How to Use a Kindle e-Reader: Ultimate Beginner's Guide

This wikiHow guide teaches you how to get started with your Amazon Kindle e-reader. Unlike a traditional tablet, the Kindle e-reader is made to look and behave more like a physical book. It even uses a special technology called e-ink that's easier on both your eyes and your battery. Modern Kindles have touch screens, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and some even come with a stylus! It's easier than ever to borrow, purchase, and flip through thousands of e-books on your Kindle. Once you learn your way around your Kindle Scribe, Colorsoft, Paperwhite, Oasis, or original model, you'll see how convenient and fun e-readers can be!

How to Use a Kindle: Top Things to Know

To turn on your Kindle, press the power button, which is usually along the bottom or side edge of the ereader. You may need to hold it down for a few seconds.
Install the Kindle app on your phone or tablet to make setting up your new Kindle a breeze.
You can buy ebooks and audiobooks on your Kindle's home screen, shop on Amazon from any device, or even borrow Kindle books from the library.

Section 1 of 6:

Setting Up Your Kindle

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1
Charge your Kindle. If you just got your Kindle, you'll want to charge it before setting it up. Charging your Kindle can take anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on the model and power source. You can charge your Kindle using the supplied USB cable that came with it. The smaller end of the cable fits into your Kindle's charging port, while the larger end fits into a power adapter that you can plug into the wall or into your computer's USB port.
- A light will illuminate near your Kindle's charging port to indicate that the device is charging. You will also see a battery status indicator at the top of the screen that displays your progress.
- When the Kindle is fully charged, the light will turn green.
2
Find the Power button on your Kindle. The power button is used for three things: Turning the screen on, turning it off, and restarting the Kindle. The location of the power button varies by model:
- Kindle Scribe models have power buttons on the side edge.^{[1]
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- Kindle PaperWhite, Colorsoft, and the regular Kindle models have power buttons on the bottom edge.^{[2]
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- Kindle Oasis models have thin oval power buttons on their top edges.
- Kindle Voyage models have round power buttons on their back sides.
- The earliest Kindle models have power switches rather than buttons. The 1st generation Kindle's switch is on the back of the device, while the 2nd generation model's switch is at the bottom next to the charging port.
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3
Set up the Kindle app on your phone or tablet for easy Kindle setup (optional). If you have the mobile Kindle app, the initial setup on your Kindle will be a lot easier–especially when it comes to connecting your Kindle to Wi-Fi.^{[3]
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- First, open your phone's app store (the App Store for iPhone and iPad, or the Google Play Store for Android) and download the Kindle app.
- Once installed, open the Kindle app and log in with your Amazon account.
- Tap the More icon.
- Toggle on "Amazon Device Simple Setup." Then, when prompted, choose the option to allow Bluetooth.
- After allowing Bluetooth, be sure to choose the option to allow the Kindle app to find nearby devices when prompted.
- If you have an Android, you will also need to enable location services to use the mobile app.^{[4]
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4
Turn your Kindle on and select your language. If your Kindle is charged and the screen is blank, press the power button to turn it on. Or, if you're using an early model, slide the switch to the On position. Once turned on, you'll be prompted to choose your language.^{[5]
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- You may need to hold down the power button for a few seconds to power on your Kindle.
5
Choose whether to set up your Kindle on your phone or on the Kindle.
- If you've installed the Kindle app on your phone or tablet, select Set up with your phone to complete a very simple setup process, which involves connecting to Wi-Fi and registering your Kindle to your Amazon account. Once you select this option, just follow the on-screen prompts to connect your Kindle to Wi-Fi and connect it to your account.
- Alternatively, you can choose Set up on this Kindle if you don't want to use your phone or tablet.
6
Connect your Kindle to Wi-Fi. If you're setting up the Kindle without the mobile app, you'll be prompted to connect to Wi-Fi. If your Kindle supports Wi-Fi, you'll be asked to choose a Wi-Fi network the first time you start up your Kindle. Choose your Wi-Fi network and enter your password when prompted.^{[6]
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- If you have an Amazon Echo device connected to your home Wi-Fi network and a Wi-Fi password saved to your Amazon account, your Echo will automatically connect your new Kindle to Wi-Fi.
7
Register your Kindle. If you purchased your Kindle through your Amazon account, it is already registered to you. But if you purchased a used Kindle or don't have an Amazon account, you'll be asked to sign in or create an account now.^{[7]
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- If you've purchased e-books with your Amazon account in the past, they will be synced to your library once your device is registered and online.
8
Go to the home screen. Once your Kindle is registered, you'll be taken to the home screen, where you'll find book recommendations from Amazon, as well as the books in your library (if any). The Home tab is also where you can buy new books to add to your Kindle.
- You can tap Library at the bottom of the home screen to see just the books you've added to the Kindle. Switch back to Home by tapping Home.
- When you're reading an ebook on your Kindle, you can return to the home screen at any time by tapping the area at the top of the book, then tapping the back arrow that says Home or Library.
9
Adjust the light on your Kindle. If your Kindle has a built-in light, you can adjust the light as needed. To do so, swipe down from the top of the home screen or tap the gear icon to open your settings. Then, use plus/minus buttons (or the slider) to change the brightness.^{[8]
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- Depending on your Kindle model, you may also be able to adjust other options here, including the color style for Colorsoft models.
10
Learn the basic power features. Your Kindle is designed to use very little power, even when the screen is active. If you don't use the screen for a while, it will automatically switch to a screensaver.
- To turn your Kindle's screen off, press and hold the power button until you see the "Power" menu, which should take about 9 seconds. Then, select SCREEN OFF.^{[9]
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- To turn your Kindle on, just press the power button.
- Even when your screen is off, your Kindle can update itself as long as it has access to the internet. To conserve battery power, put your Kindle into airplane mode when you're not using it.^{[10]
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- To reboot your Kindle, press and hold the power button until the Power screen appears, then tap RESTART.
11
Turn basic features on and off. Swipe down from the top of the home screen on your Kindle to open your quick settings panel, where you'll find the option to turn airplane mode and Bluetooth on or off. This is also where you can adjust the front light and color options, if your Kindle supports these features.
- To access more Kindle settings, tap All Settings on the quick settings panel. On this screen, you'll find additional settings, including the option to manage your Wi-Fi connection, enable or disable accessibility features, and more.

Section 2 of 6:

Buying a Book on Your Kindle

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1
Wake up your Kindle. If you're not actively using your Kindle, it will go into sleep mode and display a screensaver. You can always wake your Kindle by pressing and releasing the power button.
- You can buy ebooks directly from your Kindle, or you can shop on Amazon and have the book sent to your Kindle. If you're buying an ebook in the Amazon app or using your computer, just choose the option to send the book to your Kindle after making your purchase, and it will be sent to your library.
- Continue with this method to learn how to buy a book directly from your Kindle.
2
Navigate to the home screen. Your Kindle's Home screen is also where you can buy books. If a book is open, tap the upper area of the screen, then tap the back arrow that says Home or Library. If you tapped Library, tap the Home tab at the bottom to go to the Home screen.
- If you have a Kindle-compatible ebook saved to your computer that you didn't get from Amazon, you can also transfer it using a USB cable (on some models) or email it to your Kindle.
3
Search or browse for a book. If you have a book in mind, just tap the Search field at the top to bring up your Kindle's on-screen keyboard, then type the name of the book or author to search. Alternatively, you can browse the main page using your finger (or the stylus, if you have one). Here, you'll find plenty of genres and book options to choose from. You can also tap Search at the top-right to search for something in particular.
- Tap Browse Categories to check out the category list. This is also where you'll find Newsstand, which allows you to download magazines and newspapers to your Kindle.
- If you have an Amazon Prime membership, there are some Kindle books you can get from the store for free. Scroll down to find sections like "Top Reads with Prime" and "Best Sellers Included With Your Prime Membership."
4
Tap a book to learn more about it. Now you can check out a synopsis of the book, as well as other details like price, number of pages, author and publisher, release date, and available versions. You can also check out reviews written by others who've read the book, as well as its price.
- Some e-books also have audiobook versions that you can purchase at a discount if you are purchasing the e-book. If your Kindle supports audiobooks (most modern models do), you can download both and use your Kindle to read and listen at your leisure.
5
Tap the Buy now button to purchase the book. Your Kindle will use your default payment method in your Amazon Prime account to make the purchase. Once the purchase is complete, your book will appear in your library.
- If you found a free book, tap Read Now instead.
- To find a book you've purchased, tap the Library tab on the home screen.
- If the book you purchased isn't there yet, swipe down from the top of the screen and tap Sync.

Section 3 of 6:

Reading a Book on Your Kindle

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1
Tap the Library tab on the Home screen. It's at the bottom of your Kindle's home screen. This displays all the books in your library.
- If you see the book you want to read on the home screen, you can select it there instead.
2
Select the book you want to read. This opens the book for reading.
- If your Kindle is linked to a Goodreads account, you'll be asked if you want to mark the book as "Currently Reading" when you open it for the first time. Use the slider to choose whether you want to do this.
If you're using a Kindle Oasis, you can use the bottom button to advance, or the upper button to go back one page. On all other Kindles, you can turn to the next page by tapping the right side of the page, and go back by tapping the left side.
4
Customize your reading experience. You can control the size of the text and the way it appears as you read. Here's how:
- Tap the top area of the screen to bring up the controls.
- Tap the Aa icon at the upper-left corner.
- On the Themes tab, you can choose the Standard theme for the default page size and layout, or Large for larger text.
- Tap the Font tab to choose a font face, size, and level of boldness for the text.
- Tap Layout to change the orientation from portrait to landscape, adjust the alignment, control the amount of spacing between lines, and configure margins.
- Tap More for additional options, such as choosing how to display your reading progress (remaining pages, amount of time left in the book, time left in the chapter, or location in the book), enabling the assistive reader (if available), whether the clock should be visible, popular highlights by other people who've read the book, and the option to turn on Word Wise, which can show hints above unfamiliar words.
5
Highlight text and/or add notes. Even if your Kindle doesn't have a stylus, you can highlight text and add notes with your Kindle's on-screen keyboard. If you have a Colorsoft model, you can highlight passages in different colors. Here's how you can highlight any passage:
- Tap and hold one of the words you want to highlight or leave a note on.
- After a few seconds, a menu will expand, and sliders will appear on either side of the word.
- Drag the sliders to select the entire section you want to highlight or notate.
  - If you have a Kindle Scribe, you can select Highlight, Fountain Pen, Marker, Pencil, or Shader as your writing implement. And if your Scribe is a Colorsoft model, you can choose your preferred color from the palette.^{[11]
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- Tap Highlight on the menu to highlight, or tap Note to type a note for yourself. If you have a Kindle Colorsoft, tap the color you want to highlight with.
- When you're done typing a note, tap Save.
- You can access your notes by tapping the top of the screen to open the toolbar, then tapping the notebook icon.
To bookmark a page, tap the top of the page to bring up the toolbar, tap the bookmark icon, then tap the + symbol. You can access your bookmarks by tapping the bookmark icon at the top of any book.
7
Go to a specific page or section of the book. If you want to check out a particular page or chapter, you can easily do so without flipping through every page. Here's how:
- Tap the top of the page to open the controls.
- Tap the icon that looks like a bullet list–this is the Go To menu.
- Tap the Contents tab if you'd like to jump to a specific chapter, page, or location. To go to a page, tap Page or Location and enter the page number.
- If you added notes and highlights to the book, tap the Notes & Highlights tab to find them.

Section 4 of 6:

Borrowing a Library Book

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1
Go to overdrive.com on your computer or open the Libby app. If your local library offers ebooks through Overdrive or Libby (which are technically the same service), you can borrow library books and read them on your Kindle. On a computer, you'll want to use the overdrive.com website. On a phone or tablet, you can install the Libby app from the App Store or Play Store.^{[12]
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- You will need a library card through your public library to borrow books through Overdrive.
- Not all libraries support Libby or Overdrive.
- To learn more about Libby, check out our Libby guide for Kindle users!
2
Locate your library.
- To find your library on a computer, click Find a Library at the top-right, search for the name of your library, and then click See Digital Collection next to its name in the search results.^{[13]
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- On a phone or tablet, select Yes, I have a library card, then tap Search For a Library to find it.
3
Sign in to your library account.
- On a computer, click Sign in and enter your library login information. This is the same information you use to sign in to your library's website, which is usually a combination of your library card number and password. If you're not sure about your login information, contact your library.
- In the Libby app, tap Sign In With My Card, then enter your library card number and password. Then, if asked if you read with a Kindle, tap Yes, I Read With Kindle, and follow the on-screen instructions to connect Libby to your Kindle.
4
Search or browse for a book. Once you're on your library's Overdrive or Libby page, you can browse by category or search for a book by title or author.
- To restrict your search to display only Kindle-compatible books on a computer, click the Ebooks menu on the left side of the page and select Kindle Book.
- You can also borrow audiobooks.
5
Select a book to learn more about it. Now you can read a summary, see how many pages are in the book, and find out if there's a Kindle version of the book available.
- If the book is available, you'll see a "BORROW" button toward the top. If too many people are currently reading the book, you'll have the option to "PLACE HOLD" instead.
- To make sure you can read the book on your Kindle, look for "Kindle Book" under "FORMATS" on a computer, or find "Kindle" next to "Read with…" in the Libby app.
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Click or tap BORROW to borrow the book. If the book is available, you'll see this option next to the book cover. A confirmation message will expand.
- Place a hold on the book if it's not available by clicking the green PLACE A HOLD button. This displays your hold position in the queue. When it's your turn to read the book, you'll receive an email from Overdrive with instructions for checking it out.
Now you'll see some options for downloading the book.
8
Send the book to your Kindle. As long as your Kindle is connected to Wi-Fi, you can follow these prompts to send your library book to your Kindle:
- If you're using Overdrive on a computer, click Read now with Kindle, which will take you to the Amazon website. If you're not signed in, sign in now, then click Get Library Book to send it to your Kindle.
- In the Libby app, tap the Shelf tab (the stack of books), then tap Loans to see which books you're borrowing. On the book you want to read, tap Read with…, choose Kindle, and the Amazon app will open. Tap Get Library Book to send the ebook to your Kindle.^{[14]
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- You can force your Kindle to sync at any time by tapping the Settings gear in the toolbar at the top and selecting Sync Your Kindle.
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Find your book in your Kindle library. Once the library book is on your Kindle, you'll see it on your Library tab. If you don't see it, you may need to sync your Kindle by swiping down from the top of the home screen and tapping Sync.
- When your loan period ends, the book will automatically be deleted from your Kindle and returned to the library. You don't have to return it yourself.

Section 5 of 6:

Listening to Audiobooks

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1
Pair a Bluetooth listening device to your Kindle (if you don't have a headphone jack). While some Kindle models have headphone jacks, most require you to use a Bluetooth speaker or headphones to listen to audiobooks. To pair your speaker or headphones:^{[15]
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- Tap Library on the home screen.
- Swipe down from the top and tap All Settings.
- Tap Wi-Fi & Bluetooth.
- Toggle on the "Bluetooth" switch.
- Tap Bluetooth devices.
- Put your speaker or headphones into pairing mode.
- Select your headphones or speaker to pair it.
You can download an audiobook from your Kindle's built-in store, in the Amazon app, or from the Audible store while logged in with your Amazon account.^{[16]
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If your Bluetooth listening device isn't paired, you'll be prompted to pair it now.
It's the sideways triangle at the bottom-center of the screen.^{[17]
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Use the Audible player controls. You can tap the screen at any time to bring up the controls. Here's what you can do:
- Tap the speaker button to adjust the volume.
- Tap Speed to change the playback speed. 1x is the default (normal) speed, but you can make the playback speed faster (choose a higher number) or slower (lower number).
- If you want to skip forward 30 seconds, tap the 30 on the bottom-right. To go back 30 seconds, tap the 30 at the bottom-left.
- Tap Chapters to view chapters in the book and skip to a particular one.
- Tap the Reading icon at the bottom-right to switch to the e-book version (if you have it).
- Tap the bookmark icon to add a bookmark at a particular location. You can view and return to your bookmarks by tapping the three horizontal dots at the top-right corner of the screen.

Section 6 of 6:

More Kindle Guides

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- To learn more ways to put books on your Kindle, check out our guide to transferring ebooks to a Kindle.
- Learn how to transfer PDFs and other documents to your Kindle.
- If you have a Kindle Paperwhite, our Kindle Paperwhite guide will help you learn it inside and out.
- Learn how to find free Kindle books with this helpful guide!

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What headphones work on a Kindle?

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You can use any headphones that are compatible with a 3.5 mm head phone jack.

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Can I read books downloaded to a Kindle if I'm in a location without WiFi?

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Yes. You only need to be on WiFi to access books that have not been downloaded to your device.

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How do I delete a book that I have already read?

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Go to where the book is located on your Kindle, then tap and hold it. A little box should pop up showing a delete option.

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If your screen is frozen or slow (or won't turn on), try holding down the power button for 20 to 40 seconds.^{[18]
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Research source} If you see a "Power" window pop up, select Restart to reboot your Kindle. If that window never appears, holding the power button down should eventually reboot your Kindle.

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If, when plugging your Kindle into a power source, you see a large battery icon with an exclamation point or a totally blank screen, your battery is depleted. Leave your Kindle connected to a reliable source—after about 30 minutes, your Kindle should begin charging.

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If your Kindle isn't working well, you can safely restore it to its original factory settings. Any books you've already purchased will still be available after you sign back in.

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