Amazon’s quest to lock Kindle ebooks to Kindle hardware and Kindle apps appears to have reached a new level in recent days.
Several reports are starting to crop up about a new DRM being activated on older Kindles that haven’t been updated in a long time. The weird thing is it only seems to affect Kindles running software version 5.16.2.1.1, while some newer software versions aren’t affected at all (or infected, as it would seem).
Kindles with that software version are now downloading ebooks with different DRM that results in ebooks being in KFX-ZIP format instead of the regular KFX format when trying to decrypted them using the DeDRM plugin in Calibre.
Usually when something like this happens it’s because of a software update, but that software version dates back to August 2023 so Amazon has apparently found a new way to change the DRM that’s being used on older Kindles without updating the software.
That software version was available on the 7th gen Kindle Paperwhite through the 11th gen Kindle. Up until now, the new hardened DRM only applied to the most recent Kindle models with software 5.18.5 and up, but now it looks like Amazon is trying to lockdown older Kindles too.
If you have an older Kindle running software version 5.16.2.1.1 you’re probably going to run into problems removing the DRM from ebooks downloaded to it, and it might start affecting other software versions soon too. It’s still possible to use Kindle for PC with these tools to liberate your purchased ebooks, with a few exceptions, but it’s getting harder all the time.
Amazon is really intent on closing off all workarounds to get ebooks out of the Kindle ecosystem. If you want to be able to create backups of your ebooks you’d be better off buying them elsewhere from stores that still use standard Adobe DRM, unless the Kindle version is DRM-free and has an EPUB download option, but presently there’s no way of knowing which books have a download option before buying.
There’s a time-consuming option for removing DRM from Kindle books. You can copy and paste the text from the Kindle web viewer into whatever program you use to create an ebook. Takes me about a half hour for a book averaging 300-400 pages with just copy and pasting. I imagine adding custom formatting will make the process longer.
Yes, it’s not ideal if you have a large library but it’s still an option, especially if a book you want is a Kindle exclusive.
There’s a chrome extension called dekindled that creates an epub from the clouder reader. Don’t know how well that works or if it is still working.
I tried it yesterday after reading your comment. It didn’t work. It’s also a pretty strange design — it intercepts PNG blobs that the cloud reader is downloading, then uses an AI to change them to markdown, then converts the markdown to HTML and packages as an EPUB. The step that didn’t work for me was where it’s supposed to scan through all the pages of the book.
Same. It scanned 50 out of 385 pages, and those pages were random, even though I started from the first page of the book.
Little nitpick… kfx-zip is created by the KFX Input plugin just zipping up the multiple files that normally make up that format. If DeDRM works, then they become a single file DRM-free kfx. If DeDRM fails, then it remains kfx-zip.
Thanks for the clarification. I know you keep up with the details on this kind of stuff. It’s been over a year now since I’ve even bought a Kindle ebook, and the recent Humble Bundle is going to keep me busy for a long time, so I won’t have to futz with DRM removal anytime soon.
This is why antitrust policy used to go after companies with predatory vertical integration. Like Amazon providing both Kindles & controlling content placed upon those devices.
Those laws are still on the books, of course, it’s just that corrupt politicians choose not to enforce them, because NOT enforcing those laws pays a LOT better: When it comes to a choice between benefiting Jeffy B & his tech bro ilk OR consumers … there is no choice.
Nonetheless, there ARE alternatives to Kindle so if you’re affected by this then it is your own fault because you brought this upon yourself.
So quit yer bitchin’.
I’m just wondering what kind of shitty things have to happen to reach a point where the majority of people finally stop using Kindles and their services entirely.
My guess is none. As long as they can buy and read Kindle books on Kindle devices or in Kindle apps, the majority won’t care. DRM removal and sideloading are for nerds (I’m one of those nerds as well).
Yeah, the vast majority of Kindle users couldn’t care less about DRM removal, as long as they can still access their books from their Kindles and apps. I don’t really care much either to be honest. I’d rather read on a Kindle than what other brands are offering at the present time anyway. Kobo’s color models do nothing for me. Pocketbooks are missing key features like boldness adjustment. Android devices are too glitchy/expensive. It’s all more hassle than it’s worth to me. Kindles have their drawbacks, but they’re still the most convenient and inexpensive option.
Current Kindle lineup has no buttons, which are a must-have for me. Besides, I edit the formatting of all my ebooks and for this reason I sideload everything. Kindles have made sideloading more hassle than it’s worth to me in recent years, so I’m staying away from them. Even a color Kobo would be preferable to a Kindle for me, as things stand now. And for the same reason I would never buy an ebook with an unremovable DRM.
Of course I know I’m in a very, very small minority with my preference for sideloading.
Apple Books is surviving, so why can’t Amazon Kindle if they both use locked-down DRM?
This is a whole new level of crap from Amazon. It makes me not even want to use their devices. I just purchased a Pocketbook Era, and I am enjoying the freedom of the device and learning its features.
I bought a very old Kindle (5th Gen) on eBay and use it to extract the books (.azw) using Calibre. It works flawlessly.
I can confirm this: My Kindle Paperwhite 6th Gen received an update. Before, on April 11, I could extract a KFX book with Calibre (etc.). Today, merely two days later, on April 13, I get KFX-ZIP for the same book, and Calibre (etc.) fails.
Is it still possible to remove DRM using an older Kindle with AZW format?
It’s still possible but not for long. The older models that get books delivered in older formats are the ones they’re dropping support for on May 20th. After that they won’t be able to download ebooks from Amazon at all anymore. The newer models will download KFX mostly, and the DRM can be removed from those in some instances, but Amazon seems to be on a mission to close that off as well.
“You will own nothing, and be happy…”