Tips and Tricks  •  September 20, 2020

You have installed the e-book reader Calibre and now want to remove DRM from ebooks with Calibre? You need to get Alf’s DeDRM plugin. With Calibre and DeDRM plugin, you can remove DRM from Kindle, Google Play, Adobe, Nook, Kobo, etc.

I have been using Calibre long before it was even called Calibre (since June 2007, in fact). I use Calibre to remove DRM from Kindle and Adobe Digital Editions ebooks (I use it for personal use only.) In my past article I have already described how to remove DRM from Kindle with Calibre. Here in this guide, I’d like to show you all about Calibre DRM removal. and a few things that I would like to pass on here as tips while using Calibre DeDRM.

Note: This guide is provided for personal use only. I would like to emphasize that please do not send the (DRM-Free) ebooks to anybody else.

Part 1: Calibre DeDRM Plugin Will Remove DRM From?

1. Kindle ebooks (Files from Kindle for Mac/PC and eInk Kindles, but not rented Kindle ebooks).
2. ebooks using Adobe Digital Editions DRM. (including Kobo, Sony and Google ePubs downloaded to ADE)
3. Barnes and Noble ePubs (Need to input the hash key for removing DRM)
4. Adobe Digital Editions (v2.0.1) PDFs
5. Mobipocket ebooks
6. eReader PDB books

Part 2: What is the latest version of DeDRM Removal

As of 18th June, 2020, the latest version of the tools is 6.8.0
DeDRM_tools_6.8.0.zip can be downloaded from
https://github.com/apprenticeharper/DeDRM_tools/releases/tag/v6.8.0

*Changes in 6.8.0:*
1. Support .kinf2018 key files
2. Support KFX encryption.
3. Works with the latest version(1.28) of Kindle for PC and Kindle for Mac.

Part 3: How Does Calibre DRM Removal Work?

As a plugin, DeDRM works in the background. It removes DRM protection from ebooks when they imported into Calibre. So, if you have added DRM protected books to Calibre before installing the DeDRM plugin. you will need to remove the book and import it to Calibre again. Also, the DRM removing procedure may vary depending on the type of ebook DRM.

For Google Play books, Overdrive books, and other books that use Adobe DRM. Adobe Digital Editions is required to download the real book before adding to Calibre. For Nook book, you need to get the hash key, and for Kindle eInk reader, you need to input the serial number of the device.

The Simple procedure to remove DRM with Calibre & DeDRM

• Download and install Calibre
• Download DeDRM and install it on Calibre
• Add ebooks to Calibre for removing DRM
• Transfer and read e-books on your Device.

Part 4: Installing DeDRM plugin for Calibre on Mac and PC (30 minutes effort)

Step 1: Download and install Calibre. （Windows/Mac/Linux）

Step 2: Download the DeDRM_plugin.zip 6.8.0
(Tips: No need to unzip it.)

Step 3: Add DeDRM_plugin.zip into Calibre.

Start Calibre and go to Preferences in the top menu bar.

Then at the new window, find “Plugin” at the bottom under the “Advanced” area. click it. And then click “Load plugin from file”.

Find and import the DeDRM_plugin.zip you’ve downloaded previously and click “Open”.

Just say “Yes” to the security warning

Soon the DeDRM plugin will be shown under the “File type plugins”.

As per the message on the screen, restart Caliber to complete the “DeDRM” installation.

Part 5: Remove DRM from eBooks with Calibre DRM Removal (20 minutes effort)

Step 1. Click Add books to add the ebook to Calibre. It will take some time to load, and after the book loaded, DRM will be removed automatically from the ebook.

Part 6: Configure DeDRM Plugin for Nook, E-Ink based Kindle

For most of the book you don’t need to configure anything. While, some books may need you to enter extra information for configuration.

You do not need to add any key information for eBooks

• Downloaded using Kindle for Mac/PC
• Downloaded using Adobe Digital Editions (v2.0.1)
• Downloaded using NOOK Study

You MUST enter extra information for ebooks

• Kindle ebooks from an E-Ink based Kindle (e.g. Voyage).
• NOOK ebooks
• Mobipocket ebooks
• eReader PDB books

How to Configure DeDRM Plugin?

To add the needed key information Please follow the steps below:

Step 1. Run Calibre, go to Preferences> Plugins

Step 2. In the File type plugins highlight DeDRM by Apprentice Alf….scripts and click the “Customize Plugin” button. Then you just need to enter the required information according to the ebook source.

After you entering the configuration information, Just click the OK button to save it.

Part 7: Where to get help with Calibre DeDRM

Calibre is open source, when you met problem with using the app. You can first check the FAQs at the GitHub repository, or read Apprentice Alf’s Blog to find your answer.

To get better help, you can submit the bug report to Apprentice Alf’s Blog comment area. or post the report to Apprentice Harper’s GitHub.

How to post a log to Github

• Deleting the DRM protected ebook from Calibre.
• Click Preferences >> Restart in debug mode.
• After the restart, import the the ebook to Calibre again.
• Then close Calibre. It will then generate a log that you can copy and paste for online help requests.

Part 8: Calibre DeDRM Plugin FAQ

1. How to check if a ebook has DRM?

To check whether a book is protected with DRM. we can load the book to Calibre and try to open the book. if you can open the book directly, then it is DRM free. if it brings a DRM protection message “This book is DRMed.” then you have to remove the DRM first.

2. DeDRM failure to remove DRM from rented book

Calibre works well with my ebook collections. but I have a Amazon rented book, and Calibre DeDRM failed to remove DRM from this book. are there other ways to handle rented book?

Calibre DeDRM don’t support removing removing DRM from rented or library ebooks. And there is no workable way to remove DRM from rented ebooks.

3. Calibre Saying that the DeDRM plugin is invalid

I followed the guide, and downloading the DeDRM plugin. while I am trying to install the plugin, Calibre keeps saying that the plugin is invalid.

Please download the plugin from GitHub. Select the zip file in the “DeDRM_calibre_plugin” folder. not any other files inside the plugin’s zip archive.

4. Book Still have DRM after install the DeDRM Plugin

I installed the calibre DeDRM plugin, why my books still have DRM.

Calibre DeDRM plugin work when the ebook imported to Calibre. So, if the book have added before installing the plugin. you have to delete the book from Calibre the import the book again. Be noted that, you have to delete and add again. if you don’t delete the book before adding it again, Calibre will discard the added ebook as duplicate.

5. Removing DRM from KFX Files

Some ebooks I get from Kindle are in KFX format, and when I use DeDRM plugin to remove the DRM, it fails.

If the book are in KFX format, you have to installed the KFX Input plugin that help Calibre handle this format. Also, you’ll need to use Kindle for PC 1.26 or earlier. See this post on how to remove DRM from Kindle KFX Files.

6. Remove DRM from Adobe PDF files

I’m trying to remove DRM from Adobe PDF files, but The DeDRM plugin can’t remove the DRM.

For Adobe DRM protected files. Please make sure that the book is download via Adobe Digital Editions on the same machine. See this guide here on how to remove DRM from Adobe digit edition downloaded books.

7. Is DeDRM plugin compatible with macOS Catalina?

Yes. But DeDRM plugin can only remove DRM from ebooks downloaded via Kindle for 1.26 or earlier. which can’t work on macOS Catalina, as macOS Catalina only supports 64 bit apps.

8. DeDRMing Nook Books

I use DeDRM successfully on removing Kindle DRM, but I have never succeed in removing DRM from my Nook books. I’ve tried several times on different versions of DeDRM, all failed. Is it no longer possible remove Nook DRM with Calibre DeDRM plugin?

In fact, you can still remove Nook DRM with Calibre, and the key is finding the harsh key for it. I’ve tried to research this and write this article on removing Nook DRM with Calibre.

9. Supporting for CloudLibrary books

I have get some book from the CloudLibrary , and I would like to read it on my Kindle. Is the DeDRM plugin work with CloudLibrary books?

Yes, the DeDRM plugin work with CloudLibrar books. you can login with your Adobe ID and use Adobe digit editions to download the book. and you can then use Calibre with the DeDRM plugin to convert the epub files to Mobi or azw3 to be sent to your Kindle.

10. iBooks DRM Removal Calibre plugin

When I search for a way to remove DRM from Apple iBooks. some site say that there are plugins that help remove DRM from iBook with Calibre. Is it real or just a fake posting?

ebooks you get from Apple’s iBookstore are protected by Apple’s own Fairplay DRM. The only free tool that can remove Apple’s DRM is Requiem. but it has stoped upgrade for a very long time. and now the only workable solution at the moment is to use the TunesKit iBook DRM Removal Tool. If you are interest in this please read this guide on how to convert iBooks to PDF.

11. Remove DRM from mymustreads.com

I find some books that I need at mymustreads.com. After asking the support, I find that their books are in some sort of proprietary format. which required to read via it’s app or website. Will the DeDRM plugin work with books from mymustreads.com?

Sorry, DeDRM plugin can’t remove DRM from this kind of ebooks.

12. Use DeDRM with Kindle Fire

I want to remove DRM from my Kindle fire book and followed your guide. When I try to customize the plugin and enter the serial number of my Kindle fire which is 19 digits. Calibre says it only recognizes 16-digit numbers. So, Am I doing anything wrong? or the plugin not work with the Kindle Fire?

Kindle Fire is Android based. which is different from earlier Kindles. and at the moment, Calibre DeDRM can’t work with ebooks from Kindle Fire. The only solution here is to install Kindle for PC/Mac and use books from there instead.

Part 9: 3 Most common Solutions for Calibre DRM Removing failure

Is it often the case that you will fail to remove DRM from ebooks. even though the Calibre DeDRM plugin has been successfully installed. Here, I’ll show you some common solutions which can solve most of the problems.

Workaround 1: Reload the ebook to Calibre

Most of the time, people failed to remove the DRM because they have added the book before installing the plugin. Simply loading the book again can’t resolve this problem, here is what you need to do:

Step 1: Select a e-book in the Caliber library and right-click → “Delete Book” → “Delete Selected Book”.

Step 2: Restart Calibre and add it to Calibre’s library again.

Workaround 2: Update Calibre DeDRM Plugin

Some times the plugin fails just because you are using the older version. In this case you can follow the below steps to update Calibre DeDRM again.
Step 1. Run Calibre, and click Preferences.
Step 2. Find Plugin at the bottom of the pop up window, then input DeDRM in the search box.
Step 3. Find the old version of the plugin under the file type plugins tab. and click Remove plugin to remove the old version of the plugin. then click apply.
Step 4. Close Calibre. and download the latest 6.8.0 version of DeDRM plugin.
Step 5. Run Calibre again. In the Preferences > Plugin and click Load plugin from file, and add the new DeDRM plugin to Calibre.
Step 6. Close Calibre and restart it.

Workaround 3: Instead of Calibre, Using Epubor Ultimate

For Mac, Kobo, and Nook users. Calibre DeDRM plugin will not so helpful, and we recommend using Epubor ultimate. Which is a very popular tool that can remove DRM from ebooks and convert it to other ebook formats. It differs from Calibre as it is very easy to use for beginners and their support is very good.

Why Choose Epubor Ultimate?
1. Remove DRM from Kindle, Adobe Adept(including Kobo, Sony and Google eBooks), Barnes & Noble, Mobipocket and eReader eBooks.
2. Automatically detect e-readers like Kindle, Kobo, Adobe Digital Editions, etc.
3. Convert ebooks to PDF, EPUB, MOBI, AZW3, TXT, etc.
4. Batch process multiple eBooks.
5. Can edit ebooks meta datas like title, author, identifiers, publishing date, language, publisher, introduction and the book cover.
6. Available for Windows and MacOS.

As the above image shows, Epubor Ultimate will automatically recognize all your books and display them all at the left interface under different tabs. to remove the DRM from each books, you just need to drag the ebook from the left interface to the right pane. And to convert a ebook, you just need to click convert to PDF and choose a format you need.

Good luck and enjoy your ebooks on any device you prefer!