Amazon has removed Download & Transfer option

[geoffwood]

Went to download a book this morning and saw the following posted on the Download page:

Starting February 26, 2025, the “Download & Transfer via USB” option will no longer be available. You can still send Kindle books to your Wi-Fi enabled devices by selecting the “Deliver or Remove from Device” option.

Makes me glad I bought an old Paperwhite so I can continue to download to that and directly copy the file from there and remove DRM

Moderator Notice
Thread title updated, as this has now happened.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by geoffwood

Went to download a book this morning and saw the following posted on the Download page:



Makes me glad I bought an old Paperwhite so I can continue to download to that and directly copy the file from there and remove DRM

Which Paperwhite? If it can receive KFX, you may not be able to remove the DRM.

I just tried D&T for the US & UK and I do not see that warning.

[geoffwood]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Which Paperwhite? If it can receive KFX, you may not be able to remove the DRM.

It's a Paperwhite 5th generation. So far, I have been able to transfer and strip DRM for everything I have downloaded to it. I guess I'll be doing it a lot more going forward.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by geoffwood

It's a Paperwhite 5th generation. So far, I have been able to transfer and strip DRM for everything I have downloaded to it. I guess I'll be doing it a lot more going forward.

That should be a PW1. So you should be OK.

[geoffwood]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I just tried D&T for the US & UK and I do not see that warning.

I'm not seeing it in the UK either, just the US. At least 1 other person on Reddit has confirmed seeing the message in the US with a PW11 but it looks like it may be rolling out slowly

[Flaneurette]

yeah, I've got this message too. Bummer but I'm not surprised

[pdurrant]

So an old Kindle will be the only easy solution shortly. Sigh.

I'm surprised publishers haven't cottoned on to the fact that the only way they have a hope of breaking Amazon's complete dominance of the ebook market in the UK and USA is to do away with DRM.

Even the Music publishers realised that DRM had to go.

[Quoth]

The Paperwhite 3 certainly gets KFX if you download direct.
The Kindle 3 gets azw3 if Amazon knows you updated it.
The DXG, DX have only Cell/Mobile and I think only now work by D&T, but you get old mobi.
The K1 & K2 only run mobi, no azw3.

[Quoth]

I just purchased a cheap book on my Amazon wish list.
Then did Download & Transfer for USB for a Paperwhite 3
No warning / banner message.
Amazon UK in Ireland.

If it happens, it's the end of any purchases of Amazon Exclusive titles, which absolutely should not be a thing.

Perhaps someone (loads of people?) should mention to EU that Amazon has over 90% of English language ebook sales worldwide and only supports their own app and ereader with a proprietary format. Apple had to change to USB-C on their phones instead of lightning.
Also that DRM is a scam that hurts consumers and doesn't stop book piracy at all. Trivial for pirates to photograph each page & OCR (sometimes proof) even if the DRM is unbreakable.

[jonathan2022]

Possibly Also after closing download and transfer they may close any other loop holes. Like kindle for pc. So very sad times ahead

[lkmiller]

Only a matter of time. All the current workarounds use older apps/devices/formats. But closing those off also provides motivation to figuring out the newer drm. When kfx started getting harder to avoid that's when the earliest version of that finally got figured out.

I can still use my Kindle Touch to get decryptable books for now. I don't often buy from Amazon anyway.

[John F]

I just D&T to a PW3. In the US, no message about D&T going away.

[jonathan2022]

I did to my kindle generation 4. Download and transfer. No messages. From zimbabwe

[jhowell]

There was a recent issue when trying to use Download & Transfer was generating errors on Amazon’s website. That may have been a result of a failed first attempt to introduce this popup message. Amazon may be rolling out the notification more gradually now to avoid a repeat of that situation.

[jonathan2022]

Originally Posted by jhowell

There was a recent issue when trying to use Download & Transfer was generating errors on Amazon’s website. That may have been a result of a failed first attempt to introduce this popup message. Amazon may be rolling out the notification more gradually now to avoid a repeat of that situation.

Except this gave someone a date of February 25th. I hope you are right. My battery for kindle gen 4 is not working as well. So downloads to it nearly kill battery. It's 20 years old. Not bad for how long it's lasted.