# unable to open item error on new paperwhite 4...



## H7Py49 (Mar 17, 2016)

so i got my new paperwhite 4, and i still have my older paperwhite i purchased new from amazon march 2016 (XXXX's 2nd kindle). now this is XXXX's 3rd kindle, and i registered it, then uploaded the book i was reading, and am unable to open it - i get error

_Unable to Open Item

This item cannot be opened because it is licensed to a different user. Delete item and download it from the Cloud or purchase a copy from the Kindle Store._

^ is this what i'm in for with two kindles going at once?


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

It sounds like you downloaded and transferred  the book to your first kindle via USB. If so, you'll need to re-download it for the new device. Amazon has a default DRM that is present on most of the books it sells so you can't move individual files between kindles -- each file is keyed to a specific device. So unless you strip the DRM of every book you buy -- a direct violation of the ToS -- you have to keep two copies. 

Me: I just send books directly to devices wirelessly. If I know I'll want it on more than one, it's easy to send to several at once. It is how the system is designed, after all, and so much easier for me than going through the computer. I can't see there's any value in doing that unless you just really don't have good wireless access. 

I know some say they like to be sure their library is accessible no matter what, even if they lose connection to the world, but it always seemed like a lot of extra work and the risk of losing the files from Amazon's cloud seems very very very small. I'm also not certain that books will sync properly if you do it that way.


----------

