Some additions

Posted Apr 2, 2025 18:14 UTC (Wed) by Cyberax (✭ supporter ✭, #52523)
Parent article: Catching up with calibre

> For many years, one could download ebooks purchased through Amazon and remove the Kindle DRM rather easily using a calibre plugin. However, Amazon closed that door in February.

This is still possible, but you need a physical Kindle device. You need to download books onto the device, and then you can import them into the library. The same de-DRM plugin still works.

> Content server

Highly don't recommend. It has a history of vulnerabilities. Instead, you can use Calibre-Web ( https://github.com/janeczku/calibre-web ) in a Docker container. It interoperates with the regular Calibre database, so you can use them both at the same time. I'm using the regular Calibre to organize my library and to browse the books, but Calibre-Web to interact with my library from my phone.

There's more stuff about Calibre ecosystem:

1. OPDS support in Calibre-Web allows you to download books from Koreader and other devices.
2. Calibre now supports media overlays, so you can use EPUBs with built-in audio to switch from reading to listening.
3. You can _create_ EPUBs with media overlays using ( https://smoores.gitlab.io/storyteller/ ).
4. The Calibre database can live on a shared network drive, so you can put it on your home NAS.

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Some corrections, Re: Some additions

Posted Apr 2, 2025 18:29 UTC (Wed) by chexo4 (guest, #169500) [Link]

> This is still possible, but you need a physical Kindle device. You need to download books onto the device, and then you can import them into the library. The same de-DRM plugin still works.

You can also use an Android emulator. I used Bluestacks when I was on Windows. You also needed an older version of the Kindle .apk I believe.

Other than that it was straightforward, if tedious to get set up.

Once you’re set up though you’re golden.

Some additions

Posted Apr 2, 2025 20:39 UTC (Wed) by jzb (editor, #7867) [Link] (2 responses)

"This is still possible, but you need a physical Kindle device. You need to download books onto the device, and then you can import them into the library. The same de-DRM plugin still works."

Does this work with the new(ish) Kindle (KFX) format? I get an error about that from calibre when trying to copy one over from a Kindle. ("KFX is a virtual book format, and cannot be transferred from the device.") My understanding - which may be wrong - was that this required the old AZW3 format and Amazon doesn't send that format to newer Kindles. My Kindle DX can't download content at all now, since it doesn't have Wi-Fi... Perhaps I can find an older Kindle model that's pre-KFX with Wi-Fi on eBay for any items in my library I haven't converted already.

"3. You can _create_ EPUBs with media overlays using ( https://smoores.gitlab.io/storyteller/ ). "

I get a 404 for that one. I think this is it now? Looks like it expects an audiobook to sync with the EPUB.

Some additions

Posted Apr 2, 2025 20:50 UTC (Wed) by Cyberax (✭ supporter ✭, #52523) [Link]

> Does this work with the new(ish) Kindle (KFX) format?

I don't think so? Older Kindles still use the AZW3 format, and it's still apparently present for all the books in the Amazon store including the newest releases. I have a 6-year old Kindle Oasis that can download everything from my book collection, it's jailbroken with OTA updates disabled. I know that there are also people now working on making a downloader that emulates a Kindle device.

KFX might be more difficult to un-DRM in the future. Apparently, newer Kindles have multiple (more than 10) decryption strategies and Amazon can selectively activate them for each book.

My backup plan is to build an AI agent that uses a Kindle reader app, clicks the "page turn" buttons, and OCRs the text :)

> I get a 404 for that one. I think this is it now? Looks like it expects an audiobook to sync with the EPUB.

Yes, correct. This is a tool that allows you to make your own EPUBs with media overlays. I'm using it on Audible audiobooks (easily downloadable) and Kindle-derived EPUBs.

Some additions

Posted Apr 19, 2025 1:03 UTC (Sat) by kmeyer (subscriber, #50720) [Link]

At least some versions of KFX can be decrypted. https://github.com/apprenticeharper/DeDRM_tools/blob/mast...

Some additions

Posted Apr 2, 2025 20:48 UTC (Wed) by mbunkus (subscriber, #87248) [Link] (2 responses)

> This is still possible, but you need a physical Kindle device. You need to download books onto the device, and then you can import them into the library. The same de-DRM plugin still works.

Never had one, and when that loophole was closed I simply stopped buying eBooks from Amazon. I'm currently buying from Kobo, and removing DRM from their books (when they have DRM) with the corresponding calibre plugin works fine at the moment.

> Highly don't recommend. It has a history of vulnerabilities. Instead, you can use Calibre-Web ( https://github.com/janeczku/calibre-web ) in a Docker container. It interoperates with the regular Calibre database, so you can use them both at the same time. I'm using the regular Calibre to organize my library and to browse the books, but Calibre-Web to interact with my library from my phone.

I'm running calibre's server behind an authenticating proxy instead of using calibre-server's own authentication. Unfortunately calibre-on-Android doesn't send the authentication for requests to the book's thumbnails, requiring exceptions in the proxy.

I didn't know about calibre-web. That looks very interesting. Thanks for the recommendation.

Some additions

Posted Apr 2, 2025 20:56 UTC (Wed) by Cyberax (✭ supporter ✭, #52523) [Link]

> Never had one, and when that loophole was closed I simply stopped buying eBooks from Amazon. I'm currently buying from Kobo, and removing DRM from their books (when they have DRM) with the corresponding calibre plugin works fine at the moment.

I'm following several authors, and Amazon apparently offers a good deal for them that requires a 1-year exclusivity, especially if they want to release to Audible.

But yeah, I'm switching to Kobo for all other purchases.

Authenticating proxies

Posted Apr 3, 2025 7:09 UTC (Thu) by DemiMarie (subscriber, #164188) [Link]

That matches my strategy for iffy web applications: put them behind NGINX with client certificate authentication required.