Amazon is set to close a small loophole that has allowed users to download Kindle books to their computers and transfer them via USB. This feature was initially introduced to support owners of older Kindle devices lacking Wi-Fi connectivity. However, it has also enabled users to download and store copies of their purchased e-books, safeguarding them against potential changes or removals by Amazon.
The Download & Transfer via USB option on Amazon's site will be discontinued this Wednesday, February 26. Users wishing to download their Kindle libraries to their PCs should act quickly, as this change specifically affects the ability to download files directly from Amazon's website. Those who have already downloaded their books can still transfer them to their Kindles via USB, and alternative methods like third-party software and the Send to Kindle service remain available for transferring EPUB files and other book formats onto a Kindle.
For most Kindle users who purchase books via Amazon's store and download them seamlessly to modern devices over Wi-Fi, this change will likely go unnoticed. However, it will significantly impact individuals using third-party software like Calibre to manage local e-book libraries and those who wish to download and strip their Kindle purchases of DRM for use on other e-reader platforms.
The discontinued download-and-transfer option was particularly useful for DRM opponents because the files were delivered in the older AZW3 file format rather than the newer KFX format. The AZW3 format, used by older, pre-Wi-Fi Kindles, has DRM that is generally easier to remove.
If you aim to download your Kindle purchases to your PC or Mac before the deadline, ensure that you have an older Kindle or Fire device linked to your account. The download option will not be available if your account is only associated with newer models like the 2024 Kindle Paperwhite, the second-generation Scribe, or the Colorsoft. Additionally, Amazon's site only permits downloading one book at a time, which could be time-consuming for extensive libraries.
Jason Snell at Sixcolors recommends a command-line tool called the Amazon Kindle eBook Bulk Downloader for those with large libraries. This tool can automatically download all your files, saving time compared to downloading each book individually. Note that this tool does not bypass Amazon's DRM, and a compatible Kindle or Fire device must be associated with your Amazon account.
While users wishing to download files to remove DRM are not Amazon's primary concern, we reached out to the company for an official recommendation for those with older Kindles. An Amazon representative emphasized that customers can continue reading previously downloaded books on their Kindle devices and access new content through the Kindle app, Kindle for web, and directly on Kindle devices with Wi-Fi capability.
The first few generations of Kindle, including the original 2007 model and the Kindle DX devices released in 2009 and 2010, relied on Amazon Whispernet cellular connectivity for downloading books and syncing reading progress. In the early 2020s, after the shutdown of most 3G cellular networks, Amazon retired the Whispernet branding and offered old Kindle owners a discount on a new device. However, this time, Amazon is not providing similar incentives, although they offer up to $5 in trade-in value for old devices, as noted on this page.
