Amazon will cease the ability to download and transfer options for the Kindle e-reader on February 26th, 2025. No Kindle can use this functionality once the due date rolls around. Only the 12th generation Kindles never had this ability to begin with, but now no other model will either. Why is Amazon doing this? It’s a feature not many people use and those who do, commit e-book piracy.
Starting February 26, 2025, the “Download & Transfer via USB” option will no longer be available. You can still send Kindle books to your Wi-Fi enabled devices by selecting the “Deliver or Remove from Device” option.
The “download and transfer option” is located on the Amazon website when logged in. To get there, hover over the text to the right of the search bar that says “Hello, [Your Name] Account & Lists”, select “Orders” from the menu that appears, then select “Digital Orders” from the “Your Orders” page that appears after selecting. You’ll see a list of Digital Orders you’ve placed, including books. Click “Manage Content and Devices” next to one of the items, and a “Digital Content” page will appear. After clicking “More Actions,” you’ll see a list of actions, including “Download & Transfer via USB”. This is the option that is going away.
Download and Transfer via USB was launched over ten years ago and was created at a time, when WIFI was not prevalent, so this feature was the only way to send e-books to the Kindle. When you buy a Kindle book, it is automatically sent to any registered Kindle e-readers, Fire Tablets, or any Kindle apps for Android or iOS on your account.
Here are some essential facts to know.
- You can continue to use Calibre to send Kindle books to your Kindle
- Send to Kindle will continue to work
- You can continue to sideload e-books on your Kindle via USB cable
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.