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Amazon to enable download of some e-books ‘across range of devices’ from 2026
From 20th January 2026, Amazon will allow authors and publishers to enable titles published without Digital Rights Management to be downloaded in EPUB or PDF format.
In a statement, Amazon said the decision "will make it easier for readers to enjoy content they have purchased from the Kindle store across a wider range of devices and applications".
DRM-free books will be able to be read on Kindle apps and devices, as well as to be downloaded as EPUB or PDF files, transferred to non-Kindle devices and used on any e-reader.
Amazon went on to say that if authors using the self-publishing platform Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) take no action, the DRM-status of their previously published titles will not change, but EPUB and PDF downloads will not be enabled for existing DRM-free titles. They can change this on or after 9th December 2025, if they choose.
An Amazon spokesperson told The Bookseller: "The update responds directly to feedback from author and reader communities seeking more ways to access content, while ensuring creators retain decision-making authority over how their works are distributed.”
If you are a KDP author and would like to share your thoughts on this change, please contact Lauren.brown@thebookseller.com.
