Amazon has announced a significant change in how copyright protection is applied to ebooks self-published through its platform, Kindle Direct Publishing. The company will now allow authors to offer their DRM-free ebooks in EPUB and PDF formats starting January 20, 2026. This move empowers authors to choose the level of copyright protection for their works, with DRM settings being established by the authors themselves during the publishing process.
While existing titles remain unaffected by this change, authors can opt to update their older works by adjusting the DRM settings via the Kindle Direct Publishing author portal. The option to make this adjustment is detailed on Amazon’s KDP support site. This alteration may prompt authors to reconsider applying DRM to their ebooks, as it influences how readers access and consume their content.
Amazon’s introduction of EPUB and PDF formats aims to enhance the reader experience, although authors must proactively enable this feature to grant broader access to their previous publications. By not applying DRM, authors acknowledge that customers can download their books in PDF or EPUB file types.
Furthermore, this shift underscores Amazon’s efforts to provide more flexibility in digital rights management protocols for Kindle ebooks. While the move offers increased flexibility for authors and readers, it also raises questions about the evolving landscape of copyright protection in the digital publishing realm.
Source: TechCrunch
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