Recently, I decided to purchase a Kindle Paperwhite without registering it to my Amazon account. This is easily done by not connecting to a Wi-Fi network during setup. The Kindle operates normally, but won’t connect to the internet or link to your Amazon account. I made this choice deliberately because I am tired of being tied to Amazon’s ecosystem for purchasing books. Fortunately, whether you register your Kindle or not, there are alternatives.
Typically, the ebooks you buy for your Kindle come with DRM (Digital Rights Management), which prevents you from legally copying the book to other devices. Major ebook publishers and retailers use DRM to stop you from making backups of ebooks you’ve purchased. However, DRM-free ebooks allow you to save a copy to any of your devices and send it to other ebook readers. Although big companies might object, claiming it facilitates ebook piracy, there are still many legal ways to buy DRM-free ebooks.
When using your Kindle without an Amazon account, you can’t purchase books directly, but you can easily transfer DRM-free books from other stores. Simply connect the Kindle to a computer and drag-and-drop files. Many people can’t imagine using a Kindle without Amazon’s ebook store, but I believe there are enough DRM-free books available for me to manage. This decision has led me to explore how to purchase DRM-free ebooks, which I’ll detail in this guide. Even if you’re not committed to an Amazon-free device like me, you can still buy and transfer DRM-free ebooks even if your Kindle is linked to an Amazon account.
How to send DRM-free ebooks to a Kindle
To load DRM-free ebooks onto your device, use a feature called Send to Kindle. This allows you to email your ebooks to your personal Kindle address, converting them to a compatible format and transferring them wirelessly to the Kindle. Follow these steps to use Send to Kindle:
1. Find your Send to Kindle email address by logging into your Amazon account and open the Manage Your Content & Devices page.
2. Go to Preferences > Personal Document Settings to find your Kindle email address.
3. Ensure your Gmail, Outlook, or other personal email addresses are added under Approved Personal Document E-mail List.
4. Attach your books to an email and send them from an approved address to your Kindle email. Supported file types include epub, pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf, htm, html, png, gif, jpg, jpeg, and bmp. Epub is a popular format for DRM-free books.
5. If email isn’t convenient, Amazon provides alternative methods to send books to your Kindle. Visit the Send to Kindle website for more options.
Since I don’t have my Kindle registered with Amazon, I can’t use Send to Kindle. Instead, I use a free app called Calibre. By connecting the Kindle to my computer, Calibre helps manage and transfer my DRM-free ebooks stored on my system to my device in just a few clicks.
How to buy DRM-free ebooks
There are numerous options for obtaining DRM-free ebooks. Some books are exclusive to Kindle, but if this isn’t an issue, here are some top DRM-free ebook stores:
Download free ebooks in the public domain
Once a book’s copyright expires, it enters the public domain, allowing free downloads. For fans of classic works, many bookstores offer these for free, with some making it easier to download to any device. Reliable sources include:
1. Project Gutenberg: Offers over 75,000 public domain ebooks.
2. Standard Ebooks: Another source for free ebooks.
3. The Internet Archive: A vast collection of free ebooks in various languages.
DRM-free ebooks from bundle sites
For those who can’t pay full price for every ebook, bundle sites offer great deals. Most bundles are DRM-free, allowing easy back-up and transfer across devices:
1. Humble Bundle: Known for gaming, this site also offers ebook bundles. Check details to ensure books are DRM-free.
2. StoryBundle: Exclusively sells ebook bundles without DRM.
3. Fanatical: Offers ebook bundles, but check descriptions to confirm DRM-free status.
Buy DRM-free books from ebook stores
If you prefer individual books over bundles, many stores offer DRM-free options. While some publishers like Tor Books universally offer DRM-free books, this isn’t standard, so utilize filters:
1. Bookshop.org: Offers a comprehensive selection with a filter for DRM-free books.
2. Kobo: Sells books and has a section dedicated to DRM-free ebooks.
3. Itch.io: Primarily a gaming site, it offers ebooks with a DRM-free tag.
4. Ebooks.com: Features a large selection including a DRM-free section.
5. Smashwords: Specializes in self-published, DRM-free ebooks.
6. Baen: A sci-fi and fantasy publisher exclusively offering DRM-free ebooks.
Buy DRM-free books from crowdfunding websites
Crowdfunding platforms are an undervalued source for promising ebooks. While there’s a risk of not receiving rewards, trusted creators offer DRM-free copies