Amazon overhauls DRM rules for Kindle Direct Publishing: Here’s what’s changing

Amazon is changing how copyright protection works for self-published Kindle titles, announcing that authors who choose not to apply DRM will soon be able to offer their e-books in the more open EPUB and PDF formats. Beginning 20 January 2026, any new KDP title marked as DRM-free will automatically become downloadable in these formats alongside Kindle’s native file type.

The decision to apply DRM remains entirely with authors. Previously published books won’t be affected unless the author manually updates their DRM settings in the Kindle Direct Publishing portal. Amazon’s support pages outline the steps, and authors must explicitly acknowledge that removing DRM makes their books available for download as PDF or EPUB to new and existing customers.

Some authors see the change as an incentive to adopt DRM rather than abandon it. On the KDP Community forums, writer Leslie Anne Perry said she had avoided DRM to allow household sharing but now worries about letting readers download her work as PDFs. Others pushed back, observing that DRM-free Kindle files could already be converted into EPUB or PDF using common tools, making the new option more a matter of convenience than exposure.

Amazon says the update is aimed at making reading more flexible for customers, though it places the burden on authors to unlock older titles. The timing also comes as Amazon tightens restrictions elsewhere: recent Kindle software updates on 11th- and 12th-generation devices include a stronger DRM system that prevents users from backing up their e-books unless they jailbreak their device. Amazon previously removed the option to download and transfer ebook files via USB, a shift that frustrated long-time Kindle owners.