How to add Kindle Books to Calibre

[JP91306]

I own a Kindle....several, actually.

I own and use Calibre.

I BUY Kindle books.

How can I READ the Kindle books in Calibre? How to I get them there (where are they, and what files does Calibre need?)

I prefer the reader in Calibre...would like to use it.

Thanks,

jp

[CRussel]

From your Amazon Content page, select More Actions, then Download and Transfer via USB for the book you want to transfer to Calibre. Make sure you have loaded and configured the noDRM plugin, and then select Add Books from the top menu of Calibre and point it to the folder where you saved the eBook(s).

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by JP91306

I own a Kindle....several, actually.

I own and use Calibre.

I BUY Kindle books.

How can I READ the Kindle books in Calibre? How to I get them there (where are they, and what files does Calibre need?)

I prefer the reader in Calibre...would like to use it.

Thanks,

jp

You should download the DeDRM 10.0.3 plugin to remove the DRM from your Kindle eBooks so you can read them with Calibre's viewer.

[Quaxo76]

I have a question regarding this method. It worked very well for most of my books; but 2 of them, can't be sent to an eInk reader, so I can't download the file. Is there any way to convert these?
Also, it only works if I download them for my (very) old Kindle. If I download them for my new paperwhite, the DRM is not removed. Why? Does this mean I have to keep this old reader just for the conversion's sake?

Cristian

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Quaxo76

I have a question regarding this method. It worked very well for most of my books; but 2 of them, can't be sent to an eInk reader, so I can't download the file. Is there any way to convert these?
Also, it only works if I download them for my (very) old Kindle. If I download them for my new paperwhite, the DRM is not removed. Why? Does this mean I have to keep this old reader just for the conversion's sake?

Cristian

1) If an ebook isn't available for eInk, it's not a real reflowable ebook, but likely some sort of fixed layout for larger tablets, or even a PDF in an Amazon wrapper. Those don't convert at all or badly. Same applies to actual PDFs.

2) You need to copy & paste the serial number of the Kindle you are downloading for "Transfer via USB" from your "Manage Your Content and Devices" > "Devices" into the DeDrm plugin installed separately from Git into Calibre.
Delete from Calibre and re-add any ebooks for the later Kindle.

[Quaxo76]

Hello,
Thank you very much for your reply.

Originally Posted by Quoth

1) If an ebook isn't available for eInk, it's not a real reflowable ebook, but likely some sort of fixed layout for larger tablets, or even a PDF in an Amazon wrapper. Those don't convert at all or badly. Same applies to actual PDFs.

You're probably right. I checked with the Kindle app on my phone, and those books don't reflow. Too bad, I really wanted those books.

2) You need to copy & paste the serial number of the Kindle you are downloading for "Transfer via USB" from your "Manage Your Content and Devices" > "Devices" into the DeDrm plugin installed separately from Git into Calibre.
Delete from Calibre and re-add any ebooks for the later Kindle.

That's actually what I did. I pasted the serials for both devices in the plugin. The same books, if I download them "for my older Kindle", work perfectly. If I download them "for the new one", they all don't have DRM removed. It's not a huge issue, since nothing stops me from downloading them for the older device. Until, that is, Amazon decides to make it obsolete, and drops support for it. I read somewhere that the newer devices use a new encryption, that the de-DRM plugin can't handle (yet)...

Cristian

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Quaxo76

You're probably right. I checked with the Kindle app on my phone, and those books don't reflow. Too bad, I really wanted those books.

You still may be able to do something with those books by using Kindle for PC/Mac to download them. That software can handle some fixed-layout books that e-ink Kindles do not support. You would need to use an older version of that software for DRM removal to work. See the thread Dealing with Kindle for PC/Mac 1.19 (and later) and KFX in calibre.

Originally Posted by Quaxo76

That's actually what I did. I pasted the serials for both devices in the plugin. The same books, if I download them "for my older Kindle", work perfectly. If I download them "for the new one", they all don't have DRM removed. That's actually what I did. I pasted the serials for both devices in the plugin. The same books, if I download them "for my older Kindle", work perfectly. If I download them "for the new one", they all don't have DRM removed.

Is your "new" Kindle actually a Fire tablet? DRM removal does not work on books downloaded for those devices.

Originally Posted by Quaxo76

I read somewhere that the newer devices use a new encryption, that the de-DRM plugin can't handle (yet)...

That is true for books that are delivered directly from Amazon to newer Kindles. However it is not the case if "download and transfer" from the Amazon website is used, even for the latest e-ink Kindles. At least so far.

[Quaxo76]

[QUOTE=jhowell;4254249]You still may be able to do something with those books by using Kindle for PC/Mac to download them. [/url].

Problem is, I'm running Linux. I'll have to experiment with a virtual machine or borrow someone else's computer.

Is your "new" Kindle actually a Fire tablet? DRM removal does not work on books downloaded for those devices.

No, it's the latest paperwhite

That is true for books that are delivered directly from Amazon to newer Kindles. However it is not the case if "download and transfer" from the Amazon website is used, even for the latest e-ink Kindles. At least so far.

That's weird, then. I'll have to double-check, maybe I entered the serial number wrong.

Cristian

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Quaxo76

That's weird, then. I'll have to double-check, maybe I entered the serial number wrong.

I recommend using copy/paste to avoid problems with look-alike characters such as “0” and “O”.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Quaxo76

Problem is, I'm running Linux. I'll have to experiment with a virtual machine or borrow someone else's computer.

I used Windows for years. Using Linux now solves most of the problems. I do have my old XP laptop, my old Win7 game PC and the last Win Licence I bought as Win10 all as VMs. But really couldn't be bothered messing with old version of K4PC and setting it so it can't update to KFX and so as to download ebooks that are designed for paper by clueless people.
I only want ebooks that are real ebooks, or paper. I'll only accept old PD scans and manuals / datasheets as PDF. Amazon should call fixed layout electronic texts "Kindle eBooks" because they don't work on real Kindles.

[JSWolf]

Amazon should stop selling fixed layout. They are less then worthless.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Amazon should stop selling fixed layout. They are less then worthless.

Sell them under a different brand for tablets. Some titles do need them. They shouldn't be sold as Kindle ebooks.