Reader Freedom: Amazon Returns DRM Control to Publishers for EPUB/PDF Downloads

According to the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) guidelines, starting 20 January 2026, control over DRM settings will be returned to publishers and authors, enabling readers who purchase a title to download unencrypted EPUB or PDF files directly with a publisher’s consent. The policy shifts the decision to publishers and independent authors, who may choose this month whether to apply DRM or disable it altogether.

If DRM is turned off, all verified purchasers can download EPUB or PDF versions directly, while if DRM remains enabled, files remain encrypted and can only be accessed via Kindle devices or apps. For titles released before 9 December 2025, publishers must manually update the settings in the backend, otherwise DRM protection may remain enabled by default.

Observers have described the move as a potentially reader-friendly change that could be seen as a calculated public-relations manoeuvre, with DRM scrutiny historically directed at Amazon when the book download experience was more restricted.