If you've got some Kindle books, you've likely heard that they come with Amazon's Kindle DRM, which locks your books into Kindle devices 
and kindle reading apps. But as a consumer, when we have already paid these files for money, why should we be stopped from reading them just because we didn't buy a Kindle but an iPad or a Kobo e-ink reader instead? This deeply hurts us. Yes?
So if you want to read Kindle books on non-Kindle devices or apps, the perfect solution is to remove the DRM. And in fact it's also the best way to protect your purchases, helps us read our own books more freely, backup or copy, print or share kindle books with friends.
But, how to? You may have wondered this problem for a long time. Don't worry this article will introduce you 4 ways to remove drm from Kindle books. From here you can liberate your kindle books best.
First things first: Download Kindle books
To begin with, firstly I strongly recommend you get your kindle books prepared on your computer. If you have the Kindle e-ink device, you can just download Kindle books via your Kindle device. If you do not have Kindle device, you have to install Kindle for PC or Mac. Launch the Kindle app, log in with your own amazon account, then all your purchased files in kindle store would be synced. Choose those files you want to deal with, double click on book cover, then downloading begins. Once you have done that, you can close the app, find your downloaded books files at destination folder (book folder location):
- For Win: ...Users\Administrator\Documents\My Kindle Content.
- For Mac: ...Library/Application Support/Kindle/My Kindle Content.
Note: If you can't find your downloaded kindle books on mac, on the pref pane follow "Kindle"--"Preferences"--"Content Folder", you will find them.
Still failed to download the Kindle title? Look at these 7 solutions when Kindle books won't download.
Method 1: Remove DRM from Kindle books with Calibre Plugin
Calibre is an excellent ebook library management tool, open source software, helps you remove drm from books and convert format to others.
Step 1: Install Calibre.
Install Calibre onto your computer if you haven't already get them installed.
Then download the latest DeDRM-tools. It comes as a .zip archive, but there is no need to unzip it, just open it up and put the "DeDRM_calibre_plugin" folder where you can find it.
Step 2: Install Calibre DeDRM Plugins.
Run Calibre on computer (here takes mac as an example, remove DRM from Kindle books with calibre mac).
From the pref pane "Preferences"--"Change calibre behavior".
( Note: Do not click “Get plugins to enhance calibre”).
Click on Plugins (under “Advanced”) --"Load plugin from file".
Select the "DeDRM_plugin.zip" file you placed in step 1 and click "Open".
Click on the “Add” button, "Yes" in the "Are you sure?" warning dialogue that appears.
After succeed the plug-in has been installed. Calibre will add this plugin under its "File type plugins" list in the Preferences window, OK. Restart Calibre please.
Step 3: Import DRMed books to Calibre
If your kindle books are downloaded via Kindle desktop app, import your downloaded Kindle books to Calibre, then the DRM will be removed automatically. But if you've previously added books to calibre that with drm, you'd better import them again. Job done, you can click "click to open" at the right side, to get a preview in calibre library.
If your kindle books are downloaded via Kindle eReaders, you should customize the plugin and input the KSN info.
Update: (Due to a change in DRM) Calibre DeDRM plugins will no longer work with Kindle for PC/Mac version 1.25 or newer or with Kindle firmware 5.10.2 or newer.
Method 2: Remove DRM from Kindle books with Python Scripts
Nearly all the eBook DRM Removal softwares are Python scripts, including Calibre.
Step 1: Install Python at first.
Firstly you need Python installed on your computer.
Step 2: Install Pycrypto
Pycrypto is a basic DRM module that all the DRM removal tools are using. Download and install it please.
For Win: pycrypto-2.1.0.win32-py2.6.exe
For Mac: pycrypto-2.6.1.tar.gz
Step 3: Run KindleBooks.pyw
Run KindleBooks.pyw, then input the information related to Kindle Books: input file, output file, and Kindle.info. As your kindle ebooks has been downloaded to your computer via Kindle for PC/Mac, so it is easy to find the Kindle.info, because it will be created when the desktop application installed.
This method is a little hard to use, so if you are not so familiar with computer or code, I don't think challenging this way is a wise choice.
Method 3: Remove DRM from Kindle books with Shareware
This method is applied to both beginners and experts. And I highly recommend you get it with a free trial. I do believe after you tried it, you will fall in love with her.
Step 1, download the powerful shareware Epubor Ultimate for PC or Mac to your computer.
Step 2, run Epubor Ultimate on your computer. Then the kindle books downloaded via Kindle for PC or Mac will be displayed under Kindle column in the left sidebar, while the Kindle books downloaded via Kindle devices will be displayed under Kindle Device column in the left sidebar after connecting Kindle e-ink reader to computer.
Step 3,add the Kindle books from the left sidebar to the right main window. Then all the books will be decrypted immediately.
- It uses python scripts but much more easily to operate than method 2.
- It provides more friendly interface than calibre. Of course it's also easier than calibre to learn how to use.
Failed to remove DRM from Kindle for PC/Mac (.azw) 2018Kindle for PC/Mac version 1.25/1.26, can't decrypt drm from kindle azw.
Amazon Kindle released quietly a new version named v1.25 for Kindle for PC and Kindle for Mac. It's not published on their official site yet but just automatically updated to some people's computer (kindle desktop reading app). You will find that after downloading kindle books to computer via Kindle for PC 1.25, it's likely that we can't remove DRM from those books.
So if you found that you failed to decrypt drm from kindle azw 2018, solutions are following:
Step 1: Uninstall Kindle for PC/Mac 1.25/1.26.
Step 2: Delete the "My Kindle Content" folder on computer.
Step 3: Download Kindle for PC 1.24
Or
Step 4: Download Kindle books again to remove DRM.
Tips: Once installed the older version, you need to go into the Apps Tools & turn Off Auto Update.
Method 4: Remove DRM from Kindle Cloud Reader
Yes, this is true that now you can remove Kindle DRM from Kindle Cloud Reader--Epubor KCR Converter.
I should say it's not a DRM Removal tool, but a converter which helps extract Kindle Cloud Reader chrome cache files and then convert them to AZW3/Mobi/ePub format.
Requirements are as following.
- Use Chrome browser to visit Kindle Cloud Reader.
- Log in and enable Offline Reading.
- Right-click one book and select "Download & Pin Book".
And the output mobi files are DRM free. The only requirement is you should ensure that you can access your Kindle Cloud Reader with Chrome browser. It deserves your trial if you use Chrome and don't want to use Kindle desktop app. What's better, as this tool helps extract kindle books directly from Kindle cloud reader, so it helps get around Kindle 1.25 perfectly. No need to worry about the new Kindle KFX and new DRM any more.
Windows Version Download Mac Version Download
Ada Wang works for Epubor and writes articles for a collection of blogs such as ebookconverter.blogspot.com.
hello please help me
i tried first method of calibre and i still getting error evan i installed successfully plugin in calibre but when i add drm book i got error
second i installed epubor and when i add drm book azw i got invailed format error also
Contact epubor customer support please. We need to check your problem in detail.
Thanks for your comment.
2. Please try to use Epubor Ultimate to remove the DRM from them.
3. If you are failed again, please contact us via support@epubor.com and describe your problem clearly. We will help you fix it.
I can't get any of these methods to work.
Kindle fire, Windows, Ubuntu, Calibre with plugin (not sure where to input the serial number).
Use Kindle desktop to re-download your Kindle books, then Epubor Ultimate will works.
We can't help you directly remove DRM from Kindle fire.
Wow, so easy. Works so quickly! Finally I can ditch multiple reader apps and stay with one reader for all my books. Thanks for posting this, the Calibre plugin works fast and easy!!
One note is you might want to mention to turn off auto update in the PC Kindle app. It might update itself to the newest version and "break" the plugin.