You will soon have the ability to read your Kindle eBooks on different e-readers.
Amazon will begin permitting EPUB and PDF downloads for DRM-free eBooks starting next year.
Until now, Amazon has limited Kindle eBooks to its Kindle devices and applications, lacking a formal method for users to access titles acquired from the Kindle Store on non-Amazon e-readers or via other applications. However, this is about to change.
In a recent announcement, Amazon disclosed that users will soon have the option to download and read eBooks on e-readers of different brands and through third-party applications. The company stated that downloads in EPUB and PDF formats will be available starting January 20, 2026, but only if the author chooses to opt in.
Authors distributing books through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) must decide against applying Digital Rights Management (DRM) to facilitate downloads. For previously published titles, authors need to adjust the DRM settings via the KDP author portal to allow for downloads. This adjustment will not be retroactive, and Amazon clarified that it will not affect existing DRM-free titles unless the author actively makes the change.
A support page containing further information about this update indicates that these DRM-free books can be downloaded from the Manage Your Content and Devices section on Amazon. Additionally, it mentions that only confirmed buyers will have access to the EPUB and PDF files, and downloads will not be permitted for those who borrow books from the Kindle Store via Kindle Unlimited or similar services, even if those books are DRM-free.
For readers, this development means that their Kindle purchases will no longer be confined within Amazon's ecosystem. By enabling downloads, Amazon is effectively providing readers with a more convenient means to create a library that can be accessed across multiple devices and applications. For authors, this change offers a clearer decision between wider reach or more stringent content protection. When this update becomes effective, it could signify the beginning of a more open and adaptable Kindle ecosystem that benefits both authors and readers.
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You will soon have the ability to read your Kindle eBooks on different e-readers.
Amazon will soon enable users to download DRM-free Kindle eBooks in EPUB and PDF formats, allowing for reading on third-party e-readers and applications.
