Amazon Kindle removes download feature of purchased books: Difference between revisions
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On 26 February 2025, [[Amazon]] removed the "download and transfer via USB" feature from their website. This means [[Amazon Kindle]] users are no longer able to download their purchased e-books from Amazon's website to their computers using the "download and transfer via USB" feature. A message describing this change appeared on the page for the download feature a few weeks before the feature was removed.<ref name="theverge">{{Cite web |author=Andrew Liszewski |date=14 Feb 2025 |title=Amazon’s killing a feature that let you download and backup Kindle books |url=https://www.theverge.com/news/612898/amazon-removing-kindle-book-download-transfer-usb |archive-url=https:// | |Company=Amazon | ||
|StartDate=2025-02-26 | |||
|EndDate= | |||
|Status= | |||
|ProductLine=Kindle | |||
|Product=[[Amazon Kindle]] | |||
|ArticleType=Service/ | |||
|Type=Digital restrictions | |||
|Description=Amazon had added a notice to users in February 2025 that they were going to remove the "Download & Transfer" feature and released an update to the Amazon Kindle corresponding to the notice on 12 February 2025, which had prompted users to use the feature while it was still around and even had some people jailbreak the software or create tools to do so. | |||
}} | |||
[[File:Amazon removal notice of download-transfer.webp|alt=Amazon notice about removing download capability|thumb|Amazon notice about removing download capability.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=12 Feb 2025 |title=FYI Amazon is removing Download & Transfer option on Feb 26th |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/kindle/comments/1inr9uy/fyi_amazon_is_removing_download_transfer_option/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250804001513/https://old.reddit.com/r/kindle/comments/1inr9uy/fyi_amazon_is_removing_download_transfer_option/ |archive-date=4 Aug 2025|publisher=Reddit |language=en |format=forum thread}}</ref>]] | |||
On 26 February 2025, [[Amazon]] removed the "download and transfer via USB" feature from their website. This means [[Amazon Kindle]] users are no longer able to download their purchased e-books from Amazon's website to their computers using the "download and transfer via USB" feature. A message describing this change appeared on the page for the download feature a few weeks before the feature was removed.<ref name="theverge">{{Cite web |author=Andrew Liszewski |date=14 Feb 2025 |title=Amazon’s killing a feature that let you download and backup Kindle books |url=https://www.theverge.com/news/612898/amazon-removing-kindle-book-download-transfer-usb |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222205435/https://www.theverge.com/news/612898/amazon-removing-kindle-book-download-transfer-usb |archive-date=22 Feb 2026|publisher=The Verge |language=en |format=article}}</ref> | |||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
Amazon allows purchasing e-books on their platform. These e-books are designed to be used with Amazon Kindle devices and the Kindle app. The "download and transfer via USB" feature allowed users to download purchased e-books on their computers. The intended use for this was to allow people to transfer e-books from their computer to their Kindle, without requiring the Kindle to have an internet connection. The "download and transfer via USB" feature was available since the early days of Kindle, when many devices didn't have {{Wplink|Wi-Fi}} capabilities, such as the Kindle 1, Kindle 2, and Kindle DX.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=21 Nov 2011 |title=Amazon Kindle 1 |url=https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Amazon_Kindle_1 |archive-url=https:// | Amazon allows purchasing e-books on their platform. These e-books are designed to be used with Amazon Kindle devices and the Kindle app. The "download and transfer via USB" feature allowed users to download purchased e-books on their computers. The intended use for this was to allow people to transfer e-books from their computer to their Kindle, without requiring the Kindle to have an internet connection. The "download and transfer via USB" feature was available since the early days of Kindle, when many devices didn't have {{Wplink|Wi-Fi}} capabilities, such as the Kindle 1, Kindle 2, and Kindle DX.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=21 Nov 2011 |title=Amazon Kindle 1 |url=https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Amazon_Kindle_1 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708172721/https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Amazon_Kindle_1 |archive-date=8 Jul 2025|publisher=MobileRead Wiki |language=en |format=wiki page}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=21 Nov 2011 |title=Amazon Kindle 2 |url=https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Amazon_Kindle_2 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260221190120/https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Amazon_Kindle_2 |archive-date=21 Feb 2026|publisher=MobileRead Wiki |language=en |format=wiki page}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=15 Apr 2014 |title=Kindle DX |url=https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kindle_DX |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260217174504/https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kindle_DX |archive-date=17 Feb 2026|publisher=MobileRead Wiki |language=en |format=wiki page}}</ref> | ||
===Reasons for feature=== | ===Reasons for feature=== | ||
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Customers will still be able to download e-books to their Kindles, but will either have to use the Kindle store on the device or the "Deliver or Remove from Device" option on the Amazon website.<ref name="theverge" /> Both of these options require the e-reader to have an internet connection. | Customers will still be able to download e-books to their Kindles, but will either have to use the Kindle store on the device or the "Deliver or Remove from Device" option on the Amazon website.<ref name="theverge" /> Both of these options require the e-reader to have an internet connection. | ||
This isn't the first time Amazon has made changes affecting customers' access to their purchased e-books. For instance, Amazon previously removed books customers had purchased since the company that uploaded them didn't have the rights to the content.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Michael Kozlowski |date=14 Feb 2025 |title=Amazon is not to be trusted anymore with their Kindle e-reader |url=https://goodereader.com/blog/kindle/amazon-is-not-to-be-trusted-anymore-with-their-kindle-e-reader |url-status=live |archive-url=https:// | This isn't the first time Amazon has made changes affecting customers' access to their purchased e-books. For instance, Amazon previously removed books customers had purchased since the company that uploaded them didn't have the rights to the content.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Michael Kozlowski |date=14 Feb 2025 |title=Amazon is not to be trusted anymore with their Kindle e-reader |url=https://goodereader.com/blog/kindle/amazon-is-not-to-be-trusted-anymore-with-their-kindle-e-reader |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251224193712/https://goodereader.com/blog/kindle/amazon-is-not-to-be-trusted-anymore-with-their-kindle-e-reader |archive-date=24 Dec 2025|publisher=Good e-Reader |language=en |format=article}}</ref> | ||
==Customer response== | ==Customer response== | ||
This change has caused significant backlash from customers.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |author=CriminOlly |date=16 Feb 2025 |title=Amazon are changing the way you own your Kindle books - you have 10 days to react |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMoCzeGnIss |url-status=live |archive-url=https:// | This change has caused significant backlash from customers.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |author=CriminOlly |date=16 Feb 2025 |title=Amazon are changing the way you own your Kindle books - you have 10 days to react |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMoCzeGnIss |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=KMoCzeGnIss |archive-date=22 Feb 2026|publisher=YouTube |language=en |format=video}}</ref> This is due to the following reasons: | ||
*The change makes it much harder for customers to read e-books they have purchased on non-Kindle devices. | *The change makes it much harder for customers to read e-books they have purchased on non-Kindle devices. | ||
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==Technical USB restrictions== | ==Technical USB restrictions== | ||
In 2023, Amazon changed how their Kindle devices interact with computers from a raw view of a file system using UMS ([[wikipedia:USB_mass_storage_device_class|USB Mass Storage]]) to a filtered view using the MTP ({{Wplink|Media Transfer Protocol}}).<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 Aug 2023 |title=Kindle Scribe no longer connects as USB drive |url=https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4352640 |archive-url=https:// | In 2023, Amazon changed how their Kindle devices interact with computers from a raw view of a file system using UMS ([[wikipedia:USB_mass_storage_device_class|USB Mass Storage]]) to a filtered view using the MTP ({{Wplink|Media Transfer Protocol}}).<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 Aug 2023 |title=Kindle Scribe no longer connects as USB drive |url=https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4352640 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708172726/https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4352640 |archive-date=8 Jul 2025|publisher=MobileRead Forums |language=en |format=forum thread}}</ref> | ||
MTP requires support on the operating system. Amazon had to provide macOS software to communicate with Kindles,<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 Nov 2024 |title=Amazon releases MTP USB File Manager for macOS |url=https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=364580 |archive-url=https:// | MTP requires support on the operating system. Amazon had to provide macOS software to communicate with Kindles,<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 Nov 2024 |title=Amazon releases MTP USB File Manager for macOS |url=https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=364580 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708172719/https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=364580 |archive-date=8 Jul 2025|publisher=MobileRead Forums |language=en |format=forum thread}}</ref> and even Windows users had some issues. This change made download and transfer more complex for newer devices. | ||
This change means that all files transferred to the device will have to pass through a software filter running on the device before being accepted. Currently, this filtering is ineffective as demonstrated by WinterBreak which uses the exposed HTML cache. Future software revisions can and will add restrictions, especially to "improve security." | This change means that all files transferred to the device will have to pass through a software filter running on the device before being accepted. Currently, this filtering is ineffective as demonstrated by WinterBreak which uses the exposed HTML cache. Future software revisions can and will add restrictions, especially to "improve security." | ||
Amazon has been pushing for content to go through Send-To-Kindle<ref>{{Cite web |title=Send to Kindle page |url=https://www.amazon.com/sendtokindle |url-status=live |archive-url=https:// | Amazon has been pushing for content to go through Send-To-Kindle<ref>{{Cite web |title=Send to Kindle page |url=https://www.amazon.com/sendtokindle |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222132622/https://www.amazon.com/sendtokindle |archive-date=22 Feb 2026|publisher=Amazon}}</ref> instead of USB. This allows Amazon to restrict the usage of Kindle devices to display illicit content. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Latest revision as of 03:33, 16 March 2026
On 26 February 2025, Amazon removed the "download and transfer via USB" feature from their website. This means Amazon Kindle users are no longer able to download their purchased e-books from Amazon's website to their computers using the "download and transfer via USB" feature. A message describing this change appeared on the page for the download feature a few weeks before the feature was removed.[2]
Background
[edit | edit source]Amazon allows purchasing e-books on their platform. These e-books are designed to be used with Amazon Kindle devices and the Kindle app. The "download and transfer via USB" feature allowed users to download purchased e-books on their computers. The intended use for this was to allow people to transfer e-books from their computer to their Kindle, without requiring the Kindle to have an internet connection. The "download and transfer via USB" feature was available since the early days of Kindle, when many devices didn't have Wi-Fi capabilities, such as the Kindle 1, Kindle 2, and Kindle DX.[3][4][5]
Reasons for feature
[edit | edit source]- Allowed users to transfer books to Kindles without an internet connection. Older devices may no longer be able to connect.
- Let users create backup copies of their purchased e-book library.
- Provided a way to access books in the older AZW3 format, which is more amenable to format conversion than newer formats due to less restrictive DRM.
- Gave users more control over their purchased content.
DRM implications
[edit | edit source]As well as the intended usage, customers used this feature to create backups of their Kindle libraries and to convert the e-books to other formats to use with non-Kindle devices. Amazon Kindle e-readers use a proprietary format to store e-books, and a lot of the e-books contain DRM, which needs to be removed to use the e-books with non-Kindle devices. Newer Kindle devices use the KFX format, which makes it almost impossible to remove DRM. Since the download and transfer feature used the older AZW3 format, people with newer Kindles could use this feature to download their e-books in a format where the DRM can be removed.[2]
Removal of download and transfer via USB
[edit | edit source]In February 2025, Amazon added a notice next to the download button whenever users accessed the "download and transfer via USB" feature. This notice said that the feature would be removed on February 26th. After that day, customers were no longer able to download their purchased e-books from the Amazon website.
Customers will still be able to download e-books to their Kindles, but will either have to use the Kindle store on the device or the "Deliver or Remove from Device" option on the Amazon website.[2] Both of these options require the e-reader to have an internet connection.
This isn't the first time Amazon has made changes affecting customers' access to their purchased e-books. For instance, Amazon previously removed books customers had purchased since the company that uploaded them didn't have the rights to the content.[6]
Customer response
[edit | edit source]This change has caused significant backlash from customers.[1][7] This is due to the following reasons:
- The change makes it much harder for customers to read e-books they have purchased on non-Kindle devices.
- Customers are now required to connect their Kindle e-readers to the internet if they want to download books purchased on Amazon.
- The change makes it harder for customers to move away from Amazon to another e-book platform, since customers are not able to keep the e-books they purchased through Amazon.
After the announcement, many consumers downloaded their purchased e-books with the download and transfer feature while the feature was available. Many people have also moved to other providers to buy e-books going forward.
Other users resorted to jailbreaking their devices to ensure continued access to previous features. This can be done using tools such as WinterBreak, which allow users to run custom applications like KOReader, a unified eBook reader that supports PDF, DjVu, EPUB, FB2, and many other formats—on Cervantes, Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, and Android devices.
Effect on original Kindle devices (Kindle 1, Kindle 2, & Kindle DX)
[edit | edit source]The Amazon Kindle 1 (2007), Kindle 2 (2009), and Kindle DX (2009) relied on EVDO and 3G networks for wireless book downloads via Amazon’s Whispernet service.[3][4] However, with the global shutdown of these older networks by mobile carriers, these early Kindle models are no longer able to download purchased Kindle books wirelessly in most regions.
Since e-books can no longer be purchased from the Kindle Store and downloaded, there is no way to get them onto these devices.
- Users are no longer be able to download Kindle books to a computer for manual transfer to their device via USB.
- Kindle books that were downloaded before this date can still be transferred manually.
- Any new purchases will require a WiFi-enabled Kindle, a 4G-enabled Kindle or access to Amazon’s Kindle apps to read.
- This effectively bricks older Kindles for the use case of reading newly purchased Kindle books
Remaining functionality
[edit | edit source]- The Kindle 1, Kindle 2, and Kindle DX still support USB file transfers for non-Amazon content, including:
- DRM-free MOBI, PRC, and TXT files.
- Converted EPUB files using tools like Calibre.
- Public domain books from sites such as Project Gutenberg.
- Users who backed up their Kindle books before the 26 February 2025 cutoff can still manually transfer them via USB.
Technical USB restrictions
[edit | edit source]In 2023, Amazon changed how their Kindle devices interact with computers from a raw view of a file system using UMS (USB Mass Storage) to a filtered view using the MTP (Media Transfer Protocol).[8]
MTP requires support on the operating system. Amazon had to provide macOS software to communicate with Kindles,[9] and even Windows users had some issues. This change made download and transfer more complex for newer devices.
This change means that all files transferred to the device will have to pass through a software filter running on the device before being accepted. Currently, this filtering is ineffective as demonstrated by WinterBreak which uses the exposed HTML cache. Future software revisions can and will add restrictions, especially to "improve security."
Amazon has been pushing for content to go through Send-To-Kindle[10] instead of USB. This allows Amazon to restrict the usage of Kindle devices to display illicit content.
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "FYI Amazon is removing Download & Transfer option on Feb 26th". Reddit. 12 Feb 2025. Archived from the original (forum thread) on 4 Aug 2025.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Andrew Liszewski (14 Feb 2025). "Amazon's killing a feature that let you download and backup Kindle books". The Verge. Archived from the original (article) on 22 Feb 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Amazon Kindle 1". MobileRead Wiki. 21 Nov 2011. Archived from the original (wiki page) on 8 Jul 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Amazon Kindle 2" (wiki page). MobileRead Wiki. 21 Nov 2011. Archived from the original on 21 Feb 2026.
- ↑ "Kindle DX" (wiki page). MobileRead Wiki. 15 Apr 2014. Archived from the original on 17 Feb 2026.
- ↑ Michael Kozlowski (14 Feb 2025). "Amazon is not to be trusted anymore with their Kindle e-reader" (article). Good e-Reader. Archived from the original on 24 Dec 2025.
- ↑ CriminOlly (16 Feb 2025). "Amazon are changing the way you own your Kindle books - you have 10 days to react" (video). YouTube. Archived from the original on 22 Feb 2026.
- ↑ "Kindle Scribe no longer connects as USB drive". MobileRead Forums. 31 Aug 2023. Archived from the original (forum thread) on 8 Jul 2025.
- ↑ "Amazon releases MTP USB File Manager for macOS". MobileRead Forums. 13 Nov 2024. Archived from the original (forum thread) on 8 Jul 2025.
- ↑ "Send to Kindle page". Amazon. Archived from the original on 22 Feb 2026.