Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Amazon is about to end Kindle content download support in old versions of its Android app.
- The move would close a loophole used to retrieve files vulnerable to DRM removal.
- This follows Amazon ending “Download & transfer via USB” support.
Getting new books for your Kindle is just about the easiest thing in the world. Amazon’s got a stupid number of books available for you to buy à la carte, Kindle Unlimited offers a convenient subscription option, and you can borrow books from participating libraries. But even with so many curated paths towards growing your Kindle library, some users are always going to want to do things their own way, and for that we’ve still got Kindle sideloading. Earlier this year we heard about Amazon closing one loophole that let users convert their legitimately purchased Kindle titles into easily sideloadable content, and now it looks like another is on borrowed time.
Basically, these Kindle libertarians have been interested in getting their hands on e-book downloads from Amazon, then running those files through tools that strip the DRM and remove the limitations on how that book can be shared and read. For this to work, though, they need to have access to those files in the first place.
Back in February, Amazon deprecated its “Download & transfer via USB” functionality, which had previously been a source for these files. But it turns out that wasn’t the only way to retrieve these downloads from Amazon’s servers, and some clever users have instead been turning to older versions of the company’s Android app, which still supported a similar download mode.
Unfortunately, that window is about to close, as well. It’s unclear if Amazon is actively trying to eliminate the workaround, or is just doing some housekeeping, but the company has sent out notice that old Android builds will no longer support Kindle downloads, as shared by MobileRead forum user trishau (via Android Police):
We are reaching out to ask you to update the Kindle app on your Android device to the latest available version (Android OS v9.0+). Starting May 26, 2025 Kindle for Android app versions released prior to March 2022 (v8.51 or earlier) will no longer support Kindle content downloads. This update will ensure you get the most out of the Kindle experience and that the app operates as intended.
As you can see, we were talking about some seriously ancient app versions being used to pull off this trick, so even this loophole business notwithstanding, it wouldn’t have been crazy to see Amazon ending support for users who haven’t updated in years.
If you’ve been running an old version for precisely that reason, though, at least Amazon’s giving you a few weeks’ notice before pulling the plug — again.
