Jailbreak Kindle | Jeff McNeill

Updated 03-Aug-2025

Update May 2025

It is still possible to decrypt (de-DRM) Kindle ebooks, just not possible to download them from Amazon. Here are the steps:
Install latest KFX Input (available inside Plugins search) and De-DRM (from Github) plugins in Calibre.
- Add the Kindle serial number(s) to the De-DRM plugin (these numbers are shown inside of Amazon in the devices / content area.
Download (OTA) the Kindle book onto the Kindle device.
Open Calibre and add the Kindle book into the Calibre Library (this will copy and decrypt the file).
Convert to epub or other desired format.

Intro

I and my children have PW4, PW5 (x2), and PW6 devices at home. Well, Kindle no longer allows for downloading ebooks~~(and therefore purchases cannot have their DRM removed), so there is no reason to buy from them anymore, nor indeed keep any of the basic Kindle system in place~~.

What this means is that a Kindle is now nothing more than a piece of hardware with some software on it, and therefore should be seen as something that can (and should) be modified to better meet the needs of the ebook reader (the human reading ebooks). That said, there is something about Kindle which is that the hardware is pretty good, and it runs on top of Linux (even with pathetic 512mb RAM), and so there are some cool ways to manage it (or even simply keep the standard KindleOS with a few habits to disconnect it from the tentacles of Amazon).

This post will include an ongoing set of learnings, procedures, and other resources to assist in rendering the Kindle something improved, now that being tethered to the Amazon ecosystem is no longer desirable (in fact, undesirable).

Operating system

Linux is the underlying OS of Kindle. Some folks like to use Alpine Linux, a small, performant, secure operating system, though others have too many issues with it. For me, Debian is desirable, as that is what I have standardized on across desktops, mobile, and servers.

Android is another option, and works well on devices such as Boox.

Features needed

I currently use the Highlights from Kindle using a plugin for Obsidian. It can upload a highlights file and parse it into different books. Something similar is needed.
Dark mode.
epub, pdf support
a native Manga format would be useful, but I currently convert into epub format using the Kindle Comics Converter.
Dictionary lookups.
Wikipedia lookups (not necessary but nice to have).

Jailbreaking process and outcome

I jailbroke a pw6 device (latest 2024 Kindle Paperwhite) with firmware 5.17.1.0.4. This is a so-called Signature Edition with 32gb storage and an ambient light sensor. I bought it without ads, as I do with all my Kindles, though there is a way of disabling ads in any case.

I went through the process found on Kindle Modding Wiki. Then only glitch was that I had to use the Install KOReader Nightly as downloading and transferring the latest stable version did not work for me (but the Nightly is fine).
Basically it is a completely non-destructive process (though bricking mid-way is always possible). In other words, one still launches the normal Kindle OS, but then can start the KUAL launcher, and then run KOReader. That is the bare bones approach.
KOReader has a lot of settings; I mean a lot. So it is something to sit down and learn, and figure out what would work best for a given users' preferences and reading style. To me it is akin to the Vivaldi browser, which has a lot of settings also; I mean a lot. Ya kinda have to be in the mood to deal with all the settings.
Another aspect of Jailbreaking is using a script to block firmware updates over the wire from Amazon. In the past, I simply always put the Kindle on Airplane mode, and removed all WIFI passwords so it wouldn't accidentally connect. This also helped out from a bug where if one is away from Amazon for a while, then the local cache of ebooks gets magically deleted for no good reason (happened to me twice before I learned never turn off airplane mode).

Post-Jailbreak options

Can block Firmware updates.
Can use WIFI to connect to Calibre and sync books wirelessly.
Can install some toy games.
Can use Calibre labels to organize and display books
Can customize swiping functionality
Can read epub (no more KFX format nonsense), or even KEPUB format (and Nickel).
Can use scriptlets, scriptlets, scriptlets