A Kindle Software Update Just Killed The Airplane Mode Trick For Libby Loans

E-reader owners can use services like OverDrive's Libby to rent library books which are delivered to their choice of device. Usually, when checking out a book, you're given a specified loan period and you must "return" the book when the deadline hits — just like a real library book. But for a long time, users have taken advantage of a unique workaround by putting their devices into airplane mode. Keeping their devices offline after checking out a book will effectively bypass the loan period, so the book remains available and users can read at their own pace. When airplane mode is disabled again, the books are automatically returned. It's a way to rent books for longer than the deadline — however, after one of the more recent Kindle software updates, this tweak no longer works.

Many users are now reporting their Kindle will no longer allow such a thing (via Good e-Reader). When trying to read books offline past their due dates, the devices are now prompting them to reconnect to Wi-Fi first. The devices users reported as being affected include the Colorsoft Signature Edition and Kindle Paperwhite 11th and 12th Gen. These devices seem to be running software versions 5.19.2 to 5.19.5. Older Kindle models have been reported as well. You may want to check which Kindle model you have to see if you're affected.

There are currently no workarounds if you're experiencing this. It is unfortunate, because slower readers were using it to take their time with books without having to rush through them. It's worth noting the books checked out would still return on time to the library or owner, even when offline. This workaround simply allowed users to read the books they already had downloaded for a while longer.

After checking out a book and going offline, taking your time reading has little to no effect on the borrowing process. Some users would even return their books immediately from another portal. That would keep downloaded copies available on their Kindle for reading anytime. Yes, it was an exploit, but it didn't stop anyone else from checking out the same book. The title would still be "returned" by the due date if not returned early. When books were returned before the deadline, they would become available in the library's inventory again. Meanwhile, when the offline user connected to Wi-Fi, the book would expire; they didn't keep it forever. No one was really harmed by the process, and since the books are digital, the library wasn't missing out on anything.

Neither OverDrive nor Amazon have issued official statements on the matter. Most of the conjecture about the software updates eliminating the problem remains just that. The situation does highlight disadvantages of owning a Kindle, namely that you're locked into Amazon's ecosystem and using its devices in the way the company sees fit. It's also a good time to consider whether you really own the books on your Kindle or not. The answer is no, you own a license to the book, not the book itself. Obviously, library books are different (you never "own" those), but the books you do buy can end up restricted in the same way.

If you are affected by this, some users have suggested you can try changing the date and time on your Kindle to roll back to a point before the expiration. There's no confirmation of that working anywhere, though, despite some users discussing the idea on Reddit.