Glimshelf Guide — Learn the app

Start here

Bring the library you already have.

Glimshelf works directly with Komga, Kavita, OPDS catalogs, and folders on your device. There is no Glimshelf account to create and no separate cloud library to upload.

1
Add a source
Open Settings, choose Manage Servers, then add your server type or a local folder.
2
Use the server's base address
Enter its HTTPS address and your server credentials. Glimshelf stores credentials in Apple Keychain.
3
Run the checks
Connection Doctor separates address, certificate, sign-in, and API problems so setup does not become guesswork.
4
Let the first sync finish
Glimshelf brings in metadata and covers while your actual books remain on the source until you read or download them.

Good security practice

Use HTTPS, keep server software current, and never send credentials or certificate fingerprints to someone who does not administer your server.

Settings · Actual development build

Library & search

Find a book without remembering where it lives.

Home keeps your current book and recent additions close. Library switches between series and individual books, while Search looks across the sources you connected.

Resume from Home.The reading card returns to the saved page, including progress that is still waiting to sync.
Change the library scope.Use Series or Books, then sort and filter to narrow a large collection.
Search by title.Results distinguish a series from its individual books, so “Phantom Lady” can lead to the shelf or a specific volume.
Open a series.Review its books, continue reading, or prepare multiple books for offline use.
Fix sparse metadata.Choose Edit or match metadata, then Match Online. Glimshelf ranks exact title records first and waits for you to choose; it does not silently replace a server library's metadata.

What the matching screen means

These are candidate records from AniList and Open Library—not changes already made. Automatic enrichment is limited to local files and only applies a high-confidence match. You can always review a title manually, and a result without the right book or cover should be left unapplied.

Glimshelf Phantom Lady series view with a proper cover and four books — Series · Actual Kavita library

Glimshelf Match Online results ranking exact Phantom Lady title records ahead of an alternate-title match — Match Online · Review before applying

Reading

The controls leave when the page begins.

Tap the center of a page to show or hide controls. Use the edge of the screen to turn pages, or drag the thumbnail strip when you need to move farther.

Choose the right motion.Paged, Webtoon, and Double Page modes cover comics, manga, and continuous vertical reading.
Respect the original direction.Switch between left-to-right and right-to-left without renaming files.
Fit the art.Adjust scaling and background for the page and display in front of you.
Keep a place worth returning to.Bookmark a page from the reader. Bookmarks and notes across devices are planned for Pro.

Pepper & Carrot in the Glimshelf reader with controls and page thumbnails visible — Reader controls · Tap the page center

Glimshelf Reader Settings showing Paged, Webtoon, and Double Page modes — Reader settings · Modes and direction

Pepper & Carrot in double-page mode on iPad with reader controls visible — Double Page on iPad · Actual development buildPepper & Carrot by David Revoy · CC BY 4.0

Offline & sync

Leave the network. Keep the book.

Download individual books before a trip, or open Downloads to see what is queued, active, complete, or needs attention. Free includes 25 offline books; Pro is planned to remove that cap and add automation and storage controls.

1
Open a series
Choose a book's download action. Pro's planned tools can download a series or automatically keep the next book ready.
2
Watch Downloads
The queue reports live progress. A failed transfer stays visible instead of pretending the book is available.
3
Read normally
Your device records progress immediately. When the source returns, queued updates sync in order.
4
Resolve, don't overwrite
If two devices disagree, Glimshelf surfaces the conflict and lets you choose the correct position.

Phantom Lady series in Glimshelf with series and individual download controls — Series · Download controls

Phantom Lady Volume 2 in Glimshelf with resume and download controls — Book · Resume or keep offline

Lists & orders

Organize by story, not storage.

The Lists hub brings together server reading lists, rule-based collections, categories, story orders, bookmarks, and notes. Reading Orders are planned for Pro.

Reading ListsKeep deliberate sequences from compatible servers.
Smart CollectionsBuild planned rule-based groups that update as your library changes.
Reading OrdersImport and export CBL files, browse community guides, and move across series in story order.
Honest matchingReview any title Glimshelf cannot match; nothing is silently dropped from an imported order.

Glimshelf Lists hub — Lists · One organizing hub

Glimshelf Reading Orders screen with manga and comic guide options — Reading Orders · Planned for Pro

Settings & privacy

Your settings should be understandable—and portable.

Glimshelf has no developer-operated account. Your device connects to the sources you choose, server credentials stay in Keychain, and portable backup export and import are part of Free rather than an exit fee.

Manage ServersAdd, inspect, reconnect, or remove a source from one place.
Local LibraryGrant folder access and optionally enrich local-file metadata.
Profiles & app lockSeparate reading contexts and protect the app without putting privacy behind Pro.
Backup & restoreExport and import your portable Glimshelf data. Keep the backup somewhere you control.

What Nimblor receives

Glimshelf does not send Nimblor a copy of your library, reading history, or server credentials.

Compare Free and Pro

Glimshelf Settings showing server management, local metadata enrichment, profiles, and sync controls — Settings · Your sources, on your device

Make yourselfat home.