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Old 10-15-2025, 01:29 PM   #1
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Decrypting Kobo purchases
I've been using a Kindle for a while now, and i've done a fair bit of purchasing on it, because decrypting the ebooks was pretty easy to do. But the latest firmware update seems that have locked the Kindle down even more than before, making the usual set of Calibre plugins ineffective.

So, I'm looking at greener pastures. The Kobo seems to be the obvious choice, since it's a well-built device that gets a lot of positive reviews.

How easy is it to "liberate" books purchased in the Kobo ecosystem?

Also, is the kepub format still a thing for Kobo devices?
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Old 10-15-2025, 02:09 PM   #2
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The widely used DeDRM plugin also includes an additional component OBOK that handles the decryption of Kobo content.
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Old 10-15-2025, 02:14 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by apastuszak View Post
How easy is it to "liberate" books purchased in the Kobo ecosystem?
For all books, you can download your purchases in the Desktop App or in your e-reader, and use Obok + calibre to import and deDRM them.

For the majority of books (all of those that are sold as EPUB DRM), you can also download the acsm file from the Kobo website and use deDRM plugin + calibre to deDRM them (provided you have redeemed first the acsm file, through ADE or acms plugin authorized with your ADE credential)

Quote:
Also, is the kepub format still a thing for Kobo devices?
Kepub is the format Kobo uses for all books you download directly on the device (from the store, NetGalley integration, or Overdrive). You can choose to sideload books as Epub or Kepub, depending on your preferences.

I do prefer Kepub files, but tons of people here on MR prefer Epub instead. There are some differences between the format, you can try both and see which one you like more.
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Old 10-15-2025, 02:18 PM   #4
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Sounds like my wife is getting a Kobo for Christmas. I just need them to release a Libra B&W that works with the new remote.
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Old 10-15-2025, 03:59 PM   #5
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You can also use the ACSM input plugin for Calibre to redeem the ACSM file and decrypt it in the same step (once you also have the DeDRM plugin installed), if you don't want to bother with ADE.
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Old 10-15-2025, 04:50 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by apastuszak View Post
I've been using a Kindle for a while now, and i've done a fair bit of purchasing on it, because decrypting the ebooks was pretty easy to do. But the latest firmware update seems that have locked the Kindle down even more than before, making the usual set of Calibre plugins ineffective.

So, I'm looking at greener pastures. The Kobo seems to be the obvious choice, since it's a well-built device that gets a lot of positive reviews.

How easy is it to "liberate" books purchased in the Kobo ecosystem?

Also, is the kepub format still a thing for Kobo devices?
Use calibre and then install DeACSM, DeDRM, and download ePub (do not download KePub). That way you can have the choice of ePub or KePub as calibre can convert ePub to KePub on the fly when you send your ePub to your Kobo. Or you can send it as ePub if that's what you prefer. Also, if you want or need to edit the eBook, ePub is a lot easier to edit because it's not full of code that makes it a lot harder to look at.
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Old 10-15-2025, 04:51 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aleron Ives View Post
You can also use the ACSM input plugin for Calibre to redeem the ACSM file and decrypt it in the same step (once you also have the DeDRM plugin installed), if you don't want to bother with ADE.
Though the acsm is a "ticket" for the actual download. It's a small XML format text file and expires. You simply download again from your Kobo "Books" section on the web site if you forgot to redeem the epub via the acsm file.
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Old 10-15-2025, 04:52 PM   #8
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Sounds like my wife is getting a Kobo for Christmas. I just need them to release a Libra B&W that works with the new remote.
A Libra BW does not seem to be happening. I'd like it to. But whoever decides these things seems to be an idiot.
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Old 10-15-2025, 05:34 PM   #9
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A Libra BW does not seem to be happening. I'd like it to. But whoever decides these things seems to be an idiot.
My wife absolutely DOES NOT want a color e-reader. But she insists (rightfully so) on page turn buttons. So, if there is no B&W libra, I may need to look elsewhere.
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Old 10-15-2025, 05:50 PM   #10
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At present you'll have to either get a Sage or buy a Libra 2 on eBay, as both of them have buttons and work with the remote.
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Old 10-15-2025, 07:15 PM   #11
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For myself, I would do that. As a present for my wife, I will not. Is the rumor that there will not be a new black and white device?
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Old 10-15-2025, 08:46 PM   #12
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Nobody knows. The Sage is sold out, and the Libra 2 isn't even listed on the Kobo website anymore, so Kobo currently has no BW 7" model and no 8" model at all.
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Old 10-16-2025, 08:59 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by Aleron Ives View Post
Nobody knows. The Sage is sold out, and the Libra 2 isn't even listed on the Kobo website anymore, so Kobo currently has no BW 7" model and no 8" model at all.
The Sage is sold out in the US and CA. The UK has the Sage but that could be leftover stock. We just don't know.
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Old 10-16-2025, 11:29 AM   #14
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I just tried this method and it worked. I went to the Koko website, located the purchase I'd made earlier today, and selected "download". It saved a URLLink.acsm file to my desktop. I imported that into Calibre (using the "Add Books" icon, rather than the "Obok" icon). It automatically removed the DRM and converted it into an epub. (I had the ACSM plugin, so I didn't need an ADE account.)

Question: the above instructions suggest I should have had a choice between downloading an epub or kepub file. I did not. The website had a single download option. When I clicked it, I wasn't provide a choice. It simply gave me an ascm file. Did I skip a step?
Last edited by A Lurker; 10-16-2025 at 11:42 AM.
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Old 10-16-2025, 11:43 AM   #15
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Also, before I stumbled across this thread, I'd unsuccessfully tried a different method using the Koko desktop app. Specifically, I downloaded the file using the app (though I couldn't tell you where) and clicked on the "Obok" icon in Calibre. It gave me an error message that read: "Could not find Kobo Library. Windows/MAC: Do you have Kobo desktop installed?" Ultimately this doesn't matter since I got the book through an alternative method, but I'm nevertheless curious. Any idea what might have went wrong?
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