Summary
Amazon has pushed a key change to the use of DRM on its Kindle platform that has users up in arms. And the timing couldn’t be any worse, with an unknown change to the way popular ebook library app Libby works also causing uproar in the Kindle community. And both changes have the potential to push Kindle owners towards alternatives like Kobo.
Neither of the changes was officially announced, and both were spotted by Kindle users first. But they both impact the way a ton of Kindle owners use their eReader in ways that shouldn’t be downplayed.
Amazon hardened its Kindle DRM
A firmware update with no changelog
The first change relates to Amazon’s Kindle Digital Rights Management, or DRM. Earlier this month, it was noticed that a new Kindle Oasis software update made it harder to download ebooks from the device. Software version 5.18.2.1.1 was pushed out without any release notes to detail what changes it included. But we now know that it hardens the DRM that protects ebooks stored on Kindles.
We now know that Kindle Oasis devices running software version 5.18.2.1.1 are now impervious to most DRM-removal tools. And this isn’t an isolated incident. Amazon rolled out the same upgraded encryption across its device lineup starting in 2025. Older 10th-gen Kindles and the Paperwhite 4 lost jailbreak support earlier in 2026, and the first five generations of Kindle were cut off from having their ebooks downloaded in May of this year.
The Oasis lineup was one of the last major holdouts. Now, the Kindle Voyage appears to be the only model that hasn’t received a software update to add the new, tougher DRM. And it’s surely only a matter of time before it does.
An airplane mode loophole no more
A much-loved Libby trick
Arguably the bigger issue for some people is a new change that impacts users of the Libby library app. Libby allows readers to borrow ebooks from public libraries via the OverDrive system. Books borrowed from the Libby app can be loaded onto a Kindle, and they are automatically removed when the loan expires. But that removal only happens if the Kindle has an internet connection.
As you’ve probably already figured out, Kindle users have long used that fact as a way to extend their loan period. Putting a Kindle into Airplane Mode prevented Libby from revoking an ebook’s license, allowing the reader extra time. The next time the Kindle connected to the internet, the license would be removed.
It’s important to remember that using the Airplane Mode trick didn’t prevent anyone else from borrowing the same ebook. As far as Libby was concerned, the license was revoked. It handed the ebook to the next person in line without issue. A victimless crime, if you will.
However, since mid-August we’ve seen Reddit threads aplenty confirming that the Airplane Mode trick no longer works on newer Kindle hardware. The Kindle Paperwhite 11th- and 12th-gen models are included, as is the Colorsoft Signature Edition. Users say they are prompted to re-enable Wi-Fi before the expired ebook will open. Once they do, it’s game over.
Oddly, neither Amazon nor OverDrive has confirmed that they made the change that did this — presumably because they know the news won’t be well received. Amazon says it hasn’t changed anything on its side. But, clearly, something’s afoot.
Switching from Kindle to Kobo
A partial fix
Amazon once had the eReader market sewn up, but that’s no longer the case. This move has the potential to push some Kindle owners away from Amazon’s platform and towards Kobo. It’s a shift many people have already considered, and some have already jumped ship.
But, ultimately, switching from Kindle to Kobo isn’t the win-win that some would have you believe. While it’s true that Kobo’s DRM is generally easier to remove than Amazon’s newly hardened version, that’s only part of the story here.
There’s bad news for anyone switching to Kobo because of the Libby situation. In short, it’s pointless: The Airplane Mode trick already doesn’t work on Kobo devices. The move to Kobo really is only about the added DRM flexibility that Amazon is in the process of removing from its Kindles.
The bigger picture
Amazon’s grand plan
Individually, either of the changes made to the way people use their Kindles would have been an inconvenience. But together, they feel like more of a targeted push than a coincidence.
It’s easy to read these changes as Amazon’s intent to make sure people don’t move their Kindle books to other platforms, locking them in for good. The move also ensures that fewer people can read books on Kindle platforms for free. By removing the Libby loan period workaround, Amazon knows that more people will run out of time. And when they do, there’s a chance they’ll just buy the ebook via the Kindle Store just to finish it.
Whether any of this was Amazon’s explicit goal or just a side effect of its tightening of security doesn’t really matter. The result is still the same — Kindle readers have less flexibility than they once did.
Kobo Libra Colour
- Brand
- Kobo
- Screen
- E Ink Kaleido™ 3 display with FastGLR and Dark Mode
- Resolution
- 300 PPI—black-and-white content/ 150 PPI—color content
- Storage
- 32GB Reading eBooks and taking notes has never been simpler thanks to the Kobo Libra Colour, an innovation upon the classic e-Ink smart notebook that offers 32GB of storage and a full-color display. This notebook is easy to take on-the-go thanks to its IPX8 full waterproof protection, ergonomic controls, and small, portable display — but it’s as well-suited for an evening of reading at home.