Match the report title.
Look for "More than one title defined in OPF metadata" or the closest title above. Keep the original EPUBCheck, KDP, or Kindle Previewer wording if it differs.
EPUB error guide
Use this when EPUBCheck finds more than one book title inside the EPUB package. Compare the title values before removing anything; changing the KDP listing does not change content.opf.
Compare first
Check each dc:title value and any title, subtitle, series, or edition details before deciding that one entry is a duplicate.
Review the source
Even an entry such as Untitled can carry source-tool refinements or references. Confirm the intended title in the source project before removing or changing dc:title.
Leave choices to you
If two values could be intentional, return to the source project or review the publication metadata before editing the EPUB.
Scan when the message does not name the affected path. The report shows affected paths and repair decisions, not manuscript text.
Need fixed-layout, DRM, or source-file help? Check unsupported or review-first EPUB cases.
Match these report titles
Use this guide when
Your message matches "More than one title defined in OPF metadata" 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
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.
A useful report does not stop at the error name. It connects the message to an internal file and a next action.
Look for "More than one title defined in OPF metadata" or the closest title above. Keep the original EPUBCheck, KDP, or Kindle Previewer wording if it differs.
Use the Affected area, Source file, Target file, or Problem type rows before editing OPF, nav, XHTML, CSS, or image paths.
Repairable means one clear structural change. Needs review or Not supported means use the named file, source project, or platform step.
Copy these fields from the report instead of rebuilding the fix from memory.
1. Example report output
The report should show the competing metadata values, not just say the title is wrong.
Validator message
E20006: There is more than one title defined in OPF metadata.
Affected file
OEBPS/content.opf.
EPUB Fixer report
dc:title appears twice: Final Book Title and Untitled Export.
Do this next
Confirm the intended title and refinements in the source project, then edit the OPF manually.
Do not do this
Do not let the scanner choose between real title variants or subtitle wording.
The scanner reports the conflicting values but does not remove or rewrite title metadata automatically.
2. Next step
Metadata can be easy to edit but risky when values conflict.
Scan first
Show each title value, id, and refinement before editing content.opf.
Manual edit
Check title ids and refinements, then remove or align entries in the source workflow or EPUB editor.
Manual review
Return to the source project when title, subtitle, series, or edition wording needs a decision.
3. Concrete path example
A source tool can leave an old title next to the real publication title.
Validator: E20006: There is more than one title defined in OPF metadata. Report: dc:title #1: Final Book Title dc:title #2: Untitled Export Source file: OEBPS/content.opf Fix decision: manual — confirm the intended title and refinements Next: edit the source project or OPF, then validate again
If both titles could be intentional, choose the publication metadata manually.
Quick decision
The scanner can point to conflicting metadata, but the publication title is an author or publisher decision.
Scan first
List duplicate dc:title entries and any title refinements in content.opf.
Manual edit
Use the source project or EPUB editor to remove or align title entries after checking ids and refinements.
Stop
Do not choose between title, subtitle, series, or edition values automatically.
Start here
This is an EPUB package metadata problem. KDP listing title fields do not fix duplicate title entries inside content.opf.
The EPUB package names the book title more than once, so validators cannot treat the metadata as a single clear title.
The scan can list every dc:title value, id, and refinement, but it does not automatically delete or choose title metadata.
Open content.opf and list every dc:title entry.
It is unsafe when the title, subtitle, series, or edition wording needs author or publisher judgment.
Common situations
Duplicate title metadata often comes from repeated export or manual OPF editing.
The OPF contains a final title and a stale draft title.
Confirm the intended publication title and any refinements in the source project before editing manually.
Some tools split title and subtitle in a confusing way.
Review metadata manually before deleting.
Extra title-like fields may represent real publishing metadata.
Keep structure valid without guessing the cataloging choice.
Store metadata and EPUB package metadata are separate.
Fix OPF only when the EPUB package itself has duplicate title entries.
E20006: There is more than one title defined in OPF metadata.
EPUBCheck, Kindle Previewer, or a store validator finds more than one title value in the OPF metadata package.
What it means
The EPUB package names the book title more than once, so validators cannot treat the metadata as a single clear title.
Repeated exports, source-tool metadata fields, or manual OPF edits can leave duplicate dc:title entries.
Before you edit
A manual fix needs the author or publisher to confirm the publication title, ids, and refinements. Do not delete metadata from the report alone.
Why KDP checks it
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 checks EPUB 2 and EPUB 3 files against the official rules and reports package, markup, link, and file-reference problems.
KDP supports EPUB files that meet Kindle Publishing Guidelines and recommends checking the file with Kindle Previewer before upload.
Can this be fixed safely?
The scan can list every dc:title value, id, and refinement, but it does not automatically delete or choose title metadata.
It is unsafe when the title, subtitle, series, or edition wording needs author or publisher judgment.
Before: content.opf has two dc:title entries. Next: confirm the intended publication title, subtitle, series, edition, ids, and refinements; edit manually and validate again.
Ready to retry?
Upload the EPUB that failed. The report should show every dc:title entry, id, and title refinement so the author or publisher can choose the intended metadata manually.
Upload EPUB to scanFAQ
No. It can list the conflicting dc:title values, ids, and refinements, but an author or publisher must choose the intended metadata and edit it in the source project or EPUB editor.
No. This error is inside the EPUB package file, usually content.opf.
Not necessarily. Subtitle and title refinements can be legitimate metadata, so review them before deleting entries.
Publishing validators need one coherent package title so the EPUB metadata is not contradictory.