Free, DRM-free EPUB books, and where to find them
Silverlinger opens EPUB files without DRM. Thousands of public-domain classics are available as free, legal downloads, and many are beautifully produced.
Where to look
Standard Ebooks
standardebooks.org (opens in a new tab) · Public-domain classics, carefully proofread and typeset by volunteers, with clean covers and well-structured tables of contents. Start here if you want the best-looking editions.
Project Gutenberg
gutenberg.org (opens in a new tab) · The oldest and largest public-domain library, with tens of thousands of titles. Every book has an EPUB download; “EPUB3” is usually the right choice.
Wikisource
en.wikisource.org (opens in a new tab) · Volunteer-transcribed texts, including historical documents and works not found elsewhere. Use the Download link at the top of a work’s page, or Download EPUB under Print/export.
What DRM is, and how to tell
DRM is copy protection used by commercial ebook stores. Books bought on Kindle or Apple Books usually carry DRM and can only be read in that store’s app.
- EPUBs from the sources above are DRM-free.
- Some publishers sell ebooks directly and label them “DRM-free.”
- If Silverlinger shows “This EPUB is protected,” the book has DRM. Silverlinger doesn’t remove or bypass DRM.
After you download
- Keep the EPUB wherever you like. Silverlinger never copies it into a hidden library, so Finder stays your bookshelf.
- Double-click the file, or drag it onto Silverlinger.
- Your place, bookmarks, and notes stay on your Mac, ready when you open the book again.
A note on copyright
Public-domain status varies by country. Each site explains its own terms; check that a book is free to use where you live. Silverlinger doesn’t provide books or link to unofficial sources.
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