If you love reading books, you probably have, have had, or want to own a Kindle e-reader. Digital books have changed the game when it comes to reading and you no longer have to cram volume after volume into your bag or suitcase when you can use an eBook reader instead. Unfortunately, Amazon has DRM (digital rights management) to prevent you from reading those books on other non-Amazon devices or apps.
This DRM takes the form of Amazon’s proprietary AZW file format, meaning it’s impossible to read Kindle books outside of the Kindle bubble. Fortunately, this DRM can be removed with certain free and paid tools, though it’s important not to share these books with anyone, or you could be infringing on copyright.
Removing DRM so you can convert Kindle books to PDF is a bit tricky, but once you know the process and the right programs, it becomes relatively simple and easy to do in bulk. Here’s how to convert your Kindle books to PDFs, so you can read your favorites on any device, not just your Kindle or the Kindle app.
Christine Romero-Chan/Digital Trends
How to Download Your Kindle Books from Amazon
No matter how you convert it, you’ll need the file first. It is easy to download the AZW file of your book from Amazon, although due to DRM, the ebook cannot be downloaded to any computer. Readers must have a hardware Kindle linked to their Amazon account. If not, you’ll see an error saying, “You have selected content that is not compatible with any of your registered devices.”
Step 1 – Open the Amazon website, click on your name, and then select account and lists in the drop down menu.
Step 2: choose Manage your content and devicesthen select books.
Step 3: Choose more actions next to the destination eBook and select Download and transfer via USB.
Step 4 – A pop-up window asks you to select a registered Kindle. Pick one and pick yellow download files button.
How to Convert Kindle Books to PDF Using Calibre
Caliber is a free application that excels at converting and comparing large amounts of digital media. No matter what type of file you’re trying to read, chances are Caliber can handle it. Unless you have DRM, that is, then things get a little nastier.
Fortunately, there are workarounds that mean you can still use Calibre to remove the DRM from your Kindle books and convert them to PDF. Oh, and best of all? It’s completely free.
Step 1 – To remove DRM from your Kindle eBooks, you will need to download an older version of Calibre, version 4.23.0.
Step 2: After downloading and installing the software, you will also need to download Alf’s DRM Remover. Instead of the latest version, you want to download and install v6.8.1, which will work with version 4 of Calibre.
Step 3 – Just Click FromDRM_tools zipped folder to download to your computer, then extract the folder by right-clicking on it and selecting unpack everything (or how you would unzip the folders on your computer). The zip file it contains is the one you will use to install the plugin.
Now that you have Calibre and the plugin, you’ll need to remove the DRM, you’ll need to install the plugin. This is how you do it.
Step 1: Open Calibre and select settings in the upper right corner.
Step 2: Now select Accessories and then Load plugin from file.
Step 3 – Browse and select the DeDRM zip file.
If it doesn’t seem to work, please remember to unzip the first file you downloaded and then use the zipped file from inside that original download.
Step 4: Choose That and the plugin will be installed.
Step 5 – One of the downsides to this plugin is that you have to include your Kindle’s serial number for it to work. To do this, you will need to go back to the plugins menu by going to Settings > Plugins.
Step 6: Open it Type of file and double-click the DeDRM entry.
Step 7: Choose Kindle E Ink Books.
Step 8: Now you need to find and enter the serial number of your Kindle. Go Settings > All settings > Device options > Device information on your Kindle. You should see information about your Kindle, including the serial number.
If you’re not sure where to find your Kindle’s serial number, a quick Google search for “serial location” and your Kindle model, eg “10th Generation Paperwhite”, should help.
Step 9: Enter the serial number without spaces in Calibre. It’s also case sensitive, so make sure you type it in upper case if it’s in upper case, otherwise it won’t work.
Step 10: Click Nearso Alrightthen click apply.
You are finally ready to convert some books. Fortunately, it’s pretty simple from here.
Step 1: choose add books and browse for the downloaded file. Choose Open and it will import into Calibre and remove the DRM.
Step 2: Right click on your imported book and then go to Convert Books > Convert Individually.
Step 3: Check if Output format is set to PDF and select Alright.
Step 4 – Calibre will now start converting your book. You can follow it by clicking Jobs button in the lower right corner.
Step 5: When the conversion is complete, select Route: Click to open to open the folder containing your converted file.
How to Convert Kindle Books to PDF Using Epubor
Epubor boasts that it can remove DRM from all Amazon Kindle eBooks and also claims to remove DRM from Adobe, Sony, Kobo and Google eBooks. Unfortunately, it’s not a free option and costs $25 for an annual license. There is a 30-day free trial you can use to test if it works for you, but the free trial only converts 20% of the book, which means you’ll need to purchase the full version if you want to read more than a fifth of any book.
Epubor is extremely easy to use compared to the aforementioned Caliber, and this largely justifies paying for the license upfront. But we recommend using it when you have a lot of eBooks to convert at once, making sure you get value for money.
Step 1: Start by downloading Epubor Ultimate for Windows or Mac. Once downloaded, install and open it.
Step 2 – As mentioned, you will need to enter your registration email and unlock code for the full version. If you want to try it without buying, just click red X to close the password input box.
Step 3 – Import your AZW file by dragging it into Epubor or by selecting a large one To add button at the top of the program.
Step 4 – A pop-up window will tell you that the DRM is being removed.
Step 5: After importing, select the dropdown button at the bottom of the program and select PDF.
Step 6: Choose Convert to PDF. Wait for the processing to finish.
Step 7: To find your converted PDF, right-click on the book and select Browse the converted file.
Please note that you should never share a DRM-free eBook with another person, as this is a violation of copyright law.
Looking for something new to read? We’ve got a list of the best free eBooks on the Kindle, as well as the best ways to find free eBooks elsewhere.
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Categories: How to
Source: newstars.edu.vn