So You Want a Working Kobo Mini in 2026

A Brief History 

Long before pocket-sized e-readers became so famed as they are today, there was the Kobo Mini. It came out all the way back in 2012. While there were pocket e-readers which came before it, notably the Sony PRS-300 from 2009, I believe that the sleek, 5'' design made way for modern pocket e-readers like the Xteink, Boox, and Palma line-ups. 

Here is a picture of my own Kobo Mini, if you're interested in seeing what I mean: 

It actually looks like an e-reader! Unlike, say, it's predecessor, the Sony PRS-300:

See? (I genuinely had to double check it was an e-reader when I looked it up.)

While the design of the Kobo Mini may have held up, there has been a noticeable advancement in technology since 2012. The Kobo Mini got discontinued in 2014 so there is no longer any official support from Rakuten Kobo for it. To make matters worse, if you're buying it second-hand, unused, then it will not work straight out of the box. 

Thankfully, all is not lost! The Kobo Mini can still be a functional e-reader with a few extra steps I detail below.

The Problem in 2026

Now, here is where we take a look at those pesky problems I mentioned earlier. As sleek as the Kobo Mini looks, the technology still dates back to 2012. When I first got my second hand Kobo Mini, I had a minor heart-attack trying to get it to work for the first time. Why?

1. After plugging it in, the Mini prompts you to go to a website which no longer exists.

2. If you do manage to download the software it asks you to, the Mini can't connect to modern Wifi.

3. You can't set up your Mini without Wifi.

All is not lost, however! If you recently got a Kobo Mini and you're stuck on how to get it to work, you've come to the right place. 

How to Get Your Kobo Mini to Work in 2026

Let's get straight to it. Here are step-by-step instructions to guide you through the process.

1. Charge your Kobo Mini up first and foremost.

2. Charging it brings up a screen which asks whether you want to set up your device over a computer connection or over Wifi. Click the 'set up the device over the computer' option.

3. Plug your Kobo Mini into your computer with the cable that came in the box. If you do not have a cable, any USB-C plug which can transfer information will do. The Mini will prompt you to go to a website download the Kobo Desktop App. Ignore it.

4. Download the Kobo Glo (not Glo HD) firmware 4.38.23171 from THIS link. You will have to click 'other versions' to find it. Do NOT choose the most recent firmware! There are some known issues where the newest one causes the Mini to freeze on the updating screen.

5. Leave your Mini plugged in as it downloads. Once it is finished downloading, find that download on your computer's file system. Right click on the file and press extract. Click on the Kobo Folder, which should have appeared in your file system, and then extract it to the .kobo folder within that folder. This is a CRUCIAL step. You MUST extract it to the .kobo folder.

6. Once its finished extracting, eject your Kobo Mini and let it update. It takes ~10 minutes or so. The first part of the update looks fine, but the second part looks mildly terrifying. You will just have to wait it out.

Congrats! You're pretty much done! Your Kobo Mini is completely useable now. If you'd like to update it to a more recent Glo update, you are now free to do that. 

Final Words

Thank you for sticking around to read this post! I love my Kobo Mini. It's a cherished other-half to my Kobo Libra Colour. I sincerely hope that this helps you set up your Kobo Mini so you too can have a wonderful reading experience on the go.