Inksky
You bought a Kindle book. It lives on Amazon’s servers, not your device. Amazon can — and has — remotely deleted books from customer libraries. A DRM-free backup is the only way to guarantee you keep what you paid for. Here’s how to do it.
What you need
- Calibre (free) — the ebook management tool
- DeDRM plugin for Calibre — this is the tool that removes DRM. We don’t link to it directly, but search GitHub for
noDRM/DeDRM_toolsand you’ll find it. - An older Kindle device OR an older version of Kindle for PC/Mac — this is the part most people miss. The DeDRM plugin needs a valid decryption key, and Amazon’s newest Kindle apps use a DRM scheme that current tools can’t break. More on this below.
The key problem: KFX DRM
Starting around 2021, Amazon began delivering books in the KFX format to newer Kindles and apps. KFX uses a hardened DRM that the DeDRM plugin cannot remove. If you download a book to a modern Kindle or the latest Kindle for PC, you’ll get a DRM-locked KFX that’s impenetrable.
The workaround: use an older device or older software as your decryption key source.
Option A: Older Kindle e-reader (easiest)
If you own a Kindle e-reader that’s a few years old — anything from a Paperwhite 3 (2015) through a 2021 Paperwhite — download the book to that device via USB. The older device receives the AZW3 format, which the DeDRM plugin can handle. Connect it to your computer, import the book into Calibre, and the plugin automatically removes DRM during import.
Option B: Kindle for PC version 1.24 or older
Install Kindle for PC version 1.24 or earlier (available on archive sites — search for “Kindle for PC 1.24”). Download your books through this older app. It delivers AZW3 format rather than KFX. Then import from the My Kindle Content folder into Calibre.
This is the method most people use because it doesn’t require owning a physical Kindle.
Step-by-step: Calibre + DeDRM
1. Install the DeDRM plugin
- Download the DeDRM plugin (search GitHub for
noDRM/DeDRM_tools→ download the latest release zip) - Open Calibre → Preferences → Plugins → Load plugin from file
- Select the
DeDRM_plugin.zipfile (inside the downloaded archive) - Restart Calibre
2. Configure the plugin
- Go back to Preferences → Plugins
- Find “DeDRM” in the list → click Customize plugin
- Add your Kindle’s serial number (for physical Kindle method) or configure the Kindle for PC path (for app method)
- Click OK
3. Import your books
- Connect your Kindle via USB, or navigate to the Kindle for PC content folder
- Drag the
.azw3or.azwfiles into Calibre - The DeDRM plugin automatically strips DRM during import
- The result: a clean EPUB file with no DRM, readable on any device, forever
The ethical line
Removing DRM from books you’ve purchased, for personal backup use on devices you own, is something millions of readers do. It’s technically illegal under the DMCA in the US (we have a separate guide on the legality), but no individual has ever been prosecuted for it.
The line everyone agrees on: don’t distribute. Once you share a DRM-free file, you’ve crossed from personal backup to piracy. Keep your backups to yourself.
What formats you’ll get
After removing DRM in Calibre, you can convert to any format:
- EPUB — Universal format, works on Kobo, Boox, PocketBook, and apps
- AZW3 — Kindle’s native format, keeps most formatting
- MOBI — Legacy Kindle format, use only for very old devices
- PDF — Not recommended. Ebooks reflow text; PDFs lock it.
Convert within Calibre via Convert Books → Convert Individually. Choose EPUB for maximum compatibility or AZW3 if you’re staying in the Kindle ecosystem.
What to do with your DRM-free backup
Store the files somewhere safe — an external hard drive, a cloud backup folder, or a NAS. If Amazon ever removes a book from your library, you restore it from backup. If you switch to a Kobo or Boox next year, your entire library moves with you.
This isn’t about piracy. It’s about the right to read what you paid for, on the device you own, for as long as you want.