Amazon's digital ecosystem is undergoing a significant change today as the company permanently removes a long-standing feature that has allowed Kindle users to download and store copies of their purchased ebooks on their computers. This move marks a shift in how users interact with their digital libraries and raises important questions about digital ownership.
The Feature Being Removed
Amazon is officially discontinuing the Download & Transfer via USB feature for Kindle ebooks today, February 26, 2025. This feature has been available for over a decade and allowed users to download their purchased Kindle books as files to their computers, providing a way to create personal backups and transfer books to devices without requiring a Wi-Fi connection. After today, Kindle users will no longer be able to download books as files they can personally control, regardless of when they purchased their ebooks.
Limited Warning to Users
One concerning aspect of this change is the minimal notification Amazon has provided to its customers. The warning about the feature's removal isn't prominently displayed in Amazon's main Digital Content management interface. Users only see the notification when they specifically select Download from the three-dot menu next to a book. This means many Kindle users who primarily read on their devices or in the Kindle app might be completely unaware of the impending change until after the deadline has passed.
Implications for Digital Ownership
This change highlights broader concerns about digital ownership. When purchasing digital content, consumers are typically licensing rather than owning the material outright. Amazon and other vendors maintain the right to modify access to this content, as demonstrated by past incidents. In 2009, Amazon famously deleted copies of George Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm from users' Kindles. More recently, Puffin Books edited Roald Dahl's works to remove words like fat and ugly, with these changes automatically pushed to digital copies already in customers' possession.
Practical Impact on Users
For owners of older Kindle models, this change creates practical challenges. Some vintage Kindle devices can only receive new books via USB transfer, making this feature essential for adding content to these devices. Without the download option, these older devices will become increasingly limited in functionality. The change also affects users who rely on the feature to transfer books to alternative reading platforms or to maintain personal backups of their purchased library.
Possible Motivations
While Amazon hasn't explicitly stated why they're removing this feature, industry observers speculate it's primarily related to piracy concerns. The Download & Transfer via USB option has been one of the more commonly used methods to remove Digital Rights Management (DRM) protections from ebooks. Newer Kindle models released in 2024 already removed this feature and locked ebooks to the newer KFX format, which is significantly harder to crack.
Alternative Solutions
For those concerned about maintaining access to their digital library, alternatives exist. Some users have turned to EPUB-based books and alternative e-readers like Kobo. The Kobo Libre Colour, for instance, has gained popularity among former Kindle enthusiasts. Users will still be able to transfer titles wirelessly to their e-readers and use the Kindle desktop apps for Windows and macOS, but the direct file download capability will be gone.
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| A Kindle device representing the shift in digital reading platforms following the removal of the Download & Transfer via USB feature |
Last-Minute Backup Options
For users rushing to download their libraries before the deadline, the process requires navigating to Amazon's Manage Your Content and Devices section, selecting Books, and then using the Download & transfer via USB option from the three-dot menu next to each book. Unfortunately, Amazon doesn't offer a bulk download option, making this process time-consuming for those with large libraries. Some users with thousands of books have turned to browser scripts and extensions like Tampermonkey to automate the process, though such methods come with their own risks.
The Future of Digital Reading
This change by Amazon represents a broader trend in digital media toward more controlled ecosystems. As physical books become less common and digital formats dominate, questions about preservation, ownership, and the potential for content modification become increasingly important. The ability to maintain unchanged copies of books has historically been crucial for preserving the historical record, and the shift toward cloud-only access raises concerns about potential future alterations to digital content.