Amazon will allow Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) authors to distribute DRM-free e-books in EPUB and PDF formats beginning January 20, 2026, marking a change to how copyright protection choices affect downloadable file types on the platform.
How the New Format Options Will Work
Authors who choose not to apply Digital Rights Management (DRM) to their titles will automatically see those books offered in EPUB and PDF formats in addition to Kindle’s standard file types. The DRM setting is chosen by authors during the publishing process, and the new option applies only to DRM-free works.
The change will not retroactively update previously published titles. Authors who want older books to be offered in EPUB or PDF must manually modify each title’s DRM setting in the KDP author portal. Amazon’s support site provides instructions, and the interface requires checking a box acknowledging that customers, including past buyers, will then be able to download the work in the newly available formats.
Reaction From Authors and Concerns About File Distribution
Some authors say the update may have the opposite effect of what Amazon intends. On the KDP Community forums, author Leslie Anne Perry wrote that she had previously avoided enabling DRM so household members could easily read her books across devices. She now plans to enable DRM on future titles, saying she does not want her work downloaded as a PDF.
Other forum members argued that concerns about easier redistribution may be overstated, noting that DRM-free Kindle files could always be converted into EPUB or PDF using widely available software.
Amazon framed the update as a way to make it easier for readers to access content they have purchased. However, the opt-in structure means authors will need to update older titles if they want to expand format availability.
Recent Shifts in Amazon’s DRM Practices
The policy change arrives as Amazon has tightened DRM protections for Kindle device owners. Recent software updates for 11th- and 12th-generation Kindles introduced a revamped DRM system that prevents users from backing up their e-books unless they jailbreak their device. This followed Amazon’s earlier removal of download-and-transfer-via-USB options, which drew criticism from Kindle users who relied on local backups.
Amazon says that after an author updates a book’s DRM status, it may take up to 72 hours for the change to appear on Amazon.com.
Featured image credits: Pickpik
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