The Calibre OPDS reader for iPhone, iPad and Mac

You run Calibre Content Server to share your comics library at home, and you want a real reader on your iPhone, iPad and Mac instead of the built in browser viewer. Panels is that client. Point it at your server's OPDS feed, sign in, and your library shows up with a native reader, offline downloads and reading progress that stays in step across all your Apple devices.

Connects to Calibre Content Server, not the desktop app

Panels talks to Calibre Content Server, the OPDS serving piece of Calibre that you start with calibre-server or from the desktop app's Connect/share menu. The Calibre desktop manager on its own is not a server, so it does not appear on the network. Once Content Server is running and reachable, Panels signs in and reads your library from its OPDS feed.

Cross device progress without a Calibre progress API

Calibre Content Server does not expose a progress endpoint, so rather than fake it or lose your place, Panels syncs reading progress through its own servers with a free Panels account. Start a book on iPhone in the morning, pick it up on iPad in the evening, finish it on Mac at night, and Panels keeps the page in step across every Apple device you sign in on.

Panels does not write back to Calibre

Because there is no Calibre progress API to write to, Panels does not touch Calibre's state. Calibre keeps managing the library, and Panels handles the cross device reading state on top of it. No risk of Panels overwriting anything you set in Calibre itself.

HTTPS, authentication and self signed certs

Calibre Content Server often lives behind a reverse proxy, a Tailscale tunnel or an internal CA. Panels handles HTTPS, basic auth and self signed certificates, and lets you trust a certificate on a per server basis, so the setup you already have keeps working without disabling TLS or weakening it.

Frequently asked questions

Does it actually work with Calibre Content Server?
Yes. Panels connects to Calibre Content Server, the OPDS serving component of Calibre that you start with calibre-server or from the desktop app's Connect/share menu. The Calibre desktop manager by itself is not a server and does not expose a feed, so make sure Content Server is running and reachable before you point Panels at it.
Why do I need a Panels account to sync reading progress?
Calibre Content Server does not expose a progress API. Komga and Kavita do, so for those servers Panels writes progress back to the server itself. Calibre does not, and rather than pretend or lose your place between devices, Panels syncs progress through its own cloud with a free Panels account. The account is only used for cross device progress, not for hosting your library.
Will Panels write reading progress back to Calibre?
No. Calibre Content Server does not have a progress endpoint to write to, so Panels does not touch Calibre's state. Instead, Panels keeps progress between your iPhone, iPad and Mac in sync through its own servers, using your free Panels account. Calibre keeps managing the library, and Panels handles the cross device reading state on top of it.
I run Calibre Content Server over HTTPS with a self signed certificate. Will that work?
Yes. Panels handles HTTPS, basic auth and self signed certificates, and you can trust a certificate on a per server basis. That covers the common case of a Calibre Content Server behind a reverse proxy with an internal CA, or fronted by a service like Tailscale or Caddy with its own cert.
Where is the setup guide?
The full Calibre setup guide covers starting Content Server, the OPDS URL format, authentication and troubleshooting. Read the Calibre setup guide

Ready to point Panels at your Calibre library?

Panels is free to try on iPhone, iPad and Mac.

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