Frequently Asked Questions

Reading Tracker is a free, web-based application that helps you organize and track your reading journey. You can create lists of books you want to read, are currently reading, and have completed. The app allows you to add detailed information about each book including author, genre, ratings, notes, and reading progress. Best of all, you can export your entire reading list as a PDF document to keep offline or share with others.

No account is required! Book Tracker PDF works entirely in your browser and stores all your data locally on your device. This means you can start tracking your books immediately without signing up, and your reading data remains private and under your control.

Adding a book is simple:

• Click the "Add Book" button at the top of the dashboard
• Fill in the book details (title and author are required)
• Choose the reading status: To Be Read, Currently Reading, or Completed
• Optionally add genre, pages, rating, notes, and other details
• Click "Add Book" to save

You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+N (or Cmd+N on Mac) to quickly open the add book dialog.

Yes! Book Tracker PDF is fully responsive and works seamlessly on smartphones and tablets. The interface adapts to smaller screens while maintaining all functionality. You can add, edit, and manage your books on the go, and your data syncs automatically through your browser's local storage.

Reading Tracker allows you to track comprehensive information about each book:

• Basic Info: Title, author, genre
• Reading Status: To Be Read, Currently Reading, or Completed
• Progress: Total pages and current page (for books you're reading)
• Dates: Start date and end date
• Rating: 1 to 5 stars (for completed books)
• Priority: Low, medium, or high (for books to read)
• Notes: Your thoughts, favorite quotes, or any other details
• Cover Image: URL to the book's cover

Books are automatically organized into three lists based on their status:

• To Be Read: Your reading wishlist or TBR pile. Books here are sorted by priority.
• Currently Reading: Books you're actively reading. Shows progress bars if you've entered page numbers.
• Completed: Books you've finished. You can add ratings and detailed notes for these books.

You can easily move books between lists by changing their status, or by dragging and dropping them into different sections.

Yes! Click the "Set Goal" button to set your yearly reading target. The dashboard will display your progress toward this goal, showing what percentage of your target you've completed. This feature helps keep you motivated and on track with your reading habits.

The search bar lets you quickly find books by title, author, or genre. As you type, the book lists automatically filter to show only matching results. You can also filter by genre using the dropdown menu. Use Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F on Mac) to jump directly to the search box.

You can switch between different views using the tabs:

• All Books: Shows all three lists side by side
• To Be Read: Shows only your reading wishlist
• Currently Reading: Shows only books in progress
• Completed: Shows only finished books

This helps you focus on specific parts of your reading journey.

All your data is stored locally in your browser using local storage. This means your book data never leaves your device and remains completely private. However, it also means your data is tied to the specific browser and device you're using. If you clear your browser data or use a different device, you'll need to import your data backup.

To export your reading list as a PDF:

• Click the "Export to PDF" button in the controls section
• The app will generate a comprehensive PDF report including all your books organized by status
• The PDF includes statistics, book details, ratings, and notes
• The file will automatically download to your device

You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+P (or Cmd+P on Mac) to quickly export.

Yes! Click "Export Data" to download a JSON backup file containing all your books and settings. This file can be imported later to restore your data. We recommend creating regular backups, especially before:

• Clearing your browser data
• Switching to a different browser or device
• Resetting the app
• Making major changes to your library

To transfer your data to a new device or browser:

• On your old device, click "Export Data" to download your backup file
• Transfer the JSON file to your new device (via email, cloud storage, etc.)
• On your new device, open Book Tracker PDF
• Click "Import Data" and select your backup file
• Confirm the import when prompted

Your entire reading library will be restored, including all books, ratings, notes, and settings.

If you clear your browser's cache and cookies, your Book Tracker PDF data will be permanently deleted. This is why we strongly recommend exporting regular backups using the "Export Data" feature. If you've created a backup, you can easily restore your data by importing it back into the app.

The "Reset Data" button allows you to delete all your books and start fresh. For safety, this button is only enabled after you've exported a PDF backup. To reset:

• First, click "Export to PDF" to create a backup
• The "Reset Data" button will become active
• Click "Reset Data" and confirm the action
• All your data will be permanently deleted

Warning: This action cannot be undone unless you have a data backup to import.

If your books have disappeared, it's likely due to one of these reasons:

• Browser data was cleared (cookies/cache)
• You're using a different browser or incognito/private mode
• You're accessing the site from a different device

If you have a backup file, you can restore your data by clicking "Import Data" and selecting your backup. If you don't have a backup, unfortunately the data cannot be recovered. This is why we recommend regular exports.

If PDF export fails, try these solutions:

• Check your internet connection (the PDF library loads from a CDN)
• Refresh the page and try again
• Try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)
• Disable browser extensions that might block downloads
• Check if your browser allows pop-ups and downloads from the site

If problems persist, you can still export your data as JSON and view it in a text editor.

Reading Tracker doesn't automatically sync across devices since data is stored locally in your browser. However, you can manually transfer your data between devices by:

• Exporting your data on one device
• Transferring the backup file (via email, cloud storage, USB, etc.)
• Importing it on your other device

For the best experience across multiple devices, we recommend exporting and importing your data regularly to keep them in sync.

If the app feels sluggish:

• Try refreshing the page
• Close other browser tabs to free up memory
• Clear your browser cache (but note this will delete your data unless you have a backup)
• Update your browser to the latest version
• Try using a different browser

The app works best with modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.

If the edit or delete buttons aren't working:

• Refresh the page and try again
• Make sure JavaScript is enabled in your browser
• Clear your browser cache and reload
• Check if you're using an outdated browser

If the issue persists, try exporting your data, refreshing the page, and importing it back.

Partially. Once the page has loaded, most features work offline since data is stored locally. However, you need an internet connection for:

• Loading the page initially
• Exporting to PDF (requires the jsPDF library)
• Loading external fonts and icons

Adding, editing, and viewing books works completely offline after the initial page load.

Reading Tracker works on all modern browsers including:

• Google Chrome (recommended)
• Mozilla Firefox
• Safari (desktop and mobile)
• Microsoft Edge
• Opera
• Brave

For the best experience, please use the latest version of your browser. Internet Explorer is not supported.

Import files must be in JSON format and created by Book Tracker PDF's "Export Data" feature. The file should have a .json extension and contain your books array and reading goal data. If you're getting an error:

• Make sure you're uploading the correct file
• Check that the file wasn't corrupted during transfer
• Ensure the file is in JSON format (not PDF or other formats)
• Don't manually edit the JSON file unless you know the correct structure

Yes! Reading Tracker is completely free to use with no hidden costs, subscriptions, or premium features. All features are available to everyone at no charge.

Absolutely. Your reading data is stored entirely on your device using browser local storage. We don't have servers that collect or store your personal information. Your book lists, notes, and ratings never leave your device unless you explicitly export them.

Yes! You can export your reading list as a PDF and share it with friends, book clubs, or on social media. The PDF provides a clean, professional-looking document of all your books organized by reading status.

Yes! Here are the available keyboard shortcuts:

• Ctrl+N (or Cmd+N on Mac) - Add new book
• Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F on Mac) - Focus search box
• Ctrl+P (or Cmd+P on Mac) - Export to PDF
• Escape - Close modal dialogs

Yes! Reading Tracker works for any type of book - physical books, ebooks, audiobooks, or any other format. Simply add the book and track your progress as you normally would. You can use the notes field to specify the format if you'd like.

There's no hard limit on the number of books you can track. However, browser local storage typically has a limit of around 5-10MB depending on the browser. This is enough for thousands of books with detailed information. If you have a very large library, we recommend periodic exports to keep your data safe.

We're always looking to improve Reading Tracker based on user feedback. Cloud sync is a feature we're considering for future updates. For now, the export/import functionality provides a reliable way to move your data between devices while maintaining your privacy.

Currently, the app comes with a predefined list of common genres (Fiction, Non-Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Biography, History, Self-Help). While you can't add custom genres in the current version, you can use the notes field to add more specific categories or tags for your books.