Scan first
The rootfile path does not exist.
List the exact full-path from container.xml and every .opf file found in the EPUB.
EPUB error guide
OPF file not found in the EPUB
Why OPF_002 happens when container.xml points to a missing package file, and how to scan for a safe fix.
1. Example report output
What the OPF file not found report should show.
The report should prove whether the container path is wrong and whether one replacement OPF is clearly correct.
EPUBCheck message
ERROR(OPF-002): META-INF/container.xml: The OPF file "OEBPS/content.opf" was not found.
KDP / Previewer wording
The EPUB package file is missing or the container points to an invalid package path.
EPUB Fixer report
container.xml points to OEBPS/content.opf. The EPUB contains OPS/package.opf and no OEBPS/content.opf.
Do this next
Change the rootfile path only if OPS/package.opf is the single valid OPF package file.
Do not do this
Do not point container.xml to a random .opf when multiple package files exist.
Safe repair means correcting the container map to the one real package file, not guessing which OPF should represent the book.
2. Next step
Use the container path before editing the EPUB.
The next step depends on how many OPF files the package contains.
Safe repair
There is one clear OPF file.
Update the rootfile full-path to that package file only if its metadata, manifest, and spine are valid.
Manual review
There are zero or multiple OPF files.
Stop when the OPF is missing, duplicated, nested in an export folder, or part of a multiple-rendition package.
3. Concrete path example
A typical OPF rootfile path mismatch.
The folder name or export level is often the whole problem.
EPUBCheck: ERROR(OPF-002): META-INF/container.xml: The OPF file "OEBPS/content.opf" was not found. Report: container.xml full-path: OEBPS/content.opf Found OPF files: OPS/package.opf Fix decision: safe repair only if OPS/package.opf is the single valid package After: update rootfile full-path, then validate again
If the scan finds both OEBPS/content.opf and OPS/package.opf, do not choose one automatically.
Quick decision
Decide whether the missing OPF has one clear replacement path.
Changing container.xml is simple; choosing the wrong OPF can make the EPUB validate against the wrong package.
Scan first
Compare the rootfile path to real files.
Check folder names, capitalization, and whether the EPUB was zipped from the correct directory level.
Safe fix
Exactly one OPF package is valid.
Update container.xml to that path, then validate the OPF manifest, metadata, and spine.
Stop
The package choice is ambiguous.
Do not guess when there are multiple OPF files, no OPF file, nested parent folders, or multiple rendition packages.
Start here
Start with the rootfile path in container.xml.
This error does not mean the whole EPUB is empty. It means META-INF/container.xml points to an OPF path that the package does not contain exactly.
What it means
The EPUB has META-INF/container.xml, but the path inside that file points to an OPF package file that is not actually there.
Can it be fixed automatically?
The rootfile pointer can be repaired when the correct OPF target is clear and the package has a single safe match.
What to check next
Open META-INF/container.xml and copy the rootfile full-path value.
What not to assume
It is unsafe when multiple OPF files exist, when the OPF is missing, or when multiple renditions require an editorial choice.
Common situations
Common OPF file not found cases.
Most missing OPF errors come from container.xml pointing to a stale or wrong package location.
The OPF folder name changed.
container.xml points to OEBPS/content.opf, but the package now uses OPS/package.opf.
Update only if OPS/package.opf is the single valid package file.
The EPUB was zipped from one folder too high.
All files sit under an extra parent folder, so the rootfile path no longer resolves.
Repackage from the correct directory level rather than patching random paths.
The OPF file was renamed.
content.opf became package.opf during export or cleanup.
Change the rootfile path if there is one valid renamed package.
Multiple OPF files remain after export.
An old OPF and a new OPF both exist, or the package contains multiple renditions.
Manual review is required before choosing the root package.
The OPF file not found error text
OPF_002: The OPF file was not found.
Where missing OPF package errors appear
container.xml exists, but the rootfile path points to an OPF file that is not inside the EPUB package.
What it means
The container points to the wrong package path.
The EPUB has META-INF/container.xml, but the path inside that file points to an OPF package file that is not actually there.
The OPF may have been moved, renamed, zipped from the wrong folder, or referenced with the wrong case or relative path.
Before you edit
Compare container.xml with the actual OPF files in the EPUB.
The repair is safe only when there is one clear package file. Multiple OPF files, nested exports, or missing package files should stop for manual review.
- 1Open META-INF/container.xml and copy the rootfile full-path value.
- 2Check whether that OPF path exists exactly inside the EPUB package, including folder name and capitalization.
- 3If the path is wrong, search for .opf files and confirm there is one clear package file.
- 4If the OPF is inside a nested parent folder, the EPUB may have been zipped from the wrong directory level.
- 5Treat multiple OPF files, missing OPF files, or multiple rendition packages as manual review.
Why KDP checks it
Why EPUB readers need the OPF rootfile.
EPUB ZIP container
The EPUB ZIP wrapper must point readers to the OPF file through META-INF/container.xml and keep packaged resources at the paths the book references.
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.
Can this be fixed safely?
When the OPF rootfile path can be repaired.
When automatic repair is safe
The rootfile pointer can be repaired when the correct OPF target is clear and the package has a single safe match.
When you need manual review
It is unsafe when multiple OPF files exist, when the OPF is missing, or when multiple renditions require an editorial choice.
Before / after example
Before: container.xml points to OEBPS/content.opf, but the EPUB contains OPS/package.opf. After: the rootfile path is aligned only if that is the single valid package file.
Ready to retry?
Scan the ZIP structure before changing container.xml.
A scan should show the full-path value from container.xml and every .opf file found in the EPUB, including folder and capitalization.
Upload EPUB to scanFAQ
Questions authors ask about OPF file not found.
Why does EPUBCheck say the OPF file was not found?
Usually META-INF/container.xml points to an OPF path that does not exist exactly inside the EPUB ZIP package. The path may have changed folder, name, or letter case.
Can EPUB Fixer repair an OPF file not found error?
It can be safe to fix when there is one valid OPF file and the container rootfile pointer clearly points to the wrong path. Multiple OPF files or missing OPF files need manual review.
How is this different from container.xml missing?
In this error, container.xml exists but points to the wrong OPF path. In a container.xml missing error, the map file itself is absent from META-INF.
What should I do if there are multiple OPF files?
Do not pick one automatically. Multiple OPF files can mean multiple renditions, an old export leftover, or a damaged package, so the intended package file needs manual confirmation.