How to make better use of Amazon’s e-readers and reading apps.
Of all the tech products Amazon offers, Kindle is the only one I’d seriously miss if it went away.
I was never much of a book person, but that’s changed as I’ve tried to divert more time away from social media. Kindle—not just the e-reader, but the mobile apps—are where a lot of that spare screen time has ended up.
As such, I’ve been digging deeper into the Kindle software to make the most of it, and using it not just for e-books, but as a hub for all kinds of reading. Here’s what I’ve come up with:
Use the app
If you haven’t read a book on a smartphone lately, you might be surprised at how pleasant it’s become as mobile displays have grown larger and more vibrant.
As such, I’ve been digging deeper into the Kindle software to make the most of it, and using it not just for e-books, but as a hub for all kinds of reading. Here’s what I’ve come up with:
Use the app
If you haven’t read a book on a smartphone lately, you might be surprised at how pleasant it’s become as mobile displays have grown larger and more vibrant.
To that end, the Kindle app on iOS and Android is a great way to read e-books, and you don’t need a Kindle e-reader to use it. Any Kindle books you purchase online will automatically sync across devices, as will your reading progress, so you can pick up where you left off on any phone, tablet, or e-reader that’s logged into the same Amazon account.
Personalize your pages
Jared Newman / Foundry
Tap near the top of the screen on a Kindle e-reader—or anywhere on the mobile app—then tap the “Aa” icon to change various reader settings, such as font size, line spacing, margins, and page color.
Personally, I always visit the “More” tab and enable “Page turn animation,” which lets me compulsively dog-ear the virtual pages while reading. I also disable “Popular Highlights,” because nothing ruins a great quote like seeing it underscored for emphasis. (Too bad Amazon doesn’t sync these settings across devices.)
Quick reading tweaks
Some Kindle options don’t require a trip into the settings menu:
- Tap the bottom-left corner to switch between page count, location count, and estimated reading times.
- Pinch the screen to quickly adjust text size.
- On phones and tablets, tap the bottom-right corner to lock or unlock screen rotation. (This works independently of your device’s auto-rotate settings.)
- On Kindle e-readers with built-in lighting, swipe down from the top for brightness controls and other quick settings.
Schedule screen warmth
Jared Newman / Foundry
If your Kindle has a warm light setting, you can adjust it on a schedule to minimize eyestrain at night. Swipe down from the top of the screen, then look just above the Warmth slider and tap on “Schedule.” Turn the schedule on from this menu, then set up your timing and warmth levels.
Share your Kindle
Unfortunately Kindle e-readers don’t let you switch between multiple user profiles, but there are a few things you can do to set up a device for more than one person:
- Set up Amazon Household, so you and another person can share books across separate Amazon accounts.
- To view only your own books, head to the Library tab, tap the filter icon near the top-left corner, then select “Your items.”
- On Kindle e-readers, activate Kids mode by hitting the vertical ellipses icon, then selecting “Amazon Kids.” From here you can create a child profile, add kid-friendly books, and set up a PIN to get back to the regular menu.
Get free e-books
Jared Newman / Foundry
I’ll never tire of recommending Libby as a way to check out free e-books from your library, and it integrates flawlessly with Kindle so you can read across your devices and e-readers. The Libby app will ask to connect your Amazon account the first time you download a book, but you can also find this setting by tapping the menu icon, selecting Settings, then selecting “Read Books With…”
Rename your Kindle
If you’re a longtime Kindle app user, you’ve probably got an unwieldy list of devices to choose from when you buy a book online or borrow one from Libby. To make device selection easier, head to Settings in the Kindle app, then select “Device Name” and pick something more memorable than “Joe’s 6th iPhone.” (On e-readers, you’ll find this option under Settings > Your Account > Device Name.)
