Microsoft Reader
E-book software
title: "Microsoft Reader" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["discontinued-microsoft-software", "pocket-pc-software", "electronic-publishing", "document-viewers", "ebooks"] description: "E-book software" topic_path: "general/discontinued-microsoft-software" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Reader" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary E-book software ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox software"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Microsoft Reader (E-book app) |
| logo | Microsoft Reader.png |
| logo size | 300px |
| released | |
| discontinued | yes |
| latest release version | 2.1.1 (Windows 98, NT 4.0, 2000, Me, XP) 2.6.1 (Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, Windows Vista (with Origami Experience Pack or Touch Pack)) |
| 2.4.2 (Windows Mobile 6) | |
| developer | Microsoft |
| operating system | Windows |
| genre | E-book reader |
| license | Proprietary freeware |
| :: |
| name = Microsoft Reader (E-book app) | logo = Microsoft Reader.png | logo size = 300px | released = | discontinued = yes | latest release version = 2.1.1 (Windows 98, NT 4.0, 2000, Me, XP) 2.6.1 (Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, Windows Vista (with Origami Experience Pack or Touch Pack)) 2.4.2 (Windows Mobile 6) | latest release date = | developer = Microsoft | operating system = Windows | genre = E-book reader | license = Proprietary freeware | website = | name = Microsoft Reader (Document app) | logo = | logo size = | released = | discontinued = yes | latest release version = | latest release date = | developer = Microsoft | operating system = Windows (8/8.1/10), Windows 10 Mobile | genre = Document viewer | license = Proprietary freeware | website = Microsoft Reader is a discontinued Microsoft application for reading e-books, first released in August 2000, that used its own .LIT format. It was available for Windows computers and Pocket PC PDAs. The name was also used later for an unrelated application for reading PDF and XPS files, first released with Windows 8 - this app was discontinued in 2018.
E-book Reader
| name = Microsoft Reader file format | icon = | logo = | screenshot = | caption = | extension = .lit | mime = | type code = | uniform type = | magic = | owner = Microsoft | released = | latest release version = 2.4.1 | latest release date = | genre = | container for = | contained by = | extended from = .chm | extended to = | standard = No | url = The e-book reader was available for download from Microsoft as a free application for computers running Windows and on PDAs running Pocket PC, where it has been built into the ROM since Windows CE 3.0. Microsoft Reader was compatible with Windows Mobile, but was not supported on newer Windows Phone 7 devices.
Microsoft Reader displays books in the .LIT (shortened from "literature") format, an extension of the Microsoft Compressed HTML Help format to include DRM. These e-books can be purchased and downloaded from online stores.
The notable features of Microsoft Reader are ClearType for increased readability on small screens, highlighting and doodling designed for quick note-taking, text notes, and searching. The PC version also has an optional plug-in for text-to-speech, enabling books to be read out loud.
Companies such as Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com partnered with Microsoft to provide books in the format when released in 2000.
In August 2011, Microsoft announced they were discontinuing both Microsoft Reader and the use of the .lit format for ebooks at the end of August 2012, and ending sales of the format on November 8, 2011.
Compatibility
::data[format=table]
| Operating systems | Latest version | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 95 | 1.5 | 2000-08-08 |
| Windows NT 4.0, 98, 2000, Me | 2.1.1 | 2003-06-26 |
| Windows XP, 2003, Vista (with Origami Experience Pack or Touch Pack), Home Server, 2008 | 2.6.1 | 2007-07-10 |
| Pocket PC 2000 | 1.0 (in ROM) | 2000-04-19 |
| Pocket PC 2002 | 2.4 | 2005-03-24 |
| Windows Mobile 2003, 2003 SE, 5.0 | 2.4.1 | 2005-11-23 |
| Windows Mobile 6.0, 6.1 | 2.4.2 | 2009-09-10 |
| :: |
Copy protection
Books accessible by Reader can be protected, or unprotected, only allowing access to protected books if the user has activated the software. This can be accomplished by registering using their Passport account. Only six Reader installations can be activated per account, after which, Microsoft requires the user to request further activations.
Creating .LIT files
Read in Microsoft Reader is an add-on, available from Microsoft, that can be used with Microsoft Word (versions 2000, 2002 and 2003) to create .LIT extension e-books. This software is not fully compatible with Office 2007.
Version history
Desktop
::data[format=table]
| Version | Operating systems | Release date | Major changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 | Windows 95, NT 4, 98, 2000, Me | 2000-08-08 | |
| 2.0 | Windows NT 4, 98, 2000, Me, XP | 2001-10-03 | |
| Supports premium eBooks | |||
| 2.5 | Windows XP | 2002-06-25 | |
| Pen and Ink features | |||
| 2.1.1 | Windows NT 4, 98, 2000, Me, XP | 2003-06-26 | |
| 2.6 | Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, Vista Ultimate Edition (with Origami Experience Pack or Touch Pack) | 2007-07-09 | |
| Security and performance updates | |||
| :: |
Pocket PC
::data[format=table]
| Version | Operating systems | Release date | Major changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Windows Mobile 2000 | 2000-04-19 | |
| 2.0 | Windows Mobile 2002 | 2001-10-03 | |
| Major overhaul | |||
| Supports premium eBooks | |||
| 2.2.1 | Windows Mobile 2002, 2003 | N/A | |
| 2.2.2 | 2003 | Compatible with Windows Mobile 2003 | |
| 2.2.3 | 2004-02-04 | Fixes activation problems | |
| 2.3 | Windows Mobile 2002, 2003, 2003 SE | 2004-07-13 | Compatible with Windows Mobile 2003 SE |
| 2.4 | 2005-03-24 | ||
| 2.4.1 | Windows Mobile 2003, 2003 SE, 5, 6.0 | 2005-11-23 | |
| 2.4.2 | Windows Mobile 2003, 2003 SE, 5, 6.0, 6.1 | 2009-09-10 | |
| :: |
Read in Microsoft Reader
::data[format=table]
| Version | Operating systems | Release date | Major changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Windows NT 4, 98, 2000, Me, XP | 2001-09-04 | |
| 1.1.3 | Windows NT 4, 98, 2000, Me, XP, 2003, Vista, Home Server, 2008 | 2006-02-21 | |
| :: |
Software Development Kit
::data[format=table]
| Version | Operating systems | Release date | Major changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 | Windows NT 4, 98, 2000, Me, XP, 2003, Vista, Home Server, 2008 | 2001-10-04 | |
| :: |
Text to Speech
::data[format=table]
| Version | Operating systems | Release date | Major changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Windows NT 4, 98, 2000, Me, XP, 2003, Home Server | 2005-05-19 | |
| :: |
Third party
Notable third-party apps and tools to convert and read MS .LIT format on various devices include:
- Calibre; an open source e-book library manager that runs on many environments; it can convert .LIT format files
- Lexcycle Stanza (discontinued); a freeware program for reading eBooks; can read .LIT format, supports iOS.
Document viewer
In 2012, Microsoft released a Microsoft Reader Metro-style app with Windows 8 for reading documents in PDF, XPS and TIFF formats. Reader was included in Windows 8.1 and was a free download from the Windows Store for Windows 10. Support for Windows 10 Mobile ended in 2016 in favor of opening PDF documents within the [Microsoft Edge Legacy] browser. Microsoft discontinued the application in February 2018, as PDF reading functionality was moved to Edge [Legacy] on desktops as well.
References
References
- (2000-04-19). "Rugged Handhelds and PDAs". Rugged PC Review.com.
- (2009). "Handbook of Data Compression". Springer.
- "B&N, RH and S&S in deal with Microsoft | the Bookseller".
- (2005-10-12). "Microsoft Reader".
- (2004-08-31). "Download details: Word 2002/2000 Add-in: Read in Microsoft Reader 1.1".
- (23 August 2025). "Microsoft to end PDF Reader development, wants you to use Edge - OnMSFT.com".
- Waghray, akshay. (2017-11-21). "Microsoft to discontinue its PDF Reader App in February 2018".
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::