Amazon is Removing a Key Kindle Feature, Raising Concerns Over Digital Book Ownership

Amazon has announced it will remove the “Download & Transfer via USB” feature for Kindle books starting February 26, 2025. This decision means Kindle users will no longer be able to manually download books to their computers and transfer them to their devices via USB. Instead, all book downloads must occur directly on Kindle devices through Wi-Fi.

The change has sparked backlash from Kindle users, who argue it further limits control over their purchased books. Amazon spokesperson Jackie Burke confirmed the move, which is seen as another step toward restricting how users access their digital libraries.

For years, the USB transfer option has been essential for readers who want to back up their books, convert them into other formats like EPUB, or access content without an internet connection. The removal of this feature forces users to stay entirely within Amazon’s ecosystem, making it harder to store personal backups or transfer books to non-Kindle devices.

One of the biggest concerns is the loss of true ownership. Amazon has previously removed purchased content from users’ libraries without warning. A notable example occurred in 2009 when the company remotely deleted copies of George Orwell’s “1984” and “Animal Farm” due to licensing issues. More recently, in 2023, older versions of Roald Dahl’s books were replaced with edited versions, raising further questions about digital content control.

Amazon has steadily increased enforcement of digital rights management (DRM) restrictions. While older Kindle books used the AZW3 format, which allowed for easier conversion, newer books use the more restrictive KFX format. With USB transfers removed, users will find it nearly impossible to convert Kindle books for use on other devices.

The reaction from the Kindle community has been overwhelmingly negative. Many readers feel they are being forced to rent books rather than own them outright. The inability to create local backups means users will have to rely entirely on Amazon’s cloud services and policies.

Amazon suggests alternative ways to access Kindle books, including downloading directly to a Kindle via Wi-Fi, using Kindle apps on mobile devices, or reading through the Kindle web interface. However, these options do not address concerns about long-term storage or compatibility with non-Kindle platforms.

Some users anticipate that third-party tools like Calibre may still offer workarounds, but without USB transfers, these solutions will become far more complicated.

As the February 26, 2025 deadline approaches, Kindle users who want to preserve their libraries should take action while they still can. This move raises broader concerns about digital ownership—if companies like Amazon can control when and how users access their purchased content, do they truly own their digital books at all?