Kobo e-readers officially adopt Instapaper as Pocket (RIP) fades into memory

Pocket’s days are officially over on Kobo eReaders, and everywhere else. Now, Instapaper is stepping in to fill the void. As Android Authority pointed out, a new software update is rolling out across Kobo’s lineup, replacing Mozilla’s now-retired read-it-later service with Instapaper, a tool that’s been around for well over a decade and still does one thing really well: save articles and strip them down for a clean, offline reading experience.

What the update brings

Alas, poor Pocket. I knew it well, Horatio

Depending on your Kobo device, you’ll see firmware version 4.38.23429 (on older models) or 4.43.23418 (on newer hardware like the Clara BW, Clara Colour, and Libra Colour). Instapaper support is the headliner here, and frankly, the only headliner. If you were hoping for fresh annotation features or stylus improvements, you’re out of luck this round.

The integration itself works much like Pocket did before it. After updating, Kobo owners should find Instapaper under the “More Articles” tab, though some users have reported needing to restart their devices before the option appeared. Setup is painless: scan a QR code, sign in, and you’re ready to start syncing saved articles straight to your Kobo.

Rollout details vary

As usual with Kobo’s staggered releases, not everyone is seeing the update at the same time. Reports from Reddit suggest the firmware is showing up region by region, with some devices lagging behind. On my Libra Colour in Hawaii, for instance, the update didn’t appear until August 27.

If you haven’t gotten it yet, you can try manually checking in Settings > Device information > Check for updates. Once it lands, a splash screen will make it clear: Pocket is gone, Instapaper is in.

Making the switch is easy as pie

The transition should be smooth for most users. Instapaper offers migration tools so Pocket veterans can export their saved articles and import them into the new service. The workflow stays largely the same: save content from the web, sync, and read without distractions. What changes is the flavor. Pocket leaned more into curation and discovery in recent years, while Instapaper has stuck to minimalism. For Kobo’s stripped-down, e-ink ethos, that may actually be the better fit.

This update is less about expanding Kobo’s feature set and more about ensuring the basics still work after Pocket’s shutdown. If you rely on your eReader for catching up on longform articles, Instapaper integration is a welcome (and necessary) evolution — even if it’s the only new trick in this firmware.