Excello Reader
HELP / FREQUENTLY ASKED

Frequently asked questions.

Short answers to the things people actually ask about Excello Reader.

Why does Excello Reader sound robotic? How can I improve the reading quality?

The default iOS voice is built for spoken alerts, not for chapters. Apple's Premium and Enhanced voices are recorded by real people and processed on-device, they breathe between sentences, soften consonants, and hold a thought across a paragraph.

Once you install a Premium voice in iOS Settings, Excello Reader picks it up automatically.

How to install a Premium voice in Excello Reader

How do I import an FB2 or MOBI book on iOS?

On iOS, the in-app file picker only shows EPUB, PDF, TXT, and Markdown files. Apple's file system identifies file types by UTI (uniform type identifier), and there is no standard UTI for FB2 or MOBI, so those files appear greyed-out in the picker.

The workaround: open the Files app, long-press the FB2 or MOBI file, tap Share, and choose Excello Reader from the share sheet. The book imports the same way it would have through the picker.

On Android and macOS, the in-app picker supports all formats Excello Reader handles, so this workaround is iOS-only.

Why does sync only work on Wi-Fi?

Excello Reader syncs your reading progress and bookmarks directly between your own devices over your local network. There is no Excello Digital server in the middle, and no account is required.

Both devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi network. On a phone, that means leaving cellular data off won't help, you need Wi-Fi specifically, because devices discover each other via local-network broadcast.

My other device isn't showing up in sync, what's wrong?

Devices announce themselves on the local network and discovery can take a few seconds on a slow Wi-Fi.

Checklist:

  • Both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network.
  • Both devices are unlocked with Excello Reader open in the foreground.
  • Local network permission is granted to Excello Reader (iOS prompts the first time you try to sync, if you tapped Don't Allow, re-enable it in Settings → Excello Reader → Local Network).
  • Give it ten to fifteen seconds. On busy networks, discovery is slower.

Does Excello Reader keep playing when I lock my phone?

Yes. Background audio is supported.

Playback is controllable from the lock screen, Control Center (iOS and macOS), and the notification shade (Android). Pause and play, skip sentence forward and back, and switch voice all work without unlocking the device.