EPUB FixerKDP upload error scanner

EPUB error guide

EPUB cover-image property is missing

Use this when the EPUB cover image exists but the OPF manifest does not mark it with the EPUB 3 cover-image property.

Scan EPUB structureSee an example report

Scan when the message does not name the affected path. The report shows affected paths and repair decisions, not manuscript text.

Fixed-layout, DRM, or source-workflow issue? Check unsupported or review-first EPUB cases.

Match these report titles

  • EPUB cover-image property is missing
  • cover image missing properties cover-image
  • EPUB 3 cover image not marked in OPF
  • Kindle cover image property missing

Use this guide when

Your message matches "EPUB cover-image property is missing" or one of the report titles above.

Upload if

You have the exported reflowable .epub and need the affected path, file, field, or repair decision before editing.

Handle outside this tool

Use the source tool or publishing workflow for DOCX, PDF, KPF, KCB, fixed-layout, comics, image-first books, DRM, visual design, or KDP listing and approval problems.

Read the scan report

Decide if this report item matches.

Use the report label, affected file, and repair decision together. A matching title alone is not enough if the file path or EPUB structure points to a different problem.

Match the report title.

Look for "EPUB cover-image property is missing" or the closest title above. Keep the original EPUBCheck, KDP, or Kindle Previewer wording if it differs.

Check the affected file first.

Use the Affected area, Source file, Target file, or Problem type rows before editing OPF, nav, XHTML, CSS, or image paths.

Follow the repair decision.

Repairable means one clear structural change. Needs review or Not supported means use the named file, source project, or platform step.

Keep with your repair note.

Copy these fields from the report instead of rebuilding the fix from memory.

Source file
Target path or field
Original error
Repair decision
Next step

1. Example report output

What a cover-image property report should show.

The report should separate OPF wiring from artwork quality or KDP listing cover issues.

Validator message

EPUB 3 cover image is missing the cover-image property.

Affected file

OEBPS/content.opf.

EPUB Fixer report

manifest item cover-jpg points to Images/cover.jpg, but properties="cover-image" is missing.

Do this next

Add cover-image only if Images/cover.jpg is the single intended cover asset.

Do not do this

Do not repair crop, white border, resolution, listing cover, or paperback cover PDF here.

Safe repair means marking the existing intended cover image, not choosing or redesigning artwork.

2. Next step

Confirm the cover image before editing OPF.

The right fix depends on whether the cover asset is clear.

Scan first

Find OPF cover signals.

Check cover meta, manifest ids, image paths, and existing cover-image properties.

Safe repair

One cover image is clear.

Add or correct cover-image when the intended image is unambiguous and packaged.

Manual review

Cover choice is unclear.

Use the source or design workflow when multiple images or artwork quality issues are involved.

3. Concrete path example

A typical missing cover-image property.

The image is present, but OPF does not label it as the cover.

Report:
OPF cover meta: cover-jpg
Manifest item: id="cover-jpg" href="Images/cover.jpg" media-type="image/jpeg"
properties: missing
Image exists: yes
Fix decision: safe if Images/cover.jpg is the single cover asset
After: add properties="cover-image", then validate again

If there are several cover candidates or the image is missing, do not choose a cover automatically.

Quick decision

Do not treat cover wiring as cover design.

This page covers OPF cover metadata and manifest properties only.

Scan first

Find the cover asset and OPF item.

Compare cover meta, manifest item, image path, and existing properties.

Safe fix

One packaged cover is clear.

Mark the correct manifest item with cover-image and validate again.

Stop

The cover needs artwork decisions.

Do not crop, enhance, compress, redesign, or choose among multiple possible covers.

Start here

Check cover wiring before changing artwork.

A missing cover-image property is usually an OPF manifest wiring problem, not a design or crop problem.

Matched

What it means

The cover image may be inside the EPUB, but the package does not mark that image as the cover-image item EPUB 3 expects.

Matched

Can it be fixed automatically?

It can be repaired when one packaged image is clearly the intended cover and the OPF manifest item only needs the cover-image property.

Matched

What to check next

Open content.opf and find cover metadata and manifest image items.

Matched

What not to assume

It is unsafe when the cover image is missing, damaged, too ambiguous, or needs design, crop, quality, or KDP listing changes.

Common situations

Common cover-image property cases.

Most cases are OPF wiring problems after export or manual package edits.

The cover image is packaged but unmarked.

The image exists and cover metadata points to it, but the EPUB 3 property is missing.

Add cover-image if it is the single intended cover.

The cover meta points to a stale id.

content.opf names an id that no longer exists in the manifest.

Fix the OPF id only when the replacement is obvious.

Several images could be covers.

cover.jpg, titlepage.jpg, and front-cover.jpg may all exist.

Choose manually before changing OPF.

The issue is KDP listing cover artwork.

The marketing cover is separate from EPUB package wiring.

Use KDP or your design workflow instead.

Missing cover-image property error text

EPUB 3 cover image is missing the cover-image property.

Where cover-image property errors appear

EPUBCheck, KDP, or Kindle Previewer checks the OPF manifest and cannot see which image is the EPUB cover.

What it means

The cover file exists but OPF does not mark it as the cover image.

The cover image may be inside the EPUB, but the package does not mark that image as the cover-image item EPUB 3 expects.

The manifest item may lack properties="cover-image", the cover meta id may be stale, or the cover file may not be packaged at the referenced path.

Before you edit

Compare OPF cover metadata and the packaged image.

A safe fix needs one clear cover image. Do not choose between several artwork files automatically.

  1. 1Open content.opf and find cover metadata and manifest image items.
  2. 2Check whether the intended cover file exists inside the EPUB package.
  3. 3Confirm whether the manifest item has properties="cover-image".
  4. 4Look for multiple possible cover images before editing.
  5. 5Separate EPUB package cover wiring from KDP marketing cover or paperback cover work.

Why KDP checks it

Why EPUB 3 checks the cover-image property.

EPUB 3.3 package rules

The OPF file is the EPUB's map: metadata, file list, reading order, and navigation wiring. KDP and EPUBCheck use it to decide whether the book package is coherent.

EPUBCheck

EPUBCheck checks EPUB 2 and EPUB 3 files against the official rules and reports package, markup, link, and file-reference problems.

KDP eBook file formats

KDP supports EPUB files that meet Kindle Publishing Guidelines and recommends checking the file with Kindle Previewer before upload.

Can this be fixed safely?

When cover-image wiring can be repaired safely.

When automatic repair is safe

It can be repaired when one packaged image is clearly the intended cover and the OPF manifest item only needs the cover-image property.

When you need manual review

It is unsafe when the cover image is missing, damaged, too ambiguous, or needs design, crop, quality, or KDP listing changes.

Before / after example

Before: the cover image is in the EPUB but not marked as cover-image. After: the correct manifest item is marked and EPUBCheck passes the cover wiring check.

Ready to retry?

Scan the cover wiring before re-uploading.

Upload the EPUB that failed. The report should show whether the cover file exists, which manifest item points to it, and whether the property is missing.

Upload EPUB to scan

FAQ

Questions authors ask about EPUB cover-image property.

What is the EPUB cover-image property?

It is an OPF manifest property that marks which packaged image is the EPUB 3 cover image.

Can EPUB Fixer fix a missing cover-image property?

It can be safe when the intended cover image is packaged and unambiguous.

Will this fix my KDP listing cover?

No. This only checks the cover inside the EPUB package. KDP listing covers, paperback covers, crop, white borders, and artwork quality are outside this repair.

What if several images look like covers?

Do not choose automatically. Pick the intended cover in your source tool or EPUB editor first.

Related EPUB error guides