Tools

ACSM File Checker

.acsm · .lcpl · Client-side · No upload

You bought or borrowed an ebook and got a tiny .acsm file that nothing seems to open. That's because it isn't the book. Drop it here to see what it is: which book, which store, purchase or loan, when the ticket expires and what it allows, plus exactly what to do next.

Drop an .acsm or .lcpl file here

The small file your store or library gave you instead of the book. It's read in your browser — nothing is uploaded, and the store is never contacted.
More free tools
EPUB & PDF DRM CheckerWill this book open? DRM, text layer, form fields, fixed layout — read from the file itself.EPUB Metadata EditorFix a wrong title, author or cover and download the corrected file. No upload.EPUB ValidatorThe book won't open. Find out whether it's the archive, the package document or a missing chapter.EPUB Reading TimeWord count, page equivalent and how many hours the book takes at three paces.Kindle DRM CheckerIs this AZW, AZW3 or MOBI locked to Amazon? One flag in the header decides.MOBI & AZW3 to EPUBConvert a DRM-free Kindle file to EPUB — chapters, images, cover and contents kept. No upload.Kindle Highlights to AnkiMy Clippings.txt → a flashcard deck or Markdown quotes. Duplicates merged, notes attached.Kobo Highlights to AnkiKoboReader.sqlite → a flashcard deck or Markdown quotes. Every book, every note, no Calibre.Apple Books Highlights to AnkiEvery Apple Books highlight and note at once, as an Anki deck or Markdown. From your Mac, no upload.PDF Text Layer CheckerCan this PDF be highlighted and searched, or is it a stack of scans?GemList BuilderBuild a shareable catalog of free books for the in-app library browser.

Why the .acsm won't open

It's a ticket, not a book. Reading apps look for an EPUB or a PDF. An .acsm is an instruction to go and fetch one, and only Adobe-licensed software knows how to follow it.

The ticket can expire. Stores give every .acsm a deadline for redeeming it. Past it, even Adobe Digital Editions refuses. The checker reads the deadline so you know whether to re-download before you start troubleshooting.

What arrives is locked. Redeeming the ticket gets you an EPUB or PDF with Adobe DRM, tied to your Adobe ID. Ask the store whether it sells the title DRM-free. If it does, that file opens anywhere. The Book Checker tells you which kind of file you ended up with, and how to check if an EPUB has DRM explains the difference.

Questions

What is an .acsm file?

A download ticket from a store or library that sells Adobe-protected ebooks. It is a few kilobytes of XML naming the book, the server that will deliver it and how long the ticket stays valid. It contains none of the book. Adobe Digital Editions, or another Adobe-licensed reader, redeems the ticket, downloads the EPUB or PDF, and locks it to your Adobe ID.

Can I convert an .acsm to EPUB or PDF?

There is nothing in it to convert. Redeeming it in Adobe Digital Editions gets you the real EPUB or PDF, but that file carries Adobe DRM and opens only in Adobe-licensed software. Tools that promise to turn an .acsm into a readable EPUB are removing that DRM, which this site does not help with.

Adobe Digital Editions says the request has expired.

Every .acsm has an expiration time, often days or weeks after purchase, and E_ADEPT_REQUEST_EXPIRED means it has passed. The checker shows the exact time. Go back to the store's library page and download the book again; the store issues a fresh ticket for a book you own.

It says the book was already fulfilled by another user.

E_LIC_ALREADY_FULFILLED_BY_ANOTHER_USER means the ticket was already redeemed under a different Adobe ID, commonly after reinstalling or authorising Adobe Digital Editions with a new account. Authorise it with the Adobe ID you used the first time, or ask the store to reset the download.

What is an .lcpl file?

The Readium LCP equivalent of an .acsm, used by many public libraries and some stores in place of Adobe DRM. It is a small JSON licence with a link to the book, the loan dates, print and copy limits, and a hint for the passphrase you will be asked for. Thorium Reader and the reading apps libraries recommend can open it.

Will GemReader open it?

No. GemReader opens DRM-free EPUB, PDF and Kindle files, and neither Adobe DRM nor LCP is supported. If the store or library offers a DRM-free download of the same title, that file opens in GemReader normally.

Is the file sent anywhere?

No. It is read with JavaScript in your browser tab. The checker never contacts the store's server named inside the ticket, so checking a ticket does not use it up.

Download freeCheck a downloaded book →