On June 24, 2024, support for the NOOK Color and NOOK Tablet, released in 2010 and 2011 respectively, was discontinued. As of June 2024, the following functions are no longer available on the devices listed above:
- Purchasing new content
- Registering with a bn.com account
- Signing in using a NOOK account
Now that these functions have been removed, the NOOK Color and NOOK Tablet can be used to access the internet using the device's web browser and read any content downloaded to the device before June 24, 2024. Below are some instructions and troubleshooting to support these devices.
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Locate Serial Number
Physically printed on the device
- Turn your NOOK over so the screen is facing down.
- Locate the covered microSD card slot labeled "NOOK" in the lower right corner.
- Place your thumb between the slot and the curved bar and lift up to reveal your 16 digit serial number.
On the Device Settings page
- From the Home Screen tap the "n" button to access the Quick Nav Bar.
- Tap "Settings".
- On the settings page tap "Device Info."
- Tap “About Your NOOK."
This page will also list the owner’s name, e-mail address, software version, model number, and Wi-Fi MAC address.
On bn.com
If your NOOK is registered to a bn.com account, you can see the serial number on the bn.com NOOK Devices page when signed in to that account.
- Sign in to your bn.com account
- From your Account Dashboard, click My NOOK Devices in the left column under My NOOK Account
Your registered device(s) will be listed, showing the serial number, date registered, and several support links.
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Bypass Registration
This article lists the steps to follow to skip the Out of Box Experience (OOBE) and bypass device registration after the “Factory Screen” is accessed on the NOOK Color and NOOK Tablet.
To Access the Factory Screen:
When you first power the device on, you will be presented with a setup screen. An introduction video with Kate will be displayed along with options to play or skip the video.
While on the first setup screen, hold down the Volume Up button, tap the lower left of the screen, and then the lower right.
A green Factory button will appear in the lower left corner. Tap it to get to the factory screen.
The factory screen will display the NOOK’s Serial number, MAC Address, Manufactured Date, and additional information.
While on the Factory screen, tap the lower right corner of the screen while holding the Volume Up button.
A grey Skip Oobe button will now appear.
Tap the button to completely bypass the video, time zone, Wi-Fi and Barnes & Noble Registration process.
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Transfer Files
1. Using the custom microUSB cable provided with your NOOK, connect your NOOK to your computer. Use only the microUSB cable provided with your NOOK. Using any other cable might damage your NOOK. Please note that your NOOK must be unlocked for your computer to recognize it.
2. When you connect your NOOK to your personal computer, your NOOK will appear as a new removable drive on your personal computer. Drag the files you want to transfer onto this drive.
3. To organize the files, open the NOOK drive. You'll see several folders on your NOOK. Move your personal files in the My Files folder, which has specific sub-folders within it to further organize your files.
You should place Microsoft Office files, .txt files, and PDFs in the Documents folder.
You should place your music, such as MP3 files, in the Music folder.
You should place your pictures, such as .jpg and .png files, in the Photos folder.
4. When you have finished arranging files, eject the NOOK drive from your personal computer, then disconnect the NOOK microUSB cable.
To locate your files on your device:
Press the NOOK "n" button to bring up the Quick Nav bar.
Tap on Library.
Tap on My Stuff.
Tap on My Files.
NOOK Color/Tablet - Supported File Formats
eBooks
ePub (B&N DRM, Adobe DRM, and non-DRM files)
Other documents
PDF, TXT
Microsoft Office documents
DOC, DOCM, DOCX, XLS, XLSM, XLX, PPT, PPS, PPTM, PPSX, PPSM, PPTX
Music
MP3, MP4, WAV, AAC, MIDI, OGG, 3GP, AMR
Videos
MP4, 3GP, 3G2, M4V, MPEG-4 Simple Profile up to 854x480, H.263 up to 352x288, and H.264 Baseline profile up to 854x480
Pictures/Images
JPEG (JPG), GIF, PNG, BMP
NOOK Tablet only
eBooks: PDF, CBZ
Videos: MKV, WEBM, H.264 (Baseline/Main/High profile) up to 1920x1080, MPEG-4 Simple/Advanced Simple profile up to 1920x1080, & H.263
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Reading a PDF
You can read PDF files on your NOOK, including PagePerfect eBooks that are carefully rendered to recreate the design of their print versions.
The NOOK features for reading a PDF are similar to those for reading non-PDF eBooks, but with these differences:
You can zoom in on a page by double-tapping it. Double-tap on the page again to zoom out.
The Reading Tools for PDFs include a thumbnail viewer with miniature representations of pages. You can move quickly through the PDF by scrolling through the thumbnails and tapping on the thumbnail of the page you want to read next.
Because PDF files do not have reflowable text, you cannot change their fonts or page formats. The Reading Tools menu does not include the Text button that appears in the Reading Tools for other types of books.
When reading a PDF, you can rotate the screen to landscape position and view content in a 2-page format. (You can turn this feature on or off through a checkbox on the Reader Settings screen.)
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Memory Card Slot
You can add more storage to your NOOK by installing a standard microSD Memory card. The card fits into a covered slot in the back of your NOOK, next to the curved bar in the corner. A microSD Memory Card can hold up to 32 GB of books, magazines, newspapers, and other files. Once you have installed a microSD Card in your NOOK, you can access the files stored on the card through the My Files section of your Library.
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Reading Library Books
Once you have borrowed and downloaded an eBook from your Local Library and sideloaded it to your NOOK Tablet/NOOK Color using Adobe Digital Editions, you will then be able to read your title via the My Files section of your device’s library.
Most library eBooks that are in the ePub format should work on NOOK Tablet and NOOK Color. However, bn.com does not guarantee their compatibility.
Locating and Reading Library eBooks on NOOK Tablet and NOOK Color
1. Wake up and unlock your NOOK.
2. Tap the NOOK “n” button to access the Quick Nav Bar and then tap the Library icon.
3. Select My Files from the drop-down menu.
4. Tap the Digital Editions folder. Any Library eBooks sideloaded from Adobe Digital Editions should appear in this folder.
5. Once you have located the title you want to read, tap the cover/icon to open it. After you have access your Library Book for the first time, it should then appear in the Books tab of your NOOK’s Library. It will also appear on your NOOK’s home screen.
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Notes and Highlights
The Highlights and Notes feature on the NOOK Color and NOOK Tablet allows you to mark a specific word or section or text and highlight for later use or add a personal note. This article describes the process of creating a note or highlight, modifying and removing a note or highlight, and locating your notes and highlights after they have been created.
Creating Highlights and Notes
1. Open your eBook and determine where you would like to begin your highlight.
2. Press and hold on the first word of the section you would like to highlight until the word appears magnified above the text. You can drag your finger around to select a different word at this time to begin your highlighting from.
3. You can now tap the blue lines at the end of the word and drag them up, down, left, and right to highlight additional words. Once you have highlighted your desired text simply let go. If you tap outside of the section it will cancel your highlight and you will have to begin again.
4. You can now tap Highlight to highlight the text only.
5. If you would like to add a note tap Add Note.
6. When the pop screen appears, type your note in the appropriate field and tap Post when finished. Please note: there is a 512-character maximum for each note.
7. Once the note is completed, the text will automatically become highlighted, and a note icon will be displayed next to the highlighted word or paragraph.
Modifying a Note or Highlighted Section
1. After you have created a note or highlighted a word or section, tap the highlight to bring up a small menu.
2. From this menu you can change the color of the highlight by tapping one of the available colors.
3. You will also have the option to view the note, edit the note, remove the note, or remove the highlight. (Please note if you remove a highlight on a section with a note, it will also remove the note).
To View a List of Notes & Highlights You Created for an eBook
1. Quickly tap anywhere in the middle section of your eBook’s page. (Tapping the sides will cause the eBook page to change)
2. The blue Navigation Bar should appear at the bottom of your screen, tap Content.
3. Tap the Notes and Highlights tab.
a. This tab will display a preview of the highlighted section for each highlight or note created. You can also see what time the highlight or note was last edited and what page the highlight or note is on.
i. At the bottom of this tab you will have the option to delete all notes and highlights by tapping Clear All.
ii. You can also set your NOOK Color to hide notes and highlights by tapping the Show Notes & Highlights switch to Off.
3. Tap the note or highlight you would like to view, and you will be automatically brought to the corresponding page.
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Setting Up a Passcode
NOOK Color/Tablet users have the option to keep their device safely locked with a passcode to avoid anyone without authorization from viewing their library content or using their device. Follow these steps to add a security passcode to your NOOK Color.
Setting Up Your Passcode
1. Press the NOOK “n” button and then slide the "n" logo to the right to wake up and unlock your NOOK.
2. From the Home Screen, tap the NOOK "n" button to access the “Quick Nav Bar”, and then tap the “Settings” icon.
3. Tap “Security.”
4. Tap “Device lock passcode” and make sure the box is checked when you tap it.
5. Enter a 4-digit passcode, and then re-enter the same code to confirm your selection.
6. You will now be required to enter your passcode to unlock your device.
Turning Your Passcode On/Off
1. Once your passcode is set up and enabled, tap “Device lock passcode” to uncheck the box and disable passcode protection.
Note: You will be required to enter your passcode every time you toggle your passcode on/off.
2. Tap “Device lock passcode” while it is unchecked, and enter in a new 4 digit passcode, to toggle it back on.
Restricting Web Browser and Social Media Use
After a passcode has been enabled for your device, in addition to requiring your passcode to be entered when unlocking your device, you can choose to require your passcode to be entered when a user attempts to access the Web Browser or share via Facebook or Twitter. To do this:
1. From the Security Settings page, tap "Restrictions." You will then be required to enter your 4-digit passcode.
2. After your passcode has been entered, you can restrict either Social sharing or Web Browser use by tapping the appropriate option.
3. After you have selected which feature you would like to restrict, you can press the NOOK "n" button to return to the home screen.
4. If you would like to remove these particular restrictions, return to the Security Settings page, tap "Restrictions," and tap the appropriate selection to uncheck it. You can also remove both Web Browser and Social restrictions by tapping "Restrictions" at the top of the page to uncheck it. Note: You will be required to enter your 4-digit passcode every time you toggle restrictions on and off.
If You Cannot Remember Your Passcode
You will be given 5 chances to enter your passcode correctly. After entering your passcode incorrectly 5 consecutive times you will receive a message stating “You have incorrectly entered your pin 5 times. Please try again in 60 seconds.” You can then tap “OK to continue" and your NOOK will display a countdown of the time remaining.
If you still cannot remember your passcode, it is recommended that you contact Barnes & Noble NOOK Support.
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Adjust Page Appearance
To change the appearance of a book:
1. Tap the center of the page to make the Reading Tools appear.
2. Tap the text icon. Your NOOK opens a window displaying font and color controls.
3. Tap the controls to select the font, font size, background color, line spacing, and margin size you want. If you turn on Publisher Default, it will use the default formatting recommended by the publisher and turns off all other controls
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Adjusting Screen Brightness
1. From the Home Screen tap the Home button, to access the Quick Nav Bar, and then tap Settings.
2. On the Settings page tap Screen.
3. On the Screen settings page, tap Brightness.
4. You can move the brightness slider from left to right until you reach your desired brightness level.
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Using Notes
Adding Notes
1. Press and hold on a word at the beginning or end of the passage you want to write a note about. The Text Selection Toolbar appears.
2. Lift your finger, then drag one of the vertical bars to other end of the passage. The Text Selection Toolbar appears again.
3. Tap the Notes icon in the toolbar. An “Add Note” window appears with a keyboard for typing notes.
4. Type the text of the note.
5. Tap the Post button to close the editing window and post the Note. The Note window with the keyboard disappears. In your book, an icon now appears in the margin, indicating that a note has been written about this passage.
Viewing Notes
1. To open a note and read it, tap the Note icon in the margin.
2. When you’re done viewing the note, you can close the Note window by tapping the X in the upper right corner of the window.
By default, your NOOK is configured to display a Note icon next to any passage of text about which you’ve written a note. However, you can configure your NOOK not to display Notes icons. If you have configured the Reader not to display Note icons, you can still read, edit, and remove notes:
1. Tap the center of the page to display the Reading Tools.
2. In the Reading Tools menu, tap the Contents item, and then tap the Notes & Highlights tab.
Select any note for viewing.
Editing Notes
1. Tap the Note icon to open the note you want to edit. Your NOOK Color displays the note, along with buttons labeled Cancel and Edit.
2. In the Note window, tap the Edit button. A window opens, displaying the text of the note and a keyboard.
3. Use the keyboard to edit the note as you like.
4. When you have finished editing the note, tap the Post button.
To change the color of highlighting used for a note:
1. Tap on a highlighted word or phrase in the passage associated with the note. A pop-up menu appears.
2. Tap the highlighting color you want to use: blue, green, yellow. Your NOOK Color highlights the passage in the color you selected.
If you tap on the word, and a bubble opens above it, showing the word in larger type, then you’re holding your finger on the screen too long when you tap. To open the pop-up menu for a note, tap quickly on the word, rather than holding your finger on the screen.
Removing Notes
1. Tap on the highlighted word or phrase associated with the note. A pop-up menu appears.
2. Tap the Remove Note menu choice. Your NOOK Color deletes the note.
If you tap on the word, and a bubble opens above it, showing the word in larger type, then you’re holding your finger on the screen too long. To open the pop-up menu for a note, tap quickly on the word.
Viewing All Notes
1. Tap the page to display the Reading Tools.
2. Tap the Contents icon.
3. Tap the tab labeled “Notes & Highlights.”
Making Notes Visible or Invisible
You can control whether or not your NOOK displays a Note icon next to any text about which you’ve written a note.
To make notes visible or invisible in the text:
1. Tap the page to display the Reading Tools.
2. Tap the Contents icon.
3. Tap the tab labeled “Notes & Highlights.”
4. Tap the On/Off switch labeled “Notes & Highlights.” Tap the switch On to display notes and highlights, or tap it off to hide notes and highlights.
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For NOOK Tablet Only - Determine storage capacity
NOOK Color was only available with 8GB of internal storage. The NOOK Tablet was sold in 8GB and 16GB models. To determine the storage capacity of your NOOK Tablet:
a) Press the NOOK n button to bring up the Quick Nav bar.
b) Tap Settings.
c) On the following screen, tap Device Info.
Your NOOK Tablet will display the approximate memory storage available for both your personal and B&N content. NOOK Tablet 8GB will display 1GB for B&N content and 4GB for personal content. NOOK Tablet 16GB will display 12GB for B&N content and 1GB for personal content or 5GB for B&N content and 8GB for personal content if you have your device internal memory re-configured at a local Barnes & Noble.
For more information, see the User Guide stored as an eBook on your device.