What is Kindle kcr? I cannot give a definitive explanation as it was just released about one week ago. However, what I can tell you is that the .kcr file contains the main body of Kindle books which was previously stored in the Kindle .kfx file. Many of you may not have seen this new Kindle ebook format yet. If you have updated your Kindle for Mac to version 1.25.2 (52077) or a later version, you might be 'lucky' enough to encounter this new Kindle format - Kindle KCR.
Starting from Kindle for Mac 1.40, an increasing number of Kindle books downloaded via Kindle for Mac are in KCR format. Since this is a relatively new Kindle ebook format, there is currently no straightforward method to remove DRM from Kindle KCR files. However, this is not a major issue, as I have gathered two alternative methods to eliminate DRM from Kindle KCR books and convert them to PDF.
Updated on 03/05/2025:
Amazon has remove the kcr format from the Kindle for Mac. I've checked my downloaded kindle books many time on Mac, they are not in .kcr format any more. But they are encryped with tougher Kindle drm and in different formats, like azw9, azw8 and KFX. See the screenshot below.
How to remove kindle drm on Mac now?
Read this comprehensive guide on removing DRM from Kindle eBooks on Mac to learn the details.
Method 1. Use Kindle Converter for Mac
Kindle Converter is specialized software that can assist you in removing DRM from Kindle for Android using an Android emulator. This means you need to install an Android emulator on your Mac computer, create an Android device, install the Kindle for Android APK to download Kindle books, and then proceed to remove kindle DRM.
1 Download Kindle Converter for Mac to your computer.
2 Install Android Studio.
3 Create Android device and install Kindle for Android.
4 Download kindle books on Android emulator.
5 Remove kindle drm with Epubor Kindle Converter.
Please read the detailed guide to remove kindle drm on Mac with Epubor Kindle Converter.
- How to remove kindle drm with Kindle Converter on Mac (Intel Chip)
- How to remove kindle drm with Kindle Converter on Mac (M1/M2 Chip)
Note: This method only support the books released before May, 2024. If your purchase many books that released later than that, you should not choose this method.
Method 2. Use “Download &Transfer via USB” for removing kindle drm
Updated 2025/2/13: As of February 26, 2025, the "Download Transfer via USB" option will no longer be available. — Take advantage of the final opportunity to remove DRM from your Kindle books on Mac.
Updated 2025/2/13: As of February 26, 2025, the "Download Transfer via USB" option will no longer be available. — Take advantage of the final opportunity to remove DRM from your Kindle books on Mac.
Prerequisite for using this method: You need to have a Kindle device registered with your Amazon account information. Your kindle device can be a kindle fire tablet or a kindle eink device.
Step 1. Download Kindle books via "Download & Transfer via USB".
Go to Manage Your Content and Devices and you will see all your purchased ebooks displayed under “Content” tab. Finde the book you want to download and click on “More Actions” button to show all the activate actions.
Click on “Download & transfer via USB” and new window will pop up.
Choose the kindle device and then click on “Download".
Choose the folder to store your Kindle books on your computer, and click on “Save” button.
Step 2. Remove Kindle DRM and convert .KCR to pdf.
To remove Kindle DRM and convert kindle books to pdf, Epubor Ultimate is highly-recommended. It is an one-stop ebook tools which can handle almost 99% ebooks on the market. It is available on Windows and Mac platform.
Download and install Epubor Ultimate.
Lanuch Epubor Ultimate, copy the Kindle Serial Number and paste it to Epubor Ultimate -->> User center-->>settings-->>Kindle-->>input the Kindle serial Number and then click on "Ok".
Drag & drop downloaded kindle books to the main interface of Epubor Ultimate. The DRM will be removed.
Then select ”convert to pdf” from the drop-down list, then click on “Convert to pdf” button to start the conversion.
Once the conversion process has done, you will see “Succeeded” next to the book title. To find the converted file, just click on “Succeeded” or output folder icon at the bottom right.
Method 3. Install Virtual Windows Machine on Mac
Since Kindle KCR format is only on Mac, if you are on Windows computer, there is no Kindle KCR format. All your kindle books downloaded via Kindle for PC will be in Kindle kfx format which is crackable by Epubor Ultimate. Therefore, there is another way to handle the kindle KCR format--installing Windows on Mac, and then remove kindle drm on Windows.
Step 1 : Watch the following guide to install Windows on Mac computer:
Step 2: Then remove kindle drm on Windows virtual machine.
Detailed guide: How to Remove DRM from Kindle KFX eBooks
Final Words
1 KCR format has disappeared from Kindle format.
2 Kindle for Mac 1.40 can no longer download any Kindle books, making it impossible to remove DRM from Kindle for Mac in 2025.
3 The Download & Transfer via USB" option has been unavailable since 02/26/2025.
4 If none of the above methods work for you, please contact us at epubor.iris@outlook.com for further assistance.
Note: If the above mentioned methods cannot help you convert kindle kcr books, we also offer the conversion service.
Iris Yan has been a passionate member of Epubor since 2017. Her mission is to enhance your ebook reading experience by sharing insightful tips and tricks. Join her on a journey towards reading excellence today!
