Guide to Using the Nook STR / Glow Without a B&N Account (Pictures!)
ereader hack hacking nook · 28 comments · 300 words · read ~8,608 times.
I recently picked up a new Nook. Their manufacturer is dumping stock and the prices are ridiculously cheap for an eInk touchscreen running Android.
One thing that annoys me about the Nook is the fact that you have to register for a Barnes & Nobel account before you can use it. I dislike their geo-restrictive terms and conditions, and the fact that they place advertising on my home screen. I also don't particularly want my reading habits fed back to anyone. No one needs to know that I like reading Star Trek slash fiction, and that I've read chapter 5 of "Spock ♥ Tribbles" seventeen times.
So, here's the quick illustrated guide to running your nook without a bn.com account. There's no scary hacking, formatting of SD cards, or fiddling with computers. This is a ten second hack which just involves tapping a few buttons on your Nook. This works with the original Nook Simple Touch Reader and the new one with GlowLight.
Step 1
Charge your Nook fully. Switch it on using the button on the back. Do not begin the setup process.
Step 2
Hold down the top right page turn button. While holding down the button, swipe the top of the screen from left to right. 
Release the top right button.
Step 3
A "Factory" button will appear on screen. Press it and you'll be taken to this "Factory" screen.
Step 4
Again, hold down the top right button. While doing so, tap the bottom right corner. A "Skip Oobe" button will appear. 
Oobe - stands for "Out of box experience".
Step 5
Press the button! Go on, you know you want to :-) You will be instantly rewarded with a homescreen with no adverts and no requirement to sign up for a bn.com account.
Step 6
Enjoy!
A year of actually reading books
Turn an old eReader into an Information Screen (Nook STR)
Have you noticed any issues with battery life doing this? (I've been reading anecdotes that suggest that battery usage is much worse on the NST when you skip the registration.)
I've had no problems. Registration isn't important at all. Your battery will be fine.
David says:
Thank you it worked well, but then there is this annoying thing below the line “what to read next” there is this constantly rotating button as if it wants to load books, how to stop it.
Not a clue, sorry. Try adding more books to your library, or connecting it to WiFi briefly. HTH.
LOKI says:
Thanks very much Terence. If I pay for any damn thing I want to use it the way I choose to. How hard is it for them to get it anyway?
John Gaffney says:
Any idea how to do the same on a Nook BNRV510, Thanks
Allen says:
What of the Nook Glowlight? The one I have is lacking the turn page buttons, but rather enables you to do so on-screen...
Jose says:
Thank you! I tried it recently and it worked.
Bob says:
My sister gave me her old STR. I have no need for a B&N account; just want to d/l books from my PC. Thank you!
Bernie Frost says:
Thanks very much. The pic in step 2 threw me off a bit. I had not got to that screen, some how did it by accident. Then to press the "Oobe" none existant button. Well could not have done it without you. Thanks again
fennectech says:
Thanks Worked for me 😀
Blackiss says:
I have a nook glowlight plus. It doesn't work!!! Does anyone have the procedure please? Thx
@edent says:
Press and hold the home button, rather than the top right button. That should work.
IanChello says:
Nope, 'top right' and 'home' btn fail for me also, but then I'm not getting to the blank screen you show above in Step 2. How do you get there? Thanks.
@edent says:
Is this a brand new Nook? If not, have you done a factory reset?
IanChello says:
So I've tried the Erase and Deregister Device, connected to my network, but I got message - 'Deregistration failed (AD1133). Local reset will not be attempted...'. I guess because there were no B&N servers to contact.
To get over that I found this on https://heeed.net/resetting-a-nook-simple-touch/ •Turning off the Nook off completely •Turning it on •As soon as you see the screen flash begin holding the bottom page turn buttons until the screen flashes with a message asking if you would like to do a reset •Press the 'n' key twice to start the reset •Turn the Nook off This then fully reset to the Nook to a 'out of the box' condition.
•Turn the Nook on •Select what language you want to use •On the next screen, hold down the top right page turn button and swipe the top of the screen from left to right...etc as you describe above
This got me to the stage of copying the downloaded book (using BorrowBox/Adobe Digital Editions v3.0 via our library service) into the books folder. I clicked on the book only to get User not activated! So close I feel but not quite there yet.
hmm! just thought I've connected to my wi-fi again but I didn't need to do that did I. Could that have upset things again? Any ideas
IanChello says:
Success! I went through the whole process again but didn't connect to my wi-fi. I borrowed a different book which I opened directly into ADE, went to Library, right clicked and saved to the connected Nook. Disengaged Nook from PC and it was available to read. I think the book I was concentrating on initially (i.e. the book my wife had actually wanted to read!) has got messed up in my several attempts to load it.
It's great you have this sort of info here Terence, thanks for the help.
Mike says:
I managed to do a factory reset, but when my Simple Touch reboots it goes straight to the "Welcome" screen to start the registration process. There is no "select language" and none of the registration screens allow you to swipe right whilst holding the top right page button.
Any ideas whats different here/Im doing wrong?!
cheers
Bernie says:
I got another, and was sent this info with it
Nook HD - Skipping Registration Page After a Nook Simple Touch has been erased it will ask to be registered. However because Nook have closed the registration website this registration page has been skipped. All you need to do is connect it to your wireless network to use it. If you reset the devise yourself follow the instruction below to skip registration. 1. Turn on the Nook 2. At the welcome screen hold down the button on the top right side of the Nook and at the same time slide your finger across the bottom of the screen from left to right 3. You should now see a Factory link on the screen, press this link 4. On the factory screen hold down the same button (top right) and at the same time tap the bottom right of the screen 5. You should now see a Skip Oobe link on the bottom right, press this link 6. You will now be able to use the Nook Simple Touch without registering it. Import Notes for Charging the devise. The Nook has to be switched to the "ON" position before it will begin charging. You can see an amber LED on the bottom of the devise next to the USB connector which confirms that it is charging.
Mike says:
Thanks for the info - I tried that but no variation of swiping right, left, up or down pressing any of the four buttons helps. Pressing the TR button pops up the keyboard and pressing it again removes it. I also tried it with the home button, which pops up an info window that says "no recent applications".
It sounds like newer versions of the Simple Touch (BNRV300) go straight to the "welcome" screen. I reckon I must be doing something wrong!
Fred says:
You sir, are a star! worked a treat. Thx v much!
Mike says:
I needed to upgrade my Nook to the latest firmware first (https://help.barnesandnoble.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4212) and then this worked perfectly!
grayeul says:
I have an old NST Glowlight that is at version 1.1.5. It had been previously rooted. I was able to get it factory reset, but I'm stuck in the "Welcome" screen. I tried dropping in the nook_1_2_update.zip to the top level (mountable) directory -- but it either does not see it there, or doesn't get far enough along to try to apply the update. I've tried all the combinations of top/left/right/bottom/home buttons with screen swipes at the top/bottom/left/right -- but I can't seem to get to the factory button. I'm guessing that is because I'm at 1.1.5.... but not sure how to get past this.
grayeul says:
It eventually read the nook_1_2_update.zip file and completed the update. I don't think it was anything I did, after sitting there for quite a while at the Welcome screen, it finally indicated it was installing the update. I was then able to use it with my nook account (which is all I was really after). However, I was still not able to get to the factory button ... not sure if that is only available if device has not actually been registered yet, or what....
Andi says:
Nook bntv400 software version 2.2.1 As above suggestion by Bernie After the reset the tablet to default [ holding the N button on start after the initial screen].I found a different way to enter the tablet by waiting for the tablet to begin the set up options ,holding down the volume up and then tap the bottom right of the screen which then display the FACTORY button to press. From this new screen press the ON button [bottom left] this reboots the tablet,repeat the volume up and click bottom right of the screen takes you to the same screen but the option now displays OFF. Whilst on this screen again select volume up and click bottom right will then show the FACTORY button bottom left. This will now reset the tablet with no registration required.
Ruth says:
Thank for your sharing these instructions, I bought a second hand simple touch nook which cannot connect to wifi for whatever reason so I couldn't get past the register section. Am now reading my books on my nook 🙂
Sworly says:
You're an absolute lifesaver, I can't thank you enough for this tutorial. Helped turn a potential return into a usable device
Ali Fleih says:
Thanks! Works like a charm 😊