Score:-2

How can I remove DRM from an audible audiobook (aax)?

gb flag

I hope I do not ask anything that is illegal. I have purchased an audiobook and audible offers to download the corresponding file, which is an aax file. As far as I understood one can somehow extract the authentication code, convert the file and use it as mp3. But all I found were solutions which used someone's code (projekt "tables") from github. I did not find anything in the apt repositories from Ubuntu and do not know if I should trust that source. Therefore I need a way to get it work without any third party software that I don't know and where I do not believe that other people have checked the code.

Is there a safe procedure that you can recommend?

David avatar
cn flag
This has nothing to do with Ubuntu.
MDoe avatar
gb flag
I disagree, because I use Ubuntu and therefore I do not seek a solution for windows (as there is many software for that case out there).
ru flag
keep in mind DRM is an antipiracy measure - removing DRM could violate the law in your jurisdiction.
MDoe avatar
gb flag
Yes, I am not quite sure. I just read on another site that this would be okay. I am not sure. After all I purchased the file and just want to use it with Ubuntu.
Score:0
eg flag

I used ViWizard Audible Converter which can convert my Audible books to MP3 and simultaneously remove DRM from Audible. Hope it can be helpful.

Score:0
sa flag

AAXtoMP3

The purpose of this software is to convert AAX (or AAXC) files to common MP3, M4A, M4B, flac and ogg formats through a basic bash script front-end to FFMPEG.

AAXtoMP3 is a bash shell script that can be run as a normal user without sudo

  1. Download the zip archive from https://github.com/KrumpetPirate/AAXtoMP3/archive/refs/heads/master.zip

  2. Extract the contents of AAXtoMP3-master.zip.

  3. Install dependencies.

    sudo apt install ffmpeg lame jq mediainfo  
    
  4. Change directories with cd to the directory that contains AAXtoMP3 and run bash AAXtoMP3 to display its command-line options or run either of the two usage commands.

    Usage:

    bash AAXtoMP3 [-f|--flac] [-o|--opus] [-a|-aac] [-s|--single] [--level <COMPRESSIONLEVEL>] [-c|--chaptered] [-e:mp3] [-e:m4a] [-e:m4b] [-A|--authcode <AUTHCODE>] [-n|--no-clobber] [-t|--target_dir <PATH>] [-C|--complete_dir <PATH>] [-V|--validate] [--use-audible-cli-data]] [-d|--debug] [-h|--help] [--continue <CHAPTERNUMBER>] <AAX/AAXC INPUT_FILES>...
    

    or if you want to get guided through the options:

    bash interactiveAAXtoMP3 [-a|--advanced] [-h|--help]
    
MDoe avatar
gb flag
Thank you, but as mentioned before I am a little sceptical to use any third party software which is not part of the dist repositories. Is there a way to use out of the box software of Ubuntu?
karel avatar
sa flag
@MDoe I love Linux and use Ubuntu every day. AAXtoMP3 runs right out of the box from your home directory without any requirement to install it except for installing its dependencies (in step 3 of my answer) which are all available in the default Ubuntu repositories.
MDoe avatar
gb flag
Okay, I am not that experienced. I was just afraid that some code could compromise my computer or so.
mangohost

Post an answer

Most people don’t grasp that asking a lot of questions unlocks learning and improves interpersonal bonding. In Alison’s studies, for example, though people could accurately recall how many questions had been asked in their conversations, they didn’t intuit the link between questions and liking. Across four studies, in which participants were engaged in conversations themselves or read transcripts of others’ conversations, people tended not to realize that question asking would influence—or had influenced—the level of amity between the conversationalists.