I use Kobo, which uses a slightly different method. Some publishers already don’t use DRM. Great! You’re good to go. Most others will be listed as using Adobe DRM. For that, you’ll need Adobe Digital Editions.
Download the DRM file. This will be an ASCM file (Adobe Content Server Message) called ‘URLLink.ascm’. This isn’t an ebook, it’s basically just a link.
Open in Adobe Digital Editions. It should automatically download the ebook.
Locate the actual file location. By default, this is Documents > My Digital Editions. This will give you the epub file, with DRM.
Follow the above instructions to install DeDRM in Calibre.
Drag the epub file into Calibre. If you’ve installed DeDRM correctly, there’ll be a button up the top labelled ‘Convert books’.
Up the top of the window, there’ll be ‘Input format’ on the left, and ‘Output format’ on the right. Input will default to EPUB, select whatever you like (including EPUB again) for output. Select ‘OK’ (bottom right).
Locate your Calibre file. For me, this was Documents > Calibre. By default, books are listed in subfolders by author, then title. Open the folder for the book you converted, and you should have four files – a cover, an OPF file with metadata, your new EPUB file, and an old version with the file extension of .original_epub.
Not necessary, but I prefer to do this for organisation – you can now place the DRM-free EPUB file wherever you like. I have folders for my own library that I can back up as I wish.
You may want an ereader not tied to a particular platform. I use one for my phone called Moon+ Reader. It has a free option with unobtrusive ads (which only show when you close a book). Otherwise, using Calibre on my PC has its own epub reader.
Anyway. Not hyperbole. Microsoft closed its ebook platform in 2019 and people lost their entire libraries. Back your books up.
Amazon is ending the ability to download/transfer ebooks from Kindle devices via USB connection on February 26 2025!
You should still be able to use the PC and mobile apps, and in browser reading, but your device will be entirely reliant on WiFi (which isn’t always available or reliable!). Here’s 1 article on it.
I’ve been using Epubor Ultimate to remove DRM from all of my ebooks so I can convert and save them, able to read them either in Kobo or Kindle, or in Calibre. I can save them as Epubs, PDFs, or what have you.
Also keep in mind Bookshop.org, an online store that interacts with independent booksellers, now has an ebook app and options from those indie stores. You can even set it specifically to your own favorite local bookstores if you want.
I get a lot of ebooks due to space issues, being a rental/apartment dweller. So the cracked and converted books are saved to my PC and external backup drives. I bought them. They’re mine. I ought to be able to read them, and not worry about them being “updated” or removed on some whim*.
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(*I noticed that Jim Butcher’s The Aeronaut’s Windlass has a different cover than when I first downloaded it, not sure what else has changed yet. Good Omens also went from the classic black cover to the TV show tie in cover.)
Libgen allows you to download ebooks for free. It moves the site regularly, last time I knew it was https://libgen.rs/ but it is now:
Is that link now dead? Go to your search engine and enter LibGen. You’ll find where it resides now. Go there and download books. Save them to a backup. Burn a disk with them on it. Whatever you have to do to keep knowledge accessible to you and others.
In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury books were band but people assigned themselves a book and memorized it. Then shared the knowledge. We aren’t there nor will we be because in Bradbury’s time there wasn’t the ability to download and save ebooks.
SO DOWNLOAD AND SAVE EBOOKS PLEASE.
Libgen helps you do that. So does Calibre, which is an ebook creator AND an ebook reverser. You can take an epub and turn it into a PDF or a .docx.
Please do this if you fear knowledge will be lost. Or even if you don’t. Just…save save save what you can because Amazon and all the other multi-nationals do not care nor will they care if things go away.
amhrancas 