Why Can'T I Read Libby Books On My Kindle?

As someone who juggles multiple e-readers and platforms, I’ve run into the Libby-Kindle issue more times than I’d like. Libby, being a digital library app, primarily lends books in EPUB format, which is the industry standard for most libraries and apps. Amazon’s Kindle ecosystem, however, runs on its proprietary formats like AZW or MOBI. The disconnect happens because Amazon wants to keep its ecosystem locked, meaning you can’t directly sideload EPUB files onto a Kindle without converting them or using Amazon’s send-to-Kindle service. Libby does offer a workaround for U.S. users—you can send books to your Kindle via Amazon’s platform, but this requires extra steps like logging into your Amazon account and selecting the right device. Outside the U.S., this feature isn’t always available, leaving international users stuck with EPUBs they can’t easily transfer.

Another layer to this is DRM (Digital Rights Management), which libraries use to ensure borrowed books expire after the loan period. Libby’s DRM is built around Adobe’s system, which isn’t natively supported by Kindles. Amazon’s DRM is different, so even if you manage to get the file onto your Kindle, the DRM might prevent it from opening. This is why Libby often redirects users to the Kindle Store to fulfill loans—it’s Amazon’s way of controlling the flow of content. For tech-savvy readers, there are third-party tools like Calibre that can strip DRM and convert formats, but this walks a legal gray area and isn’t something I’d casually recommend. The simplest solution is to use Libby’s built-in reader or switch to a Kobo, which supports EPUB and library loans natively.