Can Calibre store Kindle files with DRM?

OrangeMango · 05-11-2021, 01:32 AM

I stress over everything. Can I use calibre to manage ebooks with drm? I know drmtools is a thing, but I'm lazy and I can't be bothered to set it up yet. I'd rather not deal with amazon's site and sending to kindle for every book I want to read that I buy from there.

What are the limitations?

OrangeMango · 05-11-2021, 01:42 AM

Oh, and is it better to download for "send via usb" or just send the books directly to kindle?

Double also, If I sideload books and put them in a collection on my kindle will it remember where they go if I take them off and put them back on later? I would like to keep any spicy content away from prying eyes.

Sirtel · 05-11-2021, 10:20 AM

You can store your DRMed Kindle books in Calibre, but what would be the point? You can't read them on any other device, even another Kindle. You cannot edit them or embed metadata in the file. Personally I fail to see why you'd want to keep DRMed files anywhere, even in Calibre.

Yes, if you use the "download and transfer via USB" option and select your current Kindle, then you can sideload them, but only to the Kindle you originally downloaded them for, because Amazon DRM is keyed to a specific device. If you buy another Kindle in the future, you'll have to download them from Amazon all over again, you cannot sideload the files stored with DRM to your next device.

As to collections, to my knowledge a Kindle treats every sideloaded file as a new book and its original collection is no longer remembered, but I might be wrong, as I don't use collections myself.

jhowell · 05-11-2021, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeMango

Oh, and is it better to download for "send via usb" or just send the books directly to kindle?

If you have Amazon deliver your books directly to your Kindle then most will come with enhanced typesetting, assuming that you have a recent PaperWhite model. That adds features like hyphenation and ligatures. If you download and sideload via USB you will not get those features.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeMango

Double also, If I sideload books and put them in a collection on my kindle will it remember where they go if I take them off and put them back on later? I would like to keep any spicy content away from prying eyes.

Books associated with your account and delivered by Amazon, either purchased or sent to Amazon as a personal document, will have collection membership stored and synced. Sideloaded books added to collections are local to that device only and might not be retained if the book is removed.

JSWolf · 05-11-2021, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhowell

If you have Amazon deliver your books directly to your Kindle then most will come with enhanced typesetting, assuming that you have a recent PaperWhite model. That adds features like hyphenation and ligatures. If you download and sideload via USB you will not get those features.

With Calibre, I do use the Hyphenate This! plugin to add soft hyphens to KF8. It works very well. I do wish KF8 supported ligatures.

Sirtel · 05-11-2021, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

With Calibre, I do use the Hyphenate This! plugin to add soft hyphens to KF8. It works very well. I do wish KF8 supported ligatures.

I'm happy sideloaded AZW3 books don't support hyphenation and I don't have to disable it in the css, like I do with epubs I load to my Kobo. And far more important for me than enhanced typesetting are custom font sizes. KFX doesn't support those. So I feel absolutely no need for KFX. YMMV, as always.

hobnail · 05-11-2021, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeMango

Oh, and is it better to download for "send via usb" or just send the books directly to kindle?

I find the send via usb method of downloading the books makes it easier when you use the DeDRM plugin. The book goes to my downloads directory, and from there I drag it into Calibre and the plugin automagically removes the drm when it's added to my library. (Even though I have a Kobo Forma I buy my books from Amazon and I'm on mailing lists where free books are announced daily; dunno if they're also available for free from Kobo's store.)

Deskisamess · 05-11-2021, 01:01 PM

I use an old version of the Kindle app, download my Amazon books there, and drag and drop from Windows file explorer into Calibre. The DeDRM plug-in strips the DRM when the books are dragged into Calibre.

I have all my Kindle books "backed up" in Calibre. I've been reducing the margins and font sizes before placing the books on my Kindles.

hobnail · 05-11-2021, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I'm happy sideloaded AZW3 books don't support hyphenation and I don't have to disable it in the css, like I do with epubs I load to my Kobo. And far more important for me than enhanced typesetting are custom font sizes. KFX doesn't support those. So I feel absolutely no need for KFX. YMMV, as always.

I could be wrong but it seems to me that if you remove the font size stuff from the body and paragraphs then they all have the same font size, which I've set in the Kobo's reading settings. Likewise with text alignment; remove it if it's left or justified (leaving center and right alone) and then I can specify which I like in the settings. And likewise with margins and line spacing.

theducks · 05-11-2021, 01:10 PM

By using Calibre to store books with DRM intact, you still have the ability to send to the (registered) device while the network is down (or pulled from sale) You just can't make changes (edit).

Convenience

Calibre also shows you what books YOU have purchased in a single place.

Sirtel · 05-11-2021, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobnail

I could be wrong but it seems to me that if you remove the font size stuff from the body and paragraphs then they all have the same font size, which I've set in the Kobo's reading settings. Likewise with text alignment; remove it if it's left or justified (leaving center and right alone) and then I can specify which I like in the settings. And likewise with margins and line spacing.

Yes, and that's what I do. But I'm not satisfied with the default font sizes on my Kindles - they go from too small to too big, with no suitable middle ground for me. So I installed the FONT_RAMP hack, which allows me to specify my own sizes. The hack only works with AZW3.

Kobo has more sizes, but even on my Kobo I patched the sizes.

05-11-2021, 01:32 AM	#1
OrangeMango Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2020 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Can Calibre store Kindle files with DRM? I stress over everything. Can I use calibre to manage ebooks with drm? I know drmtools is a thing, but I'm lazy and I can't be bothered to set it up yet. I'd rather not deal with amazon's site and sending to kindle for every book I want to read that I buy from there. What are the limitations?

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05-11-2021, 01:42 AM	#2
OrangeMango Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2020 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Oh, and is it better to download for "send via usb" or just send the books directly to kindle? Double also, If I sideload books and put them in a collection on my kindle will it remember where they go if I take them off and put them back on later? I would like to keep any spicy content away from prying eyes.

05-11-2021, 10:20 AM	#3
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,466 Karma: 239219453 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	You can store your DRMed Kindle books in Calibre, but what would be the point? You can't read them on any other device, even another Kindle. You cannot edit them or embed metadata in the file. Personally I fail to see why you'd want to keep DRMed files anywhere, even in Calibre. Yes, if you use the "download and transfer via USB" option and select your current Kindle, then you can sideload them, but only to the Kindle you originally downloaded them for, because Amazon DRM is keyed to a specific device. If you buy another Kindle in the future, you'll have to download them from Amazon all over again, you cannot sideload the files stored with DRM to your next device. As to collections, to my knowledge a Kindle treats every sideloaded file as a new book and its original collection is no longer remembered, but I might be wrong, as I don't use collections myself.

05-11-2021, 01:01 PM	#8
Deskisamess Wizard Posts: 2,752 Karma: 45301087 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ohio Device: iPhone 13 Pro, iPad mini, iPad Pro 12.9",Paperwhite 6.8", Scribe 2022	I use an old version of the Kindle app, download my Amazon books there, and drag and drop from Windows file explorer into Calibre. The DeDRM plug-in strips the DRM when the books are dragged into Calibre. I have all my Kindle books "backed up" in Calibre. I've been reducing the margins and font sizes before placing the books on my Kindles.

05-11-2021, 01:10 PM	#10
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,047 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	By using Calibre to store books with DRM intact, you still have the ability to send to the (registered) device while the network is down (or pulled from sale) You just can't make changes (edit). Convenience Calibre also shows you what books YOU have purchased in a single place.

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