FAQ | tolino app

The iOS app now supports Apple Pencil. What can I use it for?

Apple Pencil lets you highlight text, underline sentences or write notes directly in your book in the tolino iOS app. You can use the tolino app’s mark-up feature and work directly with the Apple Pencil in your eBook while reading it on your iPad.

What are the technical requirements to use the Apple Pencil to mark up text?

You need iOS version 15 or higher on your iPad to use Apple Pencil in the tolino app.

The 1st generation Apple Pencil is supported by 6th to 10th generation iPads.  

The 2nd generation Apple Pencil is supported by the iPad Air (4th and 5th generation), the iPad Pro 12.9 (3rd to 6th generation), the iPad Pro 11-inch (1st to 4th generation) and the iPad mini (6th generation). 

The Apple Pencil cannot be used in the tolino app on iPhones. We apologize for any inconvenience. 

How can I use the Apple Pencil to mark up text in the iOS app?

To mark up text with the Apple Pencil, simply open the reading menu by tapping the center of the screen. Then tap the pen icon at the bottom right to open the Apple Pencil tool palette. There you can find different pencil types and colors, as well as the eraser. 

Please note: The mark-ups will no longer be visible if you change the way the eBook looks by adjusting the font, font size, line spacing or other settings. Instead, a new icon will appear on the right side of the eBook:

You can restore the mark-ups and the previous settings by clicking on this icon.

The mark-up function can be deactivated by tapping the pen icon at the bottom of the reading menu.

What does “mark up” mean?

“Mark up” means underlining or highlighting text or creating notes in an eBook in the tolino iOS app by using the Apple Pencil on an iPad or by using your finger on an iPhone.

Why can’t I mark up all eBooks? 

Right now, the function is only available in eBooks where you can change the way text, images and other elements are displayed and where you can adjust the font, font size or line spacing to your personal preferences (also known as “reflowable” content).

You cannot mark up eBooks where the design and formatting of text, images and other elements is fixed, such as comics, illustrated children’s books or certain books with sophisticated illustrations, images or pictures. 

Why can’t I see my mark-ups on all tolino devices? 

Right now, you can only sync mark-ups created with the Apple Pencil between iOS devices that have the tolino iOS app installed. We are working to make synchronization possible in the tolino webreader and tolino eReaders as well. This function will be gradually rolled out in upcoming versions of the software. 

Where can I view my mark-ups, and where can I delete them?

The mark-ups you create with the Apple Pencil will appear in your eBook’s notes directory, along with notes created using the reading menu’s notes feature. To see them, tap on the center of your screen. Then use the icon at the top of the menu to open the notes directory, where you can delete the mark-ups you created using the Trash icon. 

Your login details are safe with tolino. They are only ever transmitted in encrypted form, are never stored in the app itself and are therefore protecting from unauthorized third-party access.

Not to worry! Send us some feedback directly from the app.

General information: Tap on “More” in the bottom menu. Here you will find the “Feedback” area, where you can either rate our app or submit your request by tapping on “No.” Describe the issue and enter your email address if you would like a response.

eBook: Please open the reading settings by tapping on the middle of the display. In the top right of the menu bar you will see a speech bubble with an exclamation mark. Now tap on “Report a problem” on the next screen and follow the on-screen instructions.

When you log in to the tolino app for the first time you select your preferred bookseller. You then have the option of adding your login details for your bookseller in the tolino app. You will need to delete the tolino app data to change to another bookseller from the preferred bookseller you selected originally.

To do so, select the tolino app from Settings -> Apps on your device and delete the app storage (Android) or “local data.” When you open the tolino app again, you will be shown the bookseller selection screen and you can choose a different bookseller as your primary bookseller.

Please note that this process is relatively complicated and is not usually necessary. This is also one of the reasons why we came up with our unique library link feature, as you can also purchase eBooks and audiobooks at any time from other booksellers using your browser.

Please note that logging out of and deleting the app will result in your downloaded content being deleted from your device. Content that you have not loaded yourself (not synchronized) can continue to be used in the app without logging in. This is worth remembering if you have a poor Wi-Fi connection on holiday or if your data volume is running low. In most cases, it is easier to purchase titles from other shops using your browser. You can read downloaded eBooks in EPUB or PDF format in the tolino app at any time.

Your reading progress is synchronized on all of your registered devices. The app does this automatically. Please note that all devices must have an active internet connection in order for the synchronization to take place. If you are using the tolino app where you don’t have a great internet connection (such as on the train), it may be the case that your reading progress isn’t synchronized.

You can also initiate the synchronization manually at any time by tapping on the refresh arrow in the top right part in the “Books” view. Make sure that your device is connected to the internet while doing so.

Tip: You can also manually synchronize your progress in your audiobooks. To do so, switch to the “Audiobooks” view and tap on the refresh arrow.

Of course you can! The tolino app is free to use for everyone, with or without a tolino eReader. Read your existing eBooks (EPUB, PDF) at your own convenience on your smartphone or tablet – all you need to turn your device into an eBook reader is the tolino app! Test out our tolino ecosystem for free and start exploring the world of digital reading. Sit back and relax to a really good audiobook with tolino – how does that sound? Simply download the tolino app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, select your bookseller, log in and download your audiobook purchases and you’re good to go.

Once you have logged in, you will see all of the titles in your library that you have purchased from your bookseller.

Grid view: In the grid view, your eBooks are sorted in a bookcase. By default, they are sorted by date added. In other words, you see the eBooks you have read and your most recent purchases first. You can change the sorting type at any time using the filter or sorting function. You can also search your library by clicking on the magnifier symbol.

List view: Switch from the grid view to the list view by tapping the list symbol on the right-hand side. The list view provides additional information regarding your titles, such as the book title, author and reading progress.

You can use the tolino app without logging in, of course. However, in order to use all of the features of the app, you will need to log in to your tolino alliance bookseller account. You can only access your own personal storage in the tolino cloud once you have logged in to your bookseller. Only then can we make your content available online, automatically save your reading progress and synchronize your tolino eReader. Give it a try! You can log out at any time and continue to use the tolino app for eBooks and audiobooks without being logged in.

Purchased books or audiobooks are always stored safely and free of charge in the tolino cloud. This means you can access your books and audiobooks at any time from multiple eReaders, including your smartphone, your tablet and your computer.

Use your tolino app now also with Apple CarPlay! With Apple CarPlay, you can display the tolino app installed on your iPhone directly on your car's integrated display, so you can concentrate on the road. Simply connect your iPhone to Apple CarPlay, select an already loaded audiobook from the tolino app library and play it.

For more information on how to set up and use Apple CarPlay, click here.

Google Android Auto will also be made available to our customers in one of the next versions. Thank you for your patience.

What is fixed-layout content?

In fixed-layout content, the design and formatting of text, images and other elements has been predefined. They do not automatically adjust to fit the size of the screen or the user’s settings. A fixed layout helps maintain the original look of the content. As a result, it is particularly well suited for publications where visual design and the precise positioning of text, images and other elements are very important. It is used for books with sophisticated illustrations, images or pictures, as well as illustrated children’s books, comics and interactive eBooks.

Which settings can I change?

The zoom function lets you explore images down to the tiniest detail. It also allows you to look at two pages at once, like in a book or brochure where you can view two pages side by side.

Are fixed-layout eBooks suitable for all devices?

Right now, fixed layout is only supported in the tolino webreader and in the tolino app (Android and iOS). This feature is expected to become available in tolino eReaders soon.

Are there any restrictions associated with fixed-layout eBooks? 

Because the visual design of fixed-layout eBooks is predefined, you cannot change the way text, images and other elements are positioned. As a result, it is not possible to customize the font, font size or other settings. Due to the file size, they may also take somewhat longer to open.

Go to the “My books” section and to the “Title” area. Tap on the menu symbol and select the option “Delete from this device.” You can now select the titles you would like to delete from your device and tap on the “Delete” button.

Audiobooks that you have not yet downloaded from your library are marked with a small cloud symbol. The download begins automatically when you tap on the cover. You can start listening as soon as the first chapter has been downloaded. The remaining chapters are then downloaded in the background.

We recommend you download your audiobooks when connected to Wi-Fi, as in most cases they are larger than 1 GB. If you download audiobooks using your mobile data, you may incur additional costs.

Sleep timer:
Using the sleep timer function allows you to set up the tolino app to automatically stop playback after a certain period of time or at the end of the current chapter. Not only will you never miss a chapter of your audiobook, the sleep timer also means you won’t be wasting your device’s battery. The various settings can be found in the audiobook player by tapping on the clock symbol.

Playback speed:
You can adjust the playback speed however you like. Simply select the audiobook you would like to hear and look for the “1x” icon in the top menu bar. Tap on the icon and select one of the settings.

Fast forward and rewind:
You can conveniently fast forward or rewind audiobooks in 30-second increments using the buttons to the right and left of the play button. Your progress in the particular chapter is displayed in the bottom half of the audiobook player. You can also fast forward and rewind here by adjusting the progress bar.

Mini player:
Play, pause, fast forward and rewind can all be used in the mini player, which opens when the app is playing the audiobook in the background.

Adobe copyright protection is no longer supported in the tolino app. tolino booksellers avoid strict copyright protection if this is enabled by the rightsholders, so in this case the publishers. However, you can download copyright tolino eBooks from the cloud in the tolino app. For titles with Adobe copyright protection from other sources, please use Adobe Digital Editions or the Onleihe app.

In the grid view, simply tap on a cover to open an eBook. The eBook download is initiated if it is not yet downloaded on your device (the device must be connected to the internet at this point). Once an eBook has been downloaded to your device in full, it will be opened for you in the reading view. Tap the middle of the screen on any page to open or close the reading menu. Return to your library by tapping on the X at the top left of the menu bar.

1.) Turning the page: Swipe from right to left to go to the next page in your eBook and swipe left to right to go back one page. You can also tap the right and left edges of the screen to turn pages forward and back. It is also possible to change the reading mode in the layout section of the text settings. Tap on the Aa icon in the top menu bar and then on “Layout.” Here you will find a symbol with an arrow pointing downwards. Tapping on this symbol changes the reading mode so that you can turn pages by tapping on the arrows at the bottom of the page instead of swiping.

2.) Font size: There are six different font size settings, allowing you to change the reading view to precisely fit your needs. Simply tap on the Aa icon in the top menu bar. This opens a menu where you can change font type, line spacing and text direction.

3.) Layout: Layout settings can also be found in the reading settings. Tap on the Aa icon and switch to the “Layout” tab. There are three settings to choose from here: “Normal,” “Sepia” or “Night.” You can also adjust margin settings and the reading view here.

4.) Table of contents: Tap on the icon with three dots and three lines in the top menu bar to access the eBook table of contents. The table of contents lists all of the eBook’s chapters. Tap on a chapter to jump to the corresponding place in the book.

5.) Search: You can search for particular words or terms in an eBook by tapping on the magnifier symbol.

6.) Bookmarks, highlighting text and notes: The tolino app automatically saves your progress in your eBook. If you switch back to the library, the app automatically synchronizes this information. The synchronization process is displayed with the circular symbol in the top-right corner. When you open the eBook again, you will return to the page you were at. If you would like to highlight text, simply tap and hold the beginning of the text you would like to highlight and swipe across to where you would like the highlighting to end. The highlighted text is marked in yellow and a window appears with “Highlight” or “Notes.” After clicking on the “Highlight” button, you can add a title and description to your highlighting and also choose the highlighting color. Adding notes to the text is the same: Simply select “Notes” in the window.

Tap on the “Notes directory” in the top menu bar to view, edit and delete your highlighting, notes and bookmarks. Tap on highlighting or a note to go straight to the relevant page in the book.

7.) Translation: When reading with the tolino app, you can translate individual sentences or a paragraph. Select the sentence you want to translate and choose "Translate" from the context menu. The source language is usually detected automatically, but you can also adjust it manually at any time. You can also adjust the target language manually. A maximum of the visible page of your eBook can be translated. It is also possible to have the translated text read aloud using the text-to-speech engine installed on the device. To do this, tap on the speaker icon in the top right corner above the text you have just translated. An existing Internet connection (WLAN/mobile) is required to use the translation function. In order to translate paragraphs from a book, the publisher or author must give permission for the respective title. It may therefore not be possible to translate individual titles. We are constantly in contact with the publishers to expand the offer for you.

You must be logged in to the app on your iOS or Android device to create a family.
Go to the family home screen at the top right next to the synchronization icon and follow the on-screen instructions. You will now be guided through the process step by step. Further information on the family sharing function is available in our special FAQ area. Please note that you require version 5.2.0 of the Android app to use family sharing. This update is only compatible with version 7 or later of the Android operating system. Even if you use a device with an older version of the operating system, books shared with you will still appear in the library. However, if you would like to create or manage a family to share books yourself, please use the tolino webreader or eReader.

If you do not yet have an account with a tolino bookseller, please visit your preferred bookseller’s website and create an account online free of charge. You can then use these login details (username and password) to log into your bookseller in the tolino app.

On Android devices, you can also register with your preferred tolino bookseller directly in the tolino app. To do so, simply choose your tolino bookseller when setting up your tolino app. You can then register as a new customer and create a new account with your bookseller, before using the login details (username and password) to log into your bookseller in the tolino app.

Unfortunately, the terms and conditions of Apple and Google do not allow us to offer eBooks and audiobooks for purchase directly in the tolino app. 

However, so that you can always discover your next favorite book or audiobook with us, we offer you a selection of personal recommendations instead. Just get inspired by the free reading and listening samples in our "Discover" section.

In the Android app, copy the link of an eBook or audiobook with one click and get directly to the product detail page of your bookseller via the browser.

In the iOS app, you can quickly find the eBook or audiobook you want in your bookseller's store using the "Copy ISBN" function. Your purchases are automatically displayed in the tolino app, provided you are logged in with the same customer account.

When you launch the tolino app for the first time, you will be asked to select your country (Germany, Austria or Switzerland). The online shop of the country that you choose will then be activated.

Once you have selected your country, you will be asked to select the bookseller you would like to use together with the tolino app.

Then you will be asked to enter your login details for “My account.” Please enter your bookseller login details (your email address and your password) in the corresponding boxes and tap on “Login.” Once successfully logged in, you will be automatically forwarded to the “Read” area.

You can group together content from a variety of customer accounts with different booksellers using the library link function. Simply tap on “More” in the bottom right, select the “My accounts” menu and tap on “Library link.” Make sure you have your login details ready and simply follow the on-screen instructions.

Our tolino webreader (our browser-based reading application) is the best option if you are looking to read on your computer. You can access it anytime through your browser, with no installation required, making it the perfect solution for flexible reading and listening. The webreader allows you to read your purchased eBooks, as well as EPUB and PDF files, and listen to your audiobooks directly on your PC or laptop with your internet browser. You can find the tolino webreader here: https://webreader.mytolino.com. Further information is available at https://mytolino.de/tolino-webreader-ebooks-online-lesen/.

The tolino cloud saves and synchronizes all of your reading progress, notes, highlighting, bookmarks, collections and newly purchased or downloaded content up to date across all of your devices (tolino eReader, tolino webreader and tolino app). If this does not work properly, you should first check that you are logged in to the same customer account on your devices and in the tolino cloud. tolino cloud is an online storage system, and as such it requires a stable internet connection to successfully update your data on each of your devices. Should you be on the go and reading an eBook without online connectivity, it may be the case that your reading progress cannot be synchronized with the tolino cloud.

However, you can update your progress manually at any time in the tolino app. To do so, simply tap on the update symbol in the top right of the “My books” or “My audiobooks” screen. Your content will be updated in full as soon as you connect to the internet.

The eBook is not compatible with the app. Please get in touch with customer service.

Problems can occur with the tolino app in certain rare cases. The problem may be able to be resolved by taking one of the steps listed below.

Tip: If you are not sure how to perform some of these steps on your smartphone or tablet, please consult the Apple (iOS) or Android (aOS) help pages.

Empty the app cache
Some problems can be resolved by deleting temporary files.

Delete app data
Other issues can be rectified by deleting all tolino app data from your device.

Important! eBooks and audiobooks you have downloaded and stored locally on your device will be deleted in this process. Your login details (stored account details) will also be deleted and will have to be entered again. It’s important to be aware of the consequences of deleting app data and try other approaches first, especially if you are on holiday or only have limited Wi-Fi connectivity or data volume.

Force the tolino app to close
The first step in resolving issues should be closing the tolino app. Sometimes it’s also worth checking whether any other apps are affecting the tolino app, particularly if the app is crashing or you are experiencing performance issues. One frequent problem are excessively strict security apps that inhibit the basic functions of the tolino app. If you suspect that this kind of app interaction is causing problems, we recommend closing all apps and checking how individual apps interact with each other.

Restart your device
Restart your device. After the restart, re-open the tolino app and check whether the error is still occurring.

Uninstall the app
Uninstall and delete the tolino app from your smartphone or tablet. You can download the app again from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Contact customer service
If the steps described above do not resolve the issue, we recommend getting in touch with the customer service of your tolino bookseller (which you can find in the help section of the tolino app). Describe the problem you are experiencing in as much detail as possible and attach screenshots of the error messages if possible. The more detailed information the customer service team receives regarding your issue, the more likely it is that they will be able to provide the right support quickly.

When you listen to an audiobook for the first time and have only downloaded a single chapter of the audiobook, the tolino app attempts to download the remaining data. This message allows you to decide whether you would like to download the data now or would prefer to wait until you are connected to a Wi-Fi network. You can download the audiobook using your mobile data if you are on the go or on holiday. To do so simply tap “Continue.”

The eBook/audiobook is always displayed in the “Books” or “Audiobooks” section. You can restart the download as soon as you have a stable internet connection.

You will be notified by the Play Store or the App Store as soon as an update is available for our application. App updates can be downloaded free of charge.

You can create individual collections both in your eBook library and your audiobook library to help you keep track of all of your content. It’s just like your bookcase at home, which you can sort by category, by subject, etc. Simply tap on the “Collections” tab in your library and then on “Create collection.” Now choose a name for your collection and tap on “Create.” Here, you can add titles to your newly created collection. You can add more books to your collection at any time by tapping on the three dots underneath the cover and selecting “Add to collection.”

What’s more, the tolino ecosystem can even create collections for you automatically – such as a “tolino-select” collection (if you have a reading subscription) or a collection of books you have already read. Once you finish a book, the app will ask you whether you want to add it to this collection.

The family collection shows you which books a family member has shared with you.

All collections are synchronized across your various devices, of course.

Are you a keen reader and would like to use an app on your smartphone or tablet to read your eBooks? Then the tolino app is the perfect on-the-go companion for you and your favorite books. The free tolino app offers you a wide range of eReader functions on your smartphone or tablet. Opening and reading your eBooks (EPUB and PDFs) is simple using the tolino app, as is adding bookmarks, highlighting text, adding notations and much more. The tolino app also offers a variety of convenient display settings for your eBooks. You can set up the font type, font size, line spacing, text direction, margin settings and background color exactly to your preferences.

Are you on the lookout for new eBooks and audiobooks? The integrated eBook shop on the tolino app gives you round-the-clock access to the latest reads from your tolino bookseller of choice (only available for Android devices due to restrictions from Apple). What’s more, the tolino app also offers lengthy excerpts for many different eBooks that you can read for free!

You can, of course, also use the tolino app in parallel with other devices (e.g., tolino eReader), store content in the tolino cloud and synchronize your eReaders – a particularly handy feature for families. The tolino app is your mobile library, audiobook collection, notebook, bookstore and online storage device – all in one!

Have you heard about our tolino select eBook subscription service? Now it’s even easier to find your favorite books. Four eBooks, one special offer – try it now for free! Of course, you can also use your eBook subscription in the tolino app.

Click here for more information on the tolino app.

You can use the tolino cloud as soon as you have opened the tolino app on your mobile device and logged in to your account with a tolino bookseller. The tolino app automatically synchronizes your eBook and audiobook library via the tolino cloud, giving you immediate access to your collection in the app.

All eBooks and audiobooks you purchase from your tolino bookseller’s shop are automatically stored safely on the tolino cloud, allowing you to access them whenever you need to from your local eReader (in this case the tolino app). Of course, you can also upload eBooks directly into the tolino cloud via our tolino webreader or the tolino app – these eBooks are then available for download on other devices in the tolino ecosystem.

If you would like to download content from the tolino cloud, simply tap on the cloud icon in the top-right corner of a cover. The tolino app will begin the download automatically.

Please note:
All titles and documents stored in the tolino cloud are available on up to five different devices. If, for example, you start reading a book on your tolino eReader, you can pick up where you left off in the free tolino app on your smartphone, tablet or PC. All you need to do to synchronize your progress is to make sure that your eReaders are connected to the internet and you are logged in to the same account.

You can download the tolino app for free onto your mobile device from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.

The content of eBooks is always the same as the printed books. The page number displayed in the online shop is based on an average font size and therefore serves as a rough estimate. It may be the case that fewer pages are displayed than in the printed book, but the eBook is, of course, still available in full.

Unfortunately, the new version of the tolino app no longer supports titles checked out from your local library/Onleihe, as the copyright protection often caused serious errors. Please use the Onleihe app or the Adobe Digital Editions app for rentable titles. For further information, please refer to the FAQ: https://mytolino.de/service/faq-onleihe/

Books featuring interactive elements are often large in size. It takes time to load them in the app. Before you can read a book, it has to be unpacked and loaded from the device memory into the main memory. This process takes a little time, especially with larger books.