LibafileYour library, in a file you own.
Help and FAQ
How do I install Libafile?
You don't have to. Libafile works in a browser tab, but installing it gives it its own icon and window. You can install it on a computer, phone or tablet, and it works best on a computer. Open libafile.com, then:
| On | Do this |
|---|---|
| Chrome on a computer, or a Chromebook | Click the install icon at the right of the address bar, then Install. If it isn't there, look for Install in the three-dot menu. |
| Edge on a computer | Click the install icon at the right of the address bar, then Install. If it isn't there, open the three-dot menu and choose Apps, then Install this site as an app. |
| Safari on a Mac | Open the File menu and choose Add to Dock. This needs macOS Sonoma or later. |
| iPad or iPhone | In Safari, tap the Share button, then Add to Home Screen. |
| Android phone or tablet | In Chrome, open the three-dot menu and choose Install app or Add to Home screen. |
| Firefox | Firefox on a computer can't install Libafile. Keep using it in a tab, or use Chrome or Edge. |
Installing doesn't change how Libafile saves, and it still keeps your library in your file. In Chrome and Edge, the installed app shares this browser's working copy and backups. In Safari and on iPad, it has its own, so press Save file in the browser first, then open that file in the installed app.
Why does my browser ask to edit my file?
In Chrome and Edge, the browser checks with you before any website can change a file on your device. Libafile needs this so it can save your changes to your library file, and it can only reach the file you chose. If you are offered a choice to allow it on every visit, take it. Otherwise the browser may ask again after you restart it, and that's normal.
If you said no by mistake, nothing is lost. Your library file stays as it was, and your working copy stays in this browser. Open the file again and allow it. Safari, iPad and Firefox don't ask, because they can't save back to a file.
Where is my library?
In a file you own, plus a working copy and backups inside your browser. AnchorKite has no server that receives your library, so it never sees your books or borrowers.
Can AnchorKite recover my library if I lose it?
No. We hold no copy, so there is nothing for us to restore. That is the trade for keeping your library private, and it makes where you keep your file important.
What can be recovered?
| What happens | Recovered? |
|---|---|
| File deleted or moved, browser still intact | Yes, from the browser's copy. In Chrome and Edge, Save file then picks a new location. |
| Bad edit or conflict | Yes, from the browser's backups: the last 10 versions plus 20 safety copies, in Settings. |
| File kept in Google Drive or OneDrive | Yes, through their trash and version history. |
| File damaged, for example by opening and editing it | Usually. Libafile offers the browser's copy, and can repair the file and show what it recovered. |
| Browser data cleared, and the file exists | Yes, reopen the file. In Safari, iPad and Firefox, changes since your last Save file are lost. |
| Laptop lost or wiped, with a backup folder in Drive or OneDrive | Yes, open the latest dated copy on another device. |
| Laptop lost or wiped, file only on that laptop | No, everything is gone. |
Where should I keep my file?
In a folder that syncs to the cloud, such as Google Drive, OneDrive or iCloud Drive. Install the provider's desktop app, then save your library inside its folder. On a Chromebook, choose Google Drive in the Files app. You get backups and version history from that provider, and AnchorKite still holds nothing.
Does Libafile save by itself?
In Chrome and Edge on a computer, and on Chromebooks, yes. Every change saves to your file about two seconds later. Safari, Firefox, phones and tablets can't save back to a file, so your changes stay in the browser until you press Save file, which downloads an updated copy. Keep that newest copy somewhere safe.
What is a backup folder?
In Chrome and Edge, Libafile can also keep a dated copy of your library in a folder you choose, one a day for the last 30 days. Turn it on in Settings. Pick a synced folder, so the copies survive losing your device. After you restart your browser, Libafile may ask you to allow the folder again.
Someone edited my file and now it won't open. What can I do?
Open it anyway. If the file is damaged, Libafile shows how many books, borrowers and loans it can recover, and compares them with this browser's copy if there is one. Saving creates a new library and leaves the damaged file as it was. Repair can't bring back what was lost, and it can't tell a wrong edit that is still valid, such as a changed date, so check the result.
How do I move to another device?
Open Libafile on the new device and choose Open a library file. If your file is in a synced folder, it is already there. Otherwise, copy the file across first.
Can I import my books from a spreadsheet?
Yes. Save the spreadsheet as CSV, then choose it under Import. It needs a Title column, and Libafile also uses Author, ISBN and Copies columns. Import has a template to download. Spreadsheets carry no cover images. If Excel shows an ISBN as 9.78E+12, format that column as text before saving, or Libafile keeps the book without its ISBN.
What is Codexia?
Codexia is AnchorKite's book-scanning phone app. Scan your shelves with your phone, export the list, and import it into Libafile instead of typing each book in. You don't need it to use Libafile. Learn about Codexia
Can Libafile run in the cloud, with borrower logins?
Not today. Libafile keeps your library in your own file, and that isn't changing for this version. If you'd like a cloud library with borrower logins and more advanced features, tell us what you need.
Still stuck?
Email support@anchorkite.com.
Libafile is made by AnchorKite, an independent software company.