It also now includes code that should handle the latest KFX encryption used by the latest Kindle for PC and Kindle for Mac. How long this code will work is anyone's guess. It may be that Amazon will update Kindle for PC/Mac very quickly. In which case, the existing work-arounds to get KF8 format should still work. Find the Kindle AZW or KFX ebook that you have downloaded to your desktop Kindle app. Add the ebook to Calibre by dragging and dropping or by clicking the Add books button in the menu bar. With Kindle for PC, the default location of downloaded books is “C: Users your user name Documents My Kindle Content“.
I’ve been a big reader since I was a kid, all kinds of books from many sources. I was an early Kindle adopter, but as Android tablets came out I found them better for reading:
- Configurable: you can set a wider variety of fonts, sizes, margins, colors, layouts.
- Open: you can install any number of reading apps for every eBook format available. You’re not locked into any single book ecosystem.
- Graphics: books with pictures, diagrams, etc. are much better on a tablet. Even a large eInk reader lacks color and renders slower.
Due to the variety of books I read, no single ecosystem would do the job. Plus, I take a principled opposition to any company that tries to lock customers into its ecosystem. When I buy a book I don’t believe I’ve bought it to read on a particular device, in a particular format, to access whenever some corporation thinks I should be able to. I’ve bought the right to read it on any device, in any format, whenever I want to, forever. Just like a real book. Indeed, eBooks often cost as much as real books even though the marginal cost of the next eBook sold is zero. And, I run native Linux on all my computers.
All of this all led me to start using Calibre to manage my eBooks. Calibre is simply great – it meets all these needs and more. It’s a great organizer, supports all devices, all formats, can convert between them, and has many plugins with an active open source development community.
Without owning a Kindle, how does one buy books from Amazon, store them on your own computer and read them on any device in any format? Here’s how:
Even though I run Linux, I have a VM running Windows. I don’t use it for much, only those few apps that I can run natively on Linux or in a browser. Unfortunately, Amazon Kindle is one of those. In this VM I have the Kindle for PC app registered to my Amazon account.
I’ll assume you already have Calibre running and you’ve installed Apprentice Alf’s DeDRM plug-in.
Next, do a one-time configuration step: capture the Kindle key from your Windows PC and copy it to Calibre so it can DeDRM Kindle books.
- On Windows
- Install Python 2.7 and Pycrypto 2.6 for Python 2.7.
- Unzip the Calibre DeDRM plug-in ZIP file
- In this zip, find the file kindlekey.py.
- This zip file has several directories and files in it. In DeDRM_6.6.0, this file is here: DeDRM_Windows_ApplicationDeDRM_AppDeDRM_liblib
- Open a command prompt and run this file: kindlekey.py
- You’ll see something like this:
- Using Library AlfCrypto DLL/DYLIB/SO
searching for kinfoFiles in C:UsersUSERNAMEAppDataLocal
Found K4PC 1.9+ kinf2011 file: C:UsersUSERNAMEAppDataLocalAmazonKindlestorage.kinf2011
Decrypted key file using IDString ‘406xxxxxxx’ and UserName ’63xxxxxx’
- Using Library AlfCrypto DLL/DYLIB/SO
- It creates a new file: kindlekey1.k4i
- Copy this file to a directory your Linux Calibre app can see
- On Linux
- Run Calibre
- Click Configure, Plugins, File type plugins, DeDRM
- Click Customize plugin
- Click Kindle for Mac/PC ebooks
- Click Import Existing Keyfiles
- In the file dialog that pops up, pick your kindlekey1.k4i file
You’re done: Calibre DeDRM is configured to be able to DeDRM ebooks you drop on it, so long as they come from your Kindle for PC reader.
After I buy a book on Amazon, I deliver it to my Kindle for PC device.
- In Windows:
- Open Kindle for PC, refresh your library. The book should appear.
- Double-click it to download it.
- After the book opens, close it and the Kindle for PC app.
- Open folder UsersUSERNAMEDocumentsMy Kindle Content
- Your book will be one of these folders named B….._EBOK
- Sort by date to put the most recent files on top
- Open the folder and you’ll see an azw file having the same filename as the folder.
- Copy this azw file to a directory that your Linux Calibre can see.
- In Linux
- Run Calibre and drag/drop the azw file on it.
- Calibre will strip the DRMs and add it to your library
You now own the book. It’s stored on your own hard drive, you can read it on your PC, convert it to any format you want, copy it to any device or app you want to use to read it.
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 3 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 App(Kindle for PC/Mac desktop, or Kindle Cloud Reader web app). 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 (kindle content folder location).
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
Notice: 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.
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.
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.
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 Rip the Kindle DRM.
Add the Kindle books from the left sidebar to the right main window. Then all the books will be decrypted immediately.
Kindle For Pc Uk
Kindle for PC/Mac version 1.25/1.26, can't decrypt drm from kindle azw.
Kindle For Pc 1.26 Dedrm
Amazon changes its drm scheme since it released Kindle desktop version 1.25(and above) and Kindle firmware 5.10.2(and above). For now we can't directly handle those new kindle kfx books unless we Downgrade Kindle for PC/Mac to Older Version.
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.
Kindle For Pc 1.24 Dedrm
Ada Wang works for Epubor and writes articles for a collection of blogs such as ebookconverter.blogspot.com.