Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I modify my Kobo?

It's completely up to you. I find myself unsatisfied with what Kobo offers by default, so I enjoy having the ability to tinker with my device. Note that some of the options on this page are not really considered be actual modifications, since they are already features that exist on every Kobo without the intervention of custom software.

How safe is this?

Anything on this website that is considered to be dangerous will be accompanied wtih a severe warning that will tell you if there is a tangible risk of permanently breaking the device. In most cases, software issues can be resolved by a factory reset.

If you have a Kobo with soldered memory, you should make occasional backups to lessen data loss should something bad occur. Make a backup before doing anything that could require a factory reset in the event that something goes wrong (for example, modifying your Kobo eReader.conf or installing a new kobopatch).

How do I un-modify my device (to send it in for repairs/etc)?

Every page on this guide includes uninstall instructions. If you want to remove everything at once, a factory reset will generally do the trick.

Does Kobo know about people doing this? Do they care?

For sure. They even maintain a public GitHub repository to comply with open source licenses that the Kobo firmware uses. If they actively cared about people modifying their devices, they would have attempted to stop it with updates like Amazon has (granted, it would probably be more difficult since Kobos can be downgraded by factory resetting).

This does not mean that your warranty is unaffected, though. Per the limited warranty, "This Limited Warranty described herein does not cover... damage or malfunctions caused by third-party products including... software, downloaded data or materials...". While a factory reset is likely to remove all traces of any modifications, nothing is guaranteed. Assume that your warranty is void as soon as you modify your device.

My Kobo modification setup via Kobo Start Menu / fmon / KoboLauncher / Night Mode patch / whatever already works. Should I upgrade?

It's up to you. If your setup already works and you don't plan on modifying it, then nothing will happen as long as you maintain the status quo (that also means no updates to the software you are running, whether Kobo or custom). It's worth noting that only modern setups based on NickelMenu/KFMon are likely to receive community support, both from the developers and from people who casually install modifications.

You should be able to clear your old setup with a factory reset, but verify with whatever threads you got your modifications from just in case.