Amazon Updates Copyright Protection for Kindle Direct Publishing

Amazon to Offer DRM-Free E-book Options

Amazon has announced it will permit authors to distribute their e-books in DRM-free formats, specifically EPUB and PDF, through its Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform.

Implementation Details

Beginning January 20, 2026, authors designating their titles as DRM-free will have those books available in these more accessible formats.

Currently, the decision regarding the application of Digital Rights Management (DRM), a method of copyright protection, is made by the author during the e-book publishing process on Amazon’s platform.

Impact on Existing Titles

This policy change will not retroactively affect previously published e-books.

Authors wishing to modify the DRM status of existing titles must access the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) author portal and adjust the relevant setting. Detailed instructions for this process are available on Amazon’s KDP support website.

Potential Incentives

Interestingly, this move could potentially encourage authors to *apply* DRM to their e-books.

One author on the KDP Community forums, Leslie Anne Perry, expressed that she previously refrained from using DRM to allow household members to access books on multiple devices.

However, she now intends to enable DRM on future releases, stating a concern about unauthorized PDF downloads.

Counterarguments

Another forum member countered this concern, arguing that the change doesn’t significantly impact privacy. They pointed out that individuals intent on converting Kindle files to EPUB or PDF formats could already do so with existing DRM-free files.

Author Opt-In

Amazon frames the new feature as a way to “simplify” access for readers who have already made a purchase.

However, authors must actively choose to enable DRM-free access for their existing works.

To remove DRM protection, authors will be required to confirm their understanding that purchasers, including those who have already bought the book, will be able to download it as a PDF or EPUB file.

Contrasting DRM Policies

Concurrently, Amazon has been strengthening DRM measures, making it more challenging for Kindle owners to share or back up their e-books.

Recent DRM Updates

A recent software update for 11th- and 12th-generation Kindle devices introduced a new DRM system that prevents users from backing up their e-books without jailbreaking the device.

This followed a prior change that removed the USB download and transfer functionality, which generated considerable dissatisfaction among Kindle users.

Processing Time

Amazon states that after an author updates the DRM status of an e-book, it may take up to 72 hours for the changes to become effective on Amazon.com.