FYI: Amazon disabling download and transfer via USB

This may limit people’s ability to dedrm their amazon books for use with other tools.

9 Likes

Welp, I guess I’ll need to finally figure out how to buy from Kobo.

7 Likes

Apparently mine already can’t so this anyway. I’m confused what this actually helps tho… Like you can still transfer files via USB anyway. You’ll just seemingly have to do it backwards (wireless send to Kindle (or device with Kindle app), download, then transfer to PC)

Edit: I guess there’s some difference in formats or something?

Yeah, the format downloaded wirelessly to the kindle is different from the simple transfer via USB file type.

2 Likes

Well darn. I’ve got 5000 yen ish saved to get stuff over time but looks like I should grab stuff on my wishlist instead.

1 Like

I just googled around a bit and from what I gather (but haven’t tested) the situation has improved a bit since the “You definitely need a physical Kindle” times and there are several methods available (again) besides “Download via USB”. Most pertinent to me is that apparently certain Windows Kindle app versions work again!

Which is nice, because I want to read stuff on my Kindle and in ttsu, so switching away from Amazon isn’t as easy for me :confused:

3 Likes

My understanding is that those other methods only work for books published before sometime in 2024 when they made the switch to a new kind of file that hasn’t been cracked yet. For all of the new books I’ve bought, download via USB is the only way I know of to get them.

1 Like

That’s why I’m saying “the situation has improved” and “there are several methods available (again)”. What you are describing is definitely what I experienced a while ago and what guides everywhere mentioned back then.

The guides I’m finding now are less bleak.

5 Likes