Calibre Kindle Mac
Post updated on 10 August, 2015
About calibre
Calibre is an open-source software that lets you manage your e-book reader. You can create digital libraries, manage your existing device, modify the metadata and much more. In addition to that, you can easily sync it with other devices. The software is cross-platform which means, it’s available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The Kindle eBooks will be encrypted with a new Kindle KFX DRM if you download Kindle eBooks via Kindle for PC/MAC version 1.27 or higher. Now Calibre cannot handle this new KFX DRM scheme. The current solution is to downgrade your Kindle for PC/Mac to the older version and try once again. Run Calibre on computer (here takes mac as an example, remove DRM from Kindle books with calibre mac). From the pref pane 'Preferences'-'Change calibre behavior'. ( Note: Do not click “Get plugins to enhance calibre”). Click on Plugins (under “Advanced”) -'Load plugin from file'. Note again: For this to work, Kindle for PC or Mac should be installed on the same computer and user account as Calibre, and the version of the reading app you're using matters too. I'd suggest tracking down a copy of Kindle for PC/Mac version 1.17 or earlier. Kindle for Mac reading app gives users the ability to read Kindle books on a beautiful, easy-to-use interface. You’ll have access to over 1,000,000. books in the Kindle Store, including best sellers and new releases.
Calibre is a free, open source, ebook management and conversion utility created and maintained by Kovid Goyal. It is available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.
Calibre cannot, on its own, remove DRM from ebooks. However, it is possible to added third-party software (‘plugins’) to enhance calibre.
To be able to use the DeDRM plugin for calibre, it is necessary to install calibre first. The latest version can be downloaded from http://calibre-ebook.com/download.
The DeDRM plugin for calibre
The DRM removal plugin (DeDRM_plugin.zip) can be found in the tools archive linked from the most recent post in this blog. The DeDRM plugin can remove DRM from Kindle eBooks (but not rented Kindle ebooks, books downloaded to a Kindle Fire, Kindle for iOS or the Windows Store Kindle App), Barnes & Noble ePub ebooks (but not books downloaded to the Windows Store Nook App) , any ebooks using Adobe Digital Editions DRM (this includes ePubs from Kobo and Sony that are downloaded for Adobe Digital Editions), and the older Mobipocket and eReader ebooks. For other kinds of ebooks see the other posts in this blog.
Installing the DeDRM plugin for calibre
- Download the latest tools package, and unzip it.
(On Windows, right-click and “Extract All…”; After extracting all, rename the tools_vX.X.X.zip file to tools_zipped_vX.X.X.zip to prevent later confusion) - Run calibre. From the Preferences menu select “Change calibre behavior”.
(Do not click “Get plugins to enhance calibre”, that option is reserved for ‘official’ calibre plugins.) - Click on Plugins (under “Advanced”) — it looks like a jigsaw puzzle piece.
- Click on the large “Load plugin from file” button
- Navigate to the tools folder unzipped in step 2
- Open the “DeDRM_calibre_plugin” folder
- Select the DeDRM_plugin.zip file in that folder
- Click on the “Add” (sometimes “Open”) button.
- Click on the “Yes” button in the “Are you sure?” warning dialog that appears. A “Success” dialog will appear, saying that the plug-in has been installed. Click on “OK”.
Customising the plugin with encryption keys
On Macintosh and Windows systems no customisation is required for ebooks from Kindle for Mac/PC, Nook Study, or Adobe Digital Editions (ADE), provided that calibre is run on the same computer and user account as the installation of Kindle for Mac/PC, Nook Study, or ADE to which the books were downloaded. The default key is found and stored in the preferences automatically. Anyone using Linux should read the ReadMe file for details of how to obtain the keys manually.
For other sources of ebooks, or on Linux systems, you must configure the plugin. To configure the plugin, you must find it in the list of plugins. Usually calibre will have automatically selected the DeDRM plugin after you add it. If not, the DeDRM plugin can be found under “File Type plugins”. It might easier to find if you check the “Show only user installed plugins” checkbox. You might need to click on the triangle next to the “File Type plugins” label to show the list of File Type plugins.
If it’s not already selected, click on the DeDRM plugin in the list to select it, and then click on the Customize plugin button. This will open that main “Customise DeDRM” dialog which contains a set of buttons describing different type and sources of ebooks. If you have DRMed ebooks that match the description on any of the buttons, you will need to click on the button and enter the required information in the sub-dialog that will pop up.
All the dialogs have a help link in the top right of the dialog, that gives further information about the required information.
When all the configuration for your DRMed ebooks has been entered, click “OK” in the main dialog to save all the information you’ve entered. You’re now ready to remove the DRM from your ebooks.
Using the DeDRM calibre plugin
The DeDRM calibre plugin removes DRM from ebooks as they are imported into calibre. So to use the plugin, just import your DRMed ebooks into calibre, and the DRM will be removed. If you have already imported your ebooks into calibre, you will need to remove the DRMed ebooks and import them again.
You can check that the DRM has been removed from an imported ebook by trying to view it using calibre’s built-in viewer. Note that for .azw3 Kindle ebooks you might need to check a checkbox in calibre’s preferences to say that .azw3 ebooks should be viewed using calibre’s internal viewer.
If things go wrong
The calibre developers are not involved in the development of the DRM removal plugin, and are not able to help with any DRM removal questions. If you have any difficulties following the instructions in this post, the calibre developers will not be able to help.
You must ask any questions about installing or using the DeDRM calibre plugin in a comment to most recent post on this blog.
Credits
Most of the work on converting the DRM removal scripts to a calibre plugin has been done by DiapDealer and Apprentice Alf.
If you've got some Kindle books, you've likely heard that they come with Amazon's Kindle DRM, which locks your books into Kindle devices and kindle reading apps. But as a consumer, when we have already paid these files for money, why should we be stopped from reading them just because we didn't buy a Kindle but an iPad or a Kobo e-ink reader instead? This deeply hurts us. Yes?
So if you want to read Kindle books on non-Kindle devices or apps, the perfect solution is to remove the DRM. And in fact it's also the best way to protect your purchases, helps us read our own books more freely, backup or copy, print or share kindle books with friends.
But, how to? You may have wondered this problem for a long time. Don't worry this article will introduce you 3 ways to remove drm from Kindle books. From here you can liberate your kindle books best.
First things first: Download Kindle books
To begin with, firstly I strongly recommend you get your kindle books prepared on your computer. If you have the Kindle e-ink device, you can just download Kindle books via your Kindle device. If you do not have Kindle device, you have to install Kindle App(Kindle for PC/Mac desktop, or Kindle Cloud Reader web app). Launch the Kindle app, log in with your own amazon account, then all your purchased files in kindle store would be synced. Choose those files you want to deal with, double click on book cover, then downloading begins. Once you have done that, you can close the app, find your downloaded books files at destination folder (kindle content folder location).
Still failed to download the Kindle title? Look at these 7 solutions when Kindle books won't download.
Method 1: Remove DRM from Kindle books with Calibre Plugin
Calibre is an excellent ebook library management tool, open source software, helps you remove drm from books and convert format to others.
Step 1 Install Calibre.
Install Calibre onto your computer if you haven't already get them installed.
Then download the latest DeDRM-tools. It comes as a .zip archive, but there is no need to unzip it, just open it up and put the 'DeDRM_calibre_plugin' folder where you can find it.
Step 2 Install Calibre DeDRM Plugins.
Run Calibre on computer (here takes mac as an example, remove DRM from Kindle books with calibre mac).
From the pref pane 'Preferences'--'Change calibre behavior'.
( Note: Do not click “Get plugins to enhance calibre”).
Click on Plugins (under “Advanced”) --'Load plugin from file'.
Select the 'DeDRM_plugin.zip' file you placed in step 1 and click 'Open'.
Click on the “Add” button, 'Yes' in the 'Are you sure?' warning dialogue that appears.
After succeed the plug-in has been installed. Calibre will add this plugin under its 'File type plugins' list in the Preferences window, OK. Restart Calibre please.
Step 3 Import DRMed books to Calibre.
If your kindle books are downloaded via Kindle desktop app, import your downloaded Kindle books to Calibre, then the DRM will be removed automatically. But if you've previously added books to calibre that with drm, you'd better import them again. Job done, you can click 'click to open' at the right side, to get a preview in calibre library.
If your kindle books are downloaded via Kindle eReaders, you should customize the plugin and input the KSN info.
Update: (Due to a change in DRM) Calibre DeDRM plugins will no longer work with Kindle for PC/Mac version 1.25 or newer or with Kindle firmware 5.10.2 or newer.
Method 2: Remove DRM from Kindle books with Python Scripts
Notice: This method is a little hard to use, so if you are not so familiar with computer or code, I don't think challenging this way is a wise choice.
Nearly all the eBook DRM Removal softwares are Python scripts, including Calibre.
Step 1 Install Python at first.
Firstly you need Python installed on your computer.
Step 2 Install Pycrypto.
Pycrypto is a basic DRM module that all the DRM removal tools are using. Download and install it please.
For Win: pycrypto-2.1.0.win32-py2.6.exe
For Mac: pycrypto-2.6.1.tar.gz
Step 3 Run KindleBooks.pyw.
Run KindleBooks.pyw, then input the information related to Kindle Books: input file, output file, and Kindle.info. As your kindle ebooks has been downloaded to your computer via Kindle for PC/Mac, so it is easy to find the Kindle.info, because it will be created when the desktop application installed.
Method 3: Remove DRM from Kindle books with Shareware
This method is applied to both beginners and experts. And I highly recommend you get it with a free trial. I do believe after you tried it, you will fall in love with her.
Step 1 download the powerful shareware Epubor Ultimate for PC or Mac to your computer.
Step 2 Run Epubor Ultimate.
Then the kindle books downloaded via Kindle for PC or Mac will be displayed under Kindle column in the left sidebar, while the Kindle books downloaded via Kindle devices will be displayed under Kindle Device column in the left sidebar after connecting Kindle e-ink reader to computer.
Step 3 Rip the Kindle DRM.
Add the Kindle books from the left sidebar to the right main window. Then all the books will be decrypted immediately.
Calibre Kindle Mac
Calibre Kindle Para Mac
Kindle for PC/Mac version 1.25/1.26, can't decrypt drm from kindle azw.
Amazon changes its drm scheme since it released Kindle desktop version 1.25(and above) and Kindle firmware 5.10.2(and above). For now we can't directly handle those new kindle kfx books unless we Downgrade Kindle for PC/Mac to Older Version.
Connecter Kindle Calibre Mac
It uses python scripts but much more easily to operate than method 2.
It provides more friendly interface than calibre. Of course it's also easier than calibre to learn how to use.
Calibre Kindle Mac App
Ada Wang works for Epubor and writes articles for a collection of blogs such as ebookconverter.blogspot.com.