Considered one of Kindle's most helpful options was simply discontinued for no actual purpose

Abstract

Amazon is eradicating the ‘Obtain & Switch through USB’ possibility for Kindle books beginning Feb 26.
It is unclear if this variation impacts all Kindle fashions and all international locations.
Kindle customers can nonetheless learn books on a number of units, however cannot obtain their Kindle books to a PC through USB, making it more durable to backup Kindle books they’ve bought.

You probably have a Kindle e-reader and download the books you purchase onto your PC, that course of is about to develop into extra advanced.

In keeping with Kindle customers on Reddit, Amazon is eradicating the power to obtain and switch Kindle books through USB. This implies the one option to ship Kindle books sooner or later will probably be over a Wi-Fi connection. It is at present unclear whether or not this impacts just a few Kindle fashions or all of them. The change will reportedly take impact on February 26.

Amazon is sending out the next warning message to some customers after they obtain a guide: “Beginning February 26, 2025, the ‘Obtain & Switch through USB’ possibility will now not be obtainable. You’ll be able to nonetheless ship Kindle books to your Wi-Fi enabled units by choosing the ‘Ship or Take away from Machine’ possibility.” You’ll be able to take a look at the unique Reddit thread beneath.

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What this implies for Kindle units

It is attainable the change is not worldwide

Two fingers pressing on the corner of a Kindle Paperwhite to take a screenshot.

It is essential to notice that this replace doesn’t have an effect on your skill to learn your Kindle books on a number of units. It simply means you may’t obtain a bought Kindle guide and switch it to your PC through USB, making it more durable for Kindle customers to again up books they personal onto their PC for safekeeping. Nonetheless, this variation could not occur in all places but.

Kindle customers within the UK and Canada report on Reddit not seeing this message pop up when downloading a guide, simply US Kindle house owners. It is attainable this replace might have a gradual rollout, however that’s not sure. One Reddit user within the US who owns a number of Kindle units says the message pops up earlier than they choose a tool, main them to consider the replace is not device-specific.

It is unclear why Amazon is doing this precisely. One risk is that the corporate could also be attempting to lock down its Kindle ecosystem much more than it already is. Nonetheless, there’s a fix for that. Apparently, the day the ‘Obtain & Switch through USB’ possibility is reportedly now not obtainable on Kindles is identical day Amazon is holding a devices and services event in New York Metropolis, which might simply be a coincidence.