# What is DRM (digital rights management)?

Source: https://epublab.com/glossary/drm/ (updated 2026-11-03)

DRM (digital rights management) is encryption that ties an e-book or PDF to an account or device so it cannot be opened elsewhere. Store-bought e-books are often protected this way.

## Why it matters when you convert a PDF to EPUB

A protected or password-encrypted PDF cannot be converted: EPUBLab refuses encrypted PDFs and asks you to remove the protection, which only the owner of the rights should do. The EPUBs EPUBLab produces carry no DRM.