable spreads (again I tried all versions). I have now spent six hours converting the client a reflowable epub, but has has a sister book that I'm still trying to find time to work on. 

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