After we download one eBook from the public library, we will find that the downloaded file is .acsm. And we are told that we must use the Adobe Digital Editions to open the acsm file. Then here comes the question: What is an ACSM file? Why should we use ADE to open this type of file? Is it possible to unlock Adobe Digital Editions to PDF so that we can get proper ebooks supported on most devices?

Adobe Digital Editions Wiki

Adobe Digital Editions (abbreviated ADE) is used for acquiring, managing, and reading eBooks, digital newspapers, and other digital publications. And in fact, most major publishers use Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) to proof-read their eBooks.

The ADE software supports PDF and EPUB, and it implements a proprietary scheme of digital rights management (ADEPT DRM). And just because of the Adobe DRM limitation, we can’t open these files except with Adobe Digital Editions. We are always being bundled with ADE, we can’t backup, share or even print our own purchases!

If there is a tool which is able to remove Adobe DRM, then converting from Adobe to PDF is easy. iSummersoft ACSM Converter is what you want as it helps convert eBooks from Adobe ACSM format to PDF(or even Kindle, ePub) format in batch.

Key features of ACSM Converter

Convert(Print) Adobe ACSM to PDF in 3 Steps

Adobe Digital Editions is required to be available on your computer before running this ACSM Converter.

Step1. Download and Authorize ADE.

Firstly, install and authorize Adobe Digital Editions on Windows/Mac. The latest version is 4.5.11 at the time of writing.

Note:

ACSM files can not be opened in either Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader and can only be opened in Digital Editions.

The first time you run ADE, you will be asked to authorize an Adobe ID, a user account that gives you access to all of Adobe’s services and web domains, including your ACSM files.

The adobe id allows the library user to download and open E-books that are DRM (Digital Rights Management) -protected. To create an Adobe ID, provide your email address, a password of your choice, and other information.

Important:

1. Though there are many options from the eBook Vendor dropdown list when authorizing your computer, but for 100% successfully adobe DRM removing, here I highly recommend you choose Adobe ID as the eBook Vendor.
2. The email address you input must be the same as your ebook library account’s, otherwise you will fail to open your ACSM files.
3. If you download eBooks from different eBook stores, I still recommend you use the same email address to register the account so that you can manage all of your Adobe files via ADE in one place. If not, you will need to deactivate the ADE and then re-register with another different account.
4. There is no need to pay for an Adobe ID.

Step2. Open ACSM via ADE.

I exported one of my google eBooks, the exported ACSM file is protected and must be opened with Adobe Digital Editions. I chose pdf as the exported format.

Soon I get the acsm file downloaded. The .acsm file isn’t the book – it’s a purchase ticket that allows you to download the book.

Now I open this acsm file via Adobe Digital Editions.

As what you see, the acsm file is saved in Adobe Digital Editions library.

And in fact, each acsm file will be turned into either ePub or PDF format after being opened via ADE. In other words, we can download a PDF from Adobe Digital Editions just by opening it with ADE.

You can also right-click the book in ADE and choose “Show File in Explorer”.

ACSM file is saved under “My Digital Editions” Folder. As I chose exporting this google acsm as pdf, so the output file is PDF now.

But as what I introduced at first, this PDF is drm protected by Adobe Digiatal Editions, I can’t print it.

Step3. Unlock ADE to PDF(Convert encrypted acsm to pdf).

Now I start the ACSM Converter. It auto-detects my file and shows it at the left area.

After I drag it to the right area, it says “Adept DRM”.

Continue, choose PDF as output and click on the “Convert to PDF” button. It helps remove the drm and convert adobe digital edition url to pdf at the same time.

Waiting for the conversion completed, and then click “Open” to find the converted well PDF.
Now I’m allowed to print this PDF, that’s so amazing, isn’t it?

Friendly trick:

If you choose Mobi or AZW3 as output format, you can also convert adobe digital editions to Kindle. If you choose ePub, you can convert acsm to iBooks or nook. If you choose DOCX, it helps convert to Word.

How do I convert Adobe digital editions to PDF for free?

Above tool – iSummersoft ACSM Converter provides a free trial version (paid version price for 1-year is $17.99) , and we’re allowed to convert 3 books totally for free. This is great for those people who have one or two books to be handled with, and makes it possible to make full use of it before we decide to purchase a license.

And of course, there is another famous tool which is free for you to use. It’s Calibre. However, calibre itself is not able to remove DRM but DeDRM tools can do.

Compared to this acsm converter, Calibre is much more difficult to use, and it’s highly likely that you may meet some problems on converting Adobe Digital Editions PDF with Calibre.

You may also be told to use free online tools, such as ebook.online-convert. I would remind you that nearly all of those online tools will only work for DRM free eBooks files. If uploading a drm protected acsm file, you will see an error like this.

It means that we couldn’t remove drm from adobe digital editions online. Two available ACSM2PDF converters: ACSM Converter and Calibre DRM plugins.

5 Must Know ACSM to PDF/EPUB Converters | Ways to Convert ACSM

Editor’s choice

We finally found a way to help print and backup, share library books by using iSummersoft Converter. It allows us to convert 3 books for free. What’s better, it’s pretty easier to use than Calibre as its user-friendly interface and adobe files auto-detecting.