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Amazon to Eliminate USB Download Feature for Kindle Books

In a significant shift regarding e-book access, Amazon is set to discontinue a feature that has allowed users to download Kindle books directly to their computers and transfer them via USB. This upcoming change, effective Wednesday, February 26, initially aimed to aid owners of older Kindles lacking Wi-Fi capabilities; however, it has also provided a means for individuals to safeguard their purchases against potential alterations or removals by Amazon.

The removal of the “Download & transfer via USB” functionality means that users wishing to download their Kindle libraries to a PC should act quickly, as the option will be unavailable in just a few days. Importantly, this modification solely impacts the direct downloading process from Amazon’s website. Users who have already downloaded books to their devices will still be able to transfer them via USB to their Kindles. Additionally, third-party software and Amazon’s Send to Kindle service remain viable alternatives for loading various e-book formats onto Kindles.

While the changes will likely go unnoticed by standard Kindle owners who regularly purchase books through Amazon’s platform and download them seamlessly over Wi-Fi, they will impact users who utilize tools like Calibre for managing personal e-book collections. This group includes individuals who have transitioned to other e-reader platforms yet want to access and remove digital rights management (DRM) from their Kindle purchases to read them across various devices.

The “Download & transfer” option has been particularly valuable for those opposed to DRM, as the book files were provided in the older AZW3 format instead of the newer KFX format. Many users favor the AZW3 format, associated with pre-Wi-Fi Kindle devices, due to its comparatively easier DRM removal processes.

How to Retrieve Your Files

To download Kindle purchases to your PC or Mac before the imminent cutoff, it is essential to have an older Kindle or Fire device connected to your Amazon account. Users who possess only the latest Kindle models introduced in 2024—such as the newest Paperwhite, the second-generation Scribe, or the Colorsoft—will not see the download option available. Furthermore, Amazon’s site restricts users to downloading one book at a time, which can be time-consuming, particularly for those with extensive libraries.

Source
arstechnica.com