Important NoticeEpubor Ultimate now supports the latest Kindle for PC. So for Windows users, you can follow this new guide to remove Kindle DRM. However, for Mac users, you must use the 1.31 or lower Kindle for Mac instead in order to remove Kindle DRM smoothly. Here's the detailed guide to decrypt Kindle books on Mac.
If you have a Kindle e-ink device, like Kindle Paperwhite, you can also use method 3 below to remove Kindle DRM on both PC and Mac.
The only reason why some people prefer to run the older version Kindle for PC/Mac (1.17 and lower) is that they want to get rid of the new KFX format files which can’t be decrypted by any DRM Removal. Fortunately, there are several methods for either avoiding or handling the KFX format. Here are the top three solutions to help you deal with the new Kindle update and remove Kindle DRM effortlessly.
If your Kindle for PC/Mac is forced to update to the latest version, you can perform the following steps:
Method 1: Disable KFX Support in Kindle for PC/Mac
Using the command line to disable KFX that works with the latest version of Kindle for PC/Mac is the easiest solution without neither downgrading Kindle desktop app nor using Kindle e-ink device. Most importantly, it works on all operation systems, including the MacOS Catalina.
Step 1Download the latest Kindle app on your computer.
Currently, the latest version is version 1.32.
If you have already registered the latest Kindle app on your computer, deregister it first and sign in again.
If your Kindle app is not the latest version, go to the product page to download the latest Kindle app on your computer and register it.
NoteDo not start downloading Kindle books. And make sure there are zero files under the Downloaded column in your Kindle library.
Step 2Run the command line.
Exit Kindle for PC/Mac first, then run the command line. Below is the instruction on how to use the command line on Windows computer and Mac respectively.
For Windows users, download this zip containing the Kindle.cmd file to your Windows computer, then unzip and run the Kindle.cmd file.
Notice: Running the kindle.cmd file will execute Kindle app automatically.
For Mac users, open a terminal window by typing terminal after clicking the magnifier icon on the upper right corner of the screen, then copy and paste this command line: sudo chmod -x /Applications/Kindle.app/Contents/MacOS/renderer-test to the terminal window for disabling KFX support. Next, hit the Enter key, input your power-on password, and hit the Enter key one more time to run the command line.
Important NoticeThe command line solution will no longer work on version 1.32 and later Kindle for Mac. For macOS users, please follow this detailed step-by-step guide to remove Kindle DRM instead.
Step 3Start downloading Kindle books with the latest Kindle app
Open Kindle for PC/Mac, find the book you want to download, right-click its book cover, and select Download in the pop-up window.
Note 1For Mac users, do not download Kindle books by double-clicking the book cover and remember not to open the book after successfully downloading, or you won’t be able to remove Kindle DRM.
Note 2 You can undo the terminal command by running this command line in your terminal window: sudo chmod +x /Applications/Kindle.app/Contents/MacOS/renderer-test.
Note 3 If the book requires both the latest version of Kindle for PC/Mac and KFX support, then there is currently no solution available.
Step 4Install the most powerful DRM Removal to your computer -- Epubor Ultimate
Step 5Remove Kindle DRM
Launch Epubor Ultimate, click the Kindle tab in the left navigation bar to load all of your Kindle books that are already downloaded to the software. Then drag them to the right blank window to remove DRM automatically.
TipsIf your Kindle books do not appear under the Kindle tab, you need to go to settings >> Kindle >> Click Set to default directory >> OK. Then all of your Kindle books will show up on the left side panel of Epubor Ultimate.
You will notice that the majority of Kindle books downloaded in this way are already DRM free. And you can locate the DRM free files by clicking the book folder icon on the lower right corner of the software.
Method 2: Downgrade automatically to an Older Version of Kindle for PC/Mac
There is an alternate method of blocking the use of KFX, which is downgrading Kindle for PC/Mac.
Older Kindle for PC/Mac, like version 1.17 and lower, can be installed to work around this problem for most users. (This is a 32-bit program and so it is not compatible with macOS Catalina.) For macOS Catalina users, you can crack Kindle DRM by using the command line or Kindle e-ink device, see Method 1 & Method 3.
Step 1Install Epubor Ultimate to your computer.
Run Epubor Ultimate, click the Kindle tab in the left sidebar. You will notice a message reminding you to downgrade Kindle for PC/Mac to version 1.17 to make Epubor Ultimate work. Just click the Download link to start the auto downgrade.
Note: After installing the older version Kindle for PC/Mac to your computer, it will uncheck the option to auto-update for you.
Step 2Sign-in to your Amazon account.
Launch Kindle for PC/Mac, you need to re-sign into your Amazon account. After logging in to your account, you might be asked if you want to update to the new version, always choose Skip this version to reject it.
Step 3Re-download Kindle books with the older version Kindle for PC/Mac.
Step 4Remove Kindle DRM.
Launch Epubor Ultimate, click the Kindle tab in the left navigation bar to load Kindle books to the software. Then add them to the right blank window to remove Kindle DRM.
Step 5Convert DRM free Kindle books to .epub/.mobi/.azw3/.pdf if you want to view Kindle books on other readers(like calibre).
When the decryption complete, choose .epub/.mobi/.azw3/.pdf as the output folder in the drop-down menu at the bottom of the software. Last but not the least, press the Convert button to start the conversion.
TipsYou can find the converted Kindle book by clicking Succeeded or the book folder icon on the lower right corner of the software.
Method 3: Use Kindle E-Ink Device
If you have a Kindle e-ink device registered to your Amazon account, you will have the option of downloading books directly from Amazon website instead of using Kindle for PC/Mac.
Step 1From the Amazon website access Account & Lists >> Content and Devices.
Step 2Find a book you want to remove DRM and press the More actions button to the right side of that book.
Step 3Choose Download & transfer via USB in the drop-down menu.
Step 4Tick the name of your registered Kindle e-ink device in the pop-up window and press the Download button.
Soon your Kindle book will start downloading to your computer. And all of them will be saved as .azw3 files.
Step 5Install the most powerful DRM Removal to your computer--Epubor Ultimate.
Step 6Plug in your Kindle e-ink device to your computer.
You will not be able to remove Kindle DRM if you forget to plug in your Kindle e-ink device.
Step 7Remove Kindle DRM.
Run Epubor Ultimate, drag and drop the .azw3 files from your computer to the software to remove Kindle DRM. As shown, not all books are encrypted. Decrypted word will show up to the right of those Kindle books with DRM protection after the decryption. And you can find DRM free files by clicking Decrypted or the book folder icon on the lower right corner of the software.
Hillary Lopez works for Epubor and writes articles about eBooks and eReaders. She explores the best method to help you read eBooks more freely and wants to share all she has got with you.
I went searching myself for this this week and I found that method two and three did not work at least not for me. I have not tried method one yet.
I did however go to the website and went to content and downloaded there and then converted.
Just thought I would share that option for others. Thanks!
Also, if you have any better method, please kindly share it here.
Have a nice day.
Thanks very much Hillary and the whole Epubor team!
Method 1 worked great on my mac.
I was disappointed when I saw a couple of months ago that the latest Kindle update had thwarted Epubor, but I optimistic that you'd crack that soon, which you have.
I use Epubor mainly for academic books relevant to my work. I listen to many of them (commuting, walking etc.) using a text to voice app which is really good, but that app needs pdfs, not stupid restricted DRMed files. I don't hand the pdfs out, I don't upload them for pirating, all I need is to turn the books I spend money on to be in the format I can most easily actually read them.
So thanks again Epubor, love your work!
Anyway, if you have purchased kcr converter, please contact our customer support (support@epubor.com) to request the software exchange. They can help you change you license to Ultimate.
Any more problem, please feel free to contact us. Have a nice day.
Hello !
How do we disable KFX?
The zip file URL is invalid as mentioned in Method 1
Method 1: Disable KFX Support in Kindle for PC/Mac
Any more problem, please feel free to contact us.
Any more problem, please feel free to contact us.
Method 1 is quite challenging, you need to enter the Kindle Serial Number in the DrDRM Plugin and some sort of key, but both didn't finally make it work for me.
Method 3 was brilliant, a bit of a nuissance that I had to download all my 190 eBooks indivdually from the Amazon content page, but copying into Calibre, converting to ePub and uploading to my ReMarkable 2 worked like a flash. Cool. Thanks for all the hints!
And usually, the textbook and some books ( very few) will require the latest version of kindle app.
Hi Everyone, I manage to get it all working and well.
First, download epubor ultimate and set-up and get a license to support the company! :) I am using Epubor ultimate 3.0.13.719 at the time of this writing.
Second, download Kindle for PC (win-10, i tried it with ver 1.32.0(6119)) and register with my amazon account as per guide above. you can refresh and see your books, but please don't download any books.
Then download kfx_begone command prompt tool - https://epubor.com/how-to-deal-with-the-new-kindle-update.html#method1
- VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
a) make sure kindle app is closed before running the tool. Reason being, the tool will execute Kindle app in a peculiar method, and allow you to download the ebooks you purchased.
b) run command prompt with/as administrator mode
c) i ran it, with lots of error messages, but eventually, the kindle app loads and the command prompt batch process paused. It typically require 20-40 seconds before it pauses and kindle app loads.
Once kindle app is launched using the command prompt launch method, you can download the books you want to unlock DRM.
Then finally, launch epubor ultimate, go to kindle tab, and drag the books you want to free DRM.
that's it!
I spent hours figuring things out, i thought the old kindle app refresh (auto-downgrade) was related to my Win10, ran Virtualbox VM and nope, its not related to PC, rather its the Amazon sign-in page that has been 'changed'.
hope this helps you guys! now i can free up DRM on my kindle books and read with Google Books! Yeay!!!
Thanks for the kindle.cmd file. One thing I discovered is that this file assumes you've installed the Kindle PC program in an administrator account. If you install the Kindle PC program in a non-administrator account, which you should be using if you're on the web, the kindle.cmd file doesn't work. It looks for a Kindle program that's not there. Once I installed everything in my administrator account, everything worked properly, but it means I have to log-in to that account if I want to use Epubor Ultimate to remove DRM from Kindle ebooks.
Most people run Windows from the account they set up when they first get their computers. That account is usually an Administrator account. Ideally they should create a non-administrator account and do everything from there. Studies show that you can eliminate up to 94% of all vulnerabilities if you run Windows that way instead of the default way.