
Apple Books provides Mac users with a convenient way to manage their eBooks, PDFs, and audiobooks. However, can you find your downloaded Apple books or audiobooks on your Mac? Not so easy, right? Whether you're looking to back up your Apple Books library, transfer files to another device, or simply explore where the app stores its data, this article explains the file locations for different types of content in Apple Books.
1.Where are Apple eBooks and PDFs stored on Mac?
When you add eBooks or PDFs to Apple Books or download purchased books from the Apple Book Store, they are stored in a specific folder.
Path:
~/Library/Containers/com.apple.BKAgentService/Data/Documents/iBooks/Books
2.Where are Apple Audiobooks stored on Mac?
Audiobooks purchased through Apple Books are generally managed by the Music app, but if you manually import audiobooks into Apple Books, they are stored in a different location.
Path:
~/Library/Containers/com.apple.BKAgentService/Data/Documents/iBooks/Audiobooks
2.Where are Apple Annotations, Bookmarks, and Notes stored on Mac?
Apple Books allows users to highlight text, create bookmarks, and write notes while reading. These annotations are stored separately.
~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iBooksX/Data/Documents/AEAnnotation
~/Library/Containers/com.apple.BKAgentService/Data/Documents/iBooks/Audiobooks
Inside this folder, you’ll find database files that store all your notes, highlights, and bookmarks. While you can't directly edit these files without specialized tools, they can be useful for advanced users who want to back up or export their annotations.
4. How to navigate to to default location of the Apple books, audiobooks and annotations?
- 1. Open Finder.
- 2. Press Cmd + Shift + G to open the "Go to Folder" dialog.
- 3. Paste the path above and hit Enter. This folder contains files for ebooks, audiobooks and annotations will appear.
Another thing I should mention is that the folder storing Apple books is hidden. To reveal it, simply press Cmd + Shift + G to show all hidden files on your Mac.
5. Why Are the Files Stored in the Library Folder?
Apple uses the ~/Library directory to store user-specific app data, ensuring that each user account on a Mac has its own isolated set of files. The Containers folder specifically relates to sandboxed applications, which enhances security by preventing apps from accessing data outside their designated container.
6. Troubleshooting Missing Files
If you can't find your books or PDFs in the specified directories, you can follow the following method to fix it.
Ensure that the files were downloaded to your Mac. In some cases, only metadata is stored locally, and the actual book resides in iCloud until you download it.
Open Apple Books and check if the content is listed under "All Books".
Try re-downloading the missing files by clicking the cloud icon next to the book.
Conclusion
Exploring where Apple Books stores its files on your Mac can help you manage your eBook collection more effectively. Whether you're backing up your library or transferring files, knowing the correct file paths ensures you have full control over your digital reading experience. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily locate your Apple Books content.

Iris Yan has been a passionate member of Epubor since 2017. Her mission is to enhance your ebook reading experience by sharing insightful tips and tricks. Join her on a journey towards reading excellence today!