A library listed in your account is not necessarily a backup. Before a storefront closes, check which titles it lets you download, save those files while you still have access, and keep verified copies in more than one place. An app’s offline-reading option can help while that app works, but it does not prove you have an independent file you can restore elsewhere.
What counts as a backup?
A backup is an additional copy that can restore your files if the primary copy is lost or corrupted. The National Digital Stewardship Alliance defines it as “Additional copies of a digital asset made to protect against loss due to unintended destruction or corruption of the primary set of digital assets.” National Digital Stewardship Alliance glossary.
For a digital book or comic, distinguish three things: access through your account, offline access inside a particular app, and a downloadable file you can store independently. Only the last can become a file backup, and only when the service offers a permitted download for that title. A downloaded file may still have DRM, meaning it needs approved software or an authorized account and may not open on every device. A second copy does not remove that restriction or guarantee that another store will accept the file.
Inventory titles and check export options
Start with the books and series you most want to keep. Record each title, storefront, purchase or borrowing status, available download format, and the date you saved it. Mark any announced service cutoff and prioritize titles at risk of becoming inaccessible.
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- Easily store and access 2TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
- Look for an explicit EPUB, PDF, or comic-file download on the title’s account page; do not treat an app’s offline toggle as an export.
- Check whether the title is eligible. Publishers can block export, and rentals or borrowed titles may be excluded.
- Record whether the download is DRM-free or DRM-protected and what authorized software or device it requires.
- For comics, check the actual file format and whether your intended reader supports it.
Export availability is title-specific. The export rules below describe the services’ published instructions and can change, so check the linked help page and the controls shown for your own titles.
Export books from major storefronts
Amazon Kindle
Amazon says that, effective January 20, 2026, verified purchasers can download EPUB or PDF versions of eligible confirmed DRM-free Kindle books through Manage Your Content and Devices. This does not make every Kindle purchase exportable: books with DRM remain limited to Kindle apps and devices, and Kindle Unlimited and other borrowed books are excluded. For older books whose DRM had been disabled before December 9, 2025, Amazon says the publisher must explicitly confirm the DRM-free download option. Check eligibility for each book in your account rather than assuming your library can be exported. Amazon KDP: Digital Rights Management.
Rank #2
- Easily store and access 5TB of content on the go with the Seagate portable drive, a USB external hard Drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Kobo
- Open My Account and select My Books.
- Open the title’s Actions menu, choose Download, then select Download file.
- Check the file’s DRM status and follow Kobo’s instructions for the destination device.
Kobo says most purchased books are DRM-protected. Those EPUB or PDF files require Adobe Digital Editions to export to another manufacturer’s device; DRM-free downloads can be copied directly to a connected device. A download option and usable format depend on the individual title. Kobo: Download books from your Kobo account to export to another device or app.
Kobo lists EPUB, EPUB2/3, PDF, FlePub, and MOBI for eReaders/Desktop, and CBZ and CBR for comic books. Format support does not mean a bookstore permits export of a particular purchase. Kobo’s instructions specify that Adobe DRM EPUB/PDF downloads require Adobe Digital Editions for transfer to a Kobo eReader. Kobo: File formats your Kobo eReader and Kobo Books app support.
Rank #3
- Easily store and access 1TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop. Reformatting may be required for Mac
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Google Play Books
- Open Library & devices, then Books.
- Open a title’s More menu and choose Export.
- Select Download EPUB or Download PDF when offered. If the file downloads as ASCM, use Adobe Digital Editions as Google directs.
Google says some publishers do not allow exports, rentals cannot be exported, and large book files cannot be exported. It also says most Google Play books cannot be opened on Kindle devices. Its support page currently displays a notice concerning the Adobe Digital Editions export service for previously downloaded EPUBs, while saying new EPUB downloads and offline access through Android and iOS apps remain available. Because service notices can be temporary, check the current page and the title’s available options before relying on an export route. Google Play Help: How to export books from Google Play to your computer.
Other comic and ebook storefronts
Policies vary, and the guidance above does not establish export rules for every comic shop, publisher, or app. Check the service’s current help pages and the specific title’s account controls. If there is no permitted file download, an offline copy inside the app is not a portable archive.
Rank #4
- Easily store and access 4TB of content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
What to do when a platform is closing
A replacement storefront may be able to take over a library, but only when the former provider has arranged a transfer with the new service. Kobo says the former provider supplies a code or link and instructions; some books may not transfer, and the provider may offer downloads for those. It also warns that the old library may stop being accessible or downloadable after the provider’s stated date. Follow the provider’s instructions promptly, but save any permitted exports independently rather than treating migration as your only copy. Kobo: Transfer your eBook library from a closing company to Kobo.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Organize files and make independent copies
Keep the original downloaded file unchanged, along with any authorization or account information needed to open a protected file in approved software. Use descriptive filenames and folders, and maintain a simple inventory with title, platform, format, download date, and any reader requirement. The Library of Congress recommends descriptive filenames and an organized folder structure for personal digital records. Library of Congress: Personal Digital Records – Personal Archiving.
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Make at least two copies on separate media and keep them in different places. A portable external hard drive can be one copy; internet storage can serve as an off-site copy. One drive by itself is not a complete backup plan. The Library of Congress advises checking files at least once a year and making new media copies every five years or when necessary. Library of Congress: Personal Digital Records – Personal Archiving.
Verify that your backups work
- After copying, open a sample of each file type—or every file if the collection is small—in software authorized for that file.
- Confirm that the file is readable and that the copy exists in each intended storage location.
- At least once a year, check that saved files still open and that your inventory matches the files you have.
- Refresh media copies every five years or when needed, following the Library of Congress’s personal-archiving guidance.
If a protected file will not open, check its authorized reader and account or authentication requirements; copying it to another drive will not make it DRM-free. If no export was offered, there may be no independent file to restore, so record that limitation rather than counting app access as a backup.
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