On February 26, 2025, Amazon plans to take down the option to ‘Download & Transfer via USB.’ which means for now, Kindle users will be losing the ability to download books straight to their computers for offline use or manually moving them to the kindle devices. Hence, it is advisable to act quickly if you wish to backup your book collection.
Navigating Amazon Kindle Book Limitations
When you purchase an ebook from Amazon, it does not mean that you own it entirely. Amazon has the option to remove or change books in your library and actions taken by publishers can be brought forward. Therefore, it is best for most users to get copies of their bought content before it is too late.
In the past, Amazon has permitted users to transfer Kindle books to the computer which could then be moved to the Kindle devices with a USB port. However, with this new feature being taken away, users must depend on Wi-Fi delivery and cloud based storage.
What happens after February 26, 2025?
All kindle books will still be available in the Kidle store, however they will not be able to be downloaded directly to a computer. The only way to obtain the books is to send them to Kindle devices via wifi using ‘Deliver or Remove from Device’ functionality. Further, users can still send compatible files to their kindles via Amazon’s ‘Send to Kindle’ page.
Guidelines to Download Kindle Books Before the Deadline
Set these steps in motion, if you would like to save local copies of your kindle books before the timeframe closes:
- Log into Your Amazon Account
- Open Amazon.com and sign in.
- Open Your Content Library
- Click on Accounts and Lists on the top right of the page.
- Go to Content Library then select Books.
- Downloading the Books
- Find the book you would want to save.
- Click the More Actions option beside the book title.
- Hit Select Download and transfer via USB.
- A window will pop up asking you to choose which kindle device you want the book downloaded to. Select one from the list to enable the download button.
- Download the booklet, and it will download into AZW3 format on your device.
Considerations and Limitations
- Those who bought a Kindle in or post 2024 may not find it as a selectable device for USB transfer in the settings.
- Books need to be downloaded separately as Amazon doesn’t provide any option for bulk downloads.
Transferring Your Kindle Books to Other Devices
For moving your ebooks to other devices, you may do so with the help of Calibre or other third-party programs. This software is free and allows users to manage an ebook library, change the file format, and even bypass Amazon’s Digital Rights Management (DRM) protection. Once DRM is taken off, books can be changed from Amazon’s AZW3 format into more popular file types like EPUB or PDF. This will allow users to have access to their purchased books for a longer duration, even if changes to the Kindle ecosystem are made by Amazon.
Final Thoughts
It is crucial to act now if you want to maintain some control over your digital library with Amazon discontinuing the USB transfer feature. If you want to keep your Kindle books post February 26, 2025 regardless of Amazon’s policy changes, make sure you download and store them in a safe place. Furthermore, make sure to incorporate aspects such as Calibre so that users can switch between different e-readers and devices seamlessly.
Protect your ebook collection while the opportunity is available to you!
