The short answer
- While AO3 is down, no tool can download from it. Wait for it to return.
- When it is back, the Download button on a work page saves one work at a time. For many works, a community tool does the clicking for you, at your own risk and under AO3's own rules.
- Put every download in one folder and open it in Ficshelf to see, filter and read the lot, and to find duplicates and older copies.
What exists
| Tool | What it is | Needs |
|---|---|---|
| ao3downloader | "Utility for downloading fanfiction in bulk from the Archive of Our Own." GPL-3.0, 474 stars, last pushed October 23, 2026. | Python and a command line |
| FanFicFare | "A tool for making eBooks from stories on fanfiction and other web sites." 1,128 stars. Also available as a Calibre plugin. | Python or Calibre |
| rawr | An "AO3 Downloads Manager", a command-line tool written in Rust. 2 stars. It manages downloads you already have. | A command line |
We have not run these tools and do not vouch for them. Read each project's page and licence yourself. Ficshelf does not include a downloader, does not write one, and never sends a request to AO3.
Be gentle with a recovering site
- If AO3 or a tool tells you to wait, wait. Do not retry in a loop.
- When AO3 comes back it may be slow, or read-only, and OTW says it may have to go down again. Save what you need in small batches and keep the files.
- Download once. Keep the folder. Opening files in Ficshelf asks AO3 for nothing.
After you have the files
- Choose the folder in Ficshelf. Thousands of files list in seconds because only the top of each file is read.
- Filter by fandom, relationship, tag, rating, length or status. Look at the duplicates list: it shows when you saved the same work twice and which copy has all its chapters.
- With Ficshelf Pro, search inside every fic, merge a series into one EPUB, or sort the whole library into one ZIP named
Fandom/Author - Title [id].epub.
Already have a folder of downloads? Open it and see what you have, before you download anything twice.
Open your downloads in FicshelfFicshelf Pro, $8 paid once: search inside every fic, merge a series into one EPUB, a tidy ZIP of the whole library and a catalog as CSV. Get Pro on Gumroad or see what is free.
Questions
How do I download all my AO3 bookmarks?
AO3's Download button saves one work at a time. For many works, people use community tools such as ao3downloader or FanFicFare; read their pages and AO3's rules first. None works while AO3 is down.
Can I download an AO3 series at once?
Community tools list series support on their pages; this guide has not tested them. Once you have the files, Ficshelf can merge a series into one EPUB with Pro.
Does Ficshelf bulk download from AO3?
No. It only opens files you already have and never contacts AO3.
What is the best format for a big library?
EPUB keeps tags, summary and chapters in one file and is the easiest to list. HTML also works. A PDF is listed from its file name only.
Sources
- ao3downloader on GitHub (nianeyna). Read on October 31, 2026: described as a utility for downloading fanfiction in bulk from the Archive of Our Own; Python; GPL-3.0; 474 stars; last pushed October 23, 2026
- FanFicFare on GitHub (JimmXinu). Read on October 31, 2026: described as a tool for making eBooks from stories on fanfiction and other web sites; Python; 1,128 stars
- rawr on GitHub (zanbaldwin). Read on October 31, 2026: described as an AO3 downloads manager, a command-line tool written in Rust; 2 stars
- AO3's download formats, from search listings (AO3's pages not opened). AO3 was offline on October 31, 2026, so its own help pages were not opened. Search listings describe the Download button on a work page as offering EPUB, HTML and PDF among its formats (some listings add AZW3 and MOBI)
Last checked: October 31, 2026. Star counts are the ones GitHub showed on that day. AO3 is not affiliated with Ficshelf, nor is the Organization for Transformative Works.