How to Back Up AO3 Stories for Personal Reading
Authors and sites can edit, unpublish, or delete stories. WP Downloader lets you save a personal EPUB copy of an Archive of Our Own story for offline reading. The file preserves the version available when you downloaded it.
Download the AO3 story with WP Downloader
WP Downloader is a free web tool with nothing to install. Open the AO3 downloader and copy the link to the story you want to save.
An AO3 story link normally looks like this:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/123456Paste the link into WP Downloader. It recognizes story links from archiveofourown.org, archiveofourown.com, and archiveofourown.net.
Choose a format:
- EPUB is free for everyone.
- PDF requires a free Discord sign-in.
- You can include the story’s images.
WP Downloader downloads the whole story. It does not download individual chapters or AO3 lists. For more about the process, see the AO3 fanfiction download guide.
Signing in to your AO3 account is optional. It allows WP Downloader to fetch members-only stories that your account can read. Your credentials are used only to fetch the story you request. WP Downloader does not bypass paywalls, locked chapters, or age restrictions.
Support for AO3 and the other fiction archives available through WP Downloader was ported from FanFicFare, the open-source fanfiction downloader released under the Apache-2.0 license.
Treat the EPUB as a dated snapshot
A downloaded EPUB is not connected to the original AO3 work. If the author fixes a typo, revises a chapter, or publishes another chapter, the file will not change.
WP Downloader cannot update an existing EPUB. Paste the story link into the downloader again to save a newer version. You can keep the older copy as well if you want both versions.
Adding the download date to the filename can help you tell different versions apart. You can also store your AO3 files in one folder instead of leaving them among temporary downloads.
Keep these copies for your own reading. Do not re-upload or share them.
Keep a copy on your phone or computer
After downloading the EPUB, make sure you can find and open it. You can keep another personal copy on your computer in case you lose the original file.
If you choose PDF, creating it requires a free Discord sign-in. WP Downloader does not create MOBI, AZW3, or TXT files.
Organize your AO3 copies with calibre
calibre is a free e-book manager for Windows, macOS, and Linux. You can use it to organize the EPUB files you have saved.
To add a story:
- Open calibre.
- Select Add books.
- Choose the EPUB downloaded from WP Downloader.
- Check the title, author, cover, and other metadata.
- Open the file in calibre’s e-book viewer to check that it works.
You can edit metadata and covers in calibre. Its e-book viewer also has a Read aloud feature.
calibre can convert an EPUB to formats such as AZW3, MOBI, or PDF. This is useful when you need a format that WP Downloader does not provide. You can also use calibre to send books to a connected e-reader over USB.
Move the story to an e-reader
For an Amazon device, follow the guide to sending AO3 stories to Kindle. For a Kobo reader, follow the AO3 stories on Kobo guide.
Keep the original EPUB if you may want to convert it again or move it to another reader later.
FAQ
Can WP Downloader back up an entire AO3 story?
Yes. Paste the work link into the AO3 downloader to download the whole story. WP Downloader does not download single chapters or lists from AO3.
Will my backup receive new chapters automatically?
No. An EPUB is a snapshot of the story when you downloaded it. Download the story again to get later chapters or edits.
Can I download a members-only AO3 story?
Yes, if your AO3 account can read it. Sign in to that account through WP Downloader, then download the story.
Can WP Downloader create a MOBI or AZW3 file?
No. WP Downloader provides EPUB and PDF. You can add the EPUB to calibre and convert it to MOBI, AZW3, or PDF.
Is it okay to share my downloaded copy?
No. Keep downloaded stories for your own reading. Do not re-upload or share them.