Transfer Kindle Books & Reading Progress

This guide walks you through moving your purchased Kindle books and your reading progress (page position, bookmarks, notes, and highlights) from an old Kindle to a new one. You’ll need your Amazon account credentials and both devices (or the Kindle app) handy. The process relies on Amazon’s cloud sync, so a Wi-Fi connection is required.

What You’ll Need

• Your Amazon account email and password
• Both Kindles (old and new) charged and connected to Wi-Fi
• Optional: a computer or smartphone with a web browser for account management

Step-by-Step

1. Register your new Kindle. Turn on the new device and follow the on-screen setup. When prompted, sign in with the same Amazon account you used on the old Kindle. This is the single most important step—everything else relies on this.
2. Enable Whispersync on the old Kindle. On your old Kindle, go to Settings → Reading Options (or Device Options on older models) and make sure Whispersync for Books is turned ON. This syncs your furthest page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights to Amazon’s cloud.
3. Sync the old Kindle manually. While on the old Kindle, open the library, tap the menu (three dots) and select Sync. This forces the device to upload your latest reading positions and annotations to the cloud. Wait for the sync icon to stop spinning.
4. Check your content library on the new Kindle. On the new Kindle, go to your library. Tap the filter icon (top-left) and choose All or Downloaded to see which books are already present. Books you purchased with the same account should appear automatically, but they may be listed as “cloud� items until you download them.
5. Download your books. Tap and hold a book’s cover, then select Download. Alternatively, tap the cover to open it—if it’s not downloaded, you’ll see a download icon. Repeat for each book you want on the new device. You can also select multiple books by tapping the edit/pencil icon in the library and then tapping each cover.
6. Open a book to sync progress. Once a book is downloaded, open it. The new Kindle will automatically fetch your furthest reading position from the cloud. You may see a brief “Syncing� message. If it doesn’t jump to the right page, tap the screen to bring up the reading toolbar, then tap the page number at the bottom and select Sync to Furthest Page Read.
7. Verify notes and highlights. While reading, tap the top of the screen to open the toolbar, then tap the Notebook icon (a small notebook) to see your notes and highlights. They should appear once the book is synced.
8. Repeat for all books. For each book you want on the new Kindle, repeat steps 5–7. There’s no limit to how many you can transfer, but you’ll need enough storage.

Common Mistakes

• Signing in with a different Amazon account. If you use a different account on the new Kindle, your books and progress won’t appear. Double-check the email address.
• Forgetting to enable Whispersync on the old device. If it’s off, your reading position won’t upload, and the new Kindle will start at page 1.
• Not syncing the old Kindle before moving. If you skip step 3, the cloud may have an old position (e.g., from days ago).
• Assuming all books are downloaded automatically. Cloud books are not on your device until you tap Download.
• Confusing “Downloaded� with “Cloud� items. In the library, books with a cloud icon are not on the device; books with a checkmark are downloaded.

Tips

• Use the “Sync to Furthest Page Read� feature if the book doesn’t automatically jump to your last position. It’s under the page number display while reading.
• Transfer personal documents too. If you emailed documents to your Kindle (e.g., you@kindle.com), they also appear in the library and can be downloaded. Their progress syncs as well, but only if Whispersync is enabled for documents (it usually is by default).
• Manage your library online. Go to Amazon.com → Manage Your Content and Devices to see all your books. You can also transfer books to a device from there by selecting the book and choosing “Deliver to Device.�
• Keep both devices on the same Wi-Fi network during the transfer to avoid any hiccups.
• If you have many books, download them in batches to avoid overwhelming the device’s storage or Wi-Fi.

Troubleshooting

• Books don’t appear on the new Kindle. First, make sure you’re signed in with the same account. Then, in the library, change the filter to “All� (not just “Downloaded�). If still missing, go to Settings → My Account and select Sync on the new device. If the book is not a Kindle purchase (e.g., a PDF sent via email), it may not appear if you used a different email address.
• Reading progress is not syncing. Check that Whispersync is enabled on the old device and that you synced it before moving. On the new device, open the book and tap the page number → “Sync to Furthest Page Read.� If that fails, restart the Kindle (hold the power button for 7 seconds, then select Restart).
• Notes and highlights are missing. Open the book, tap the top of the screen, and tap the Notebook icon. If empty, wait a few minutes and tap the sync icon in the library. Sometimes the cloud takes a moment to deliver annotations.
• New Kindle says “Cannot download� or “Network error.� Check your Wi-Fi connection. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi and reconnect. Also, make sure your device has enough storage (Settings → Device Options → Storage).
• Old Kindle is not syncing. On the old device, go to Settings → Reading Options and toggle Whispersync off and on again, then sync manually. If it still fails, deregister and re-register the old Kindle (this will not delete your books, but it may remove downloaded content—you can re-download).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to transfer books manually?

No, as long as you use the same Amazon account. Your books are stored in the cloud and can be downloaded to any Kindle registered to that account.

Will my reading progress sync automatically?

Yes, if Whispersync is enabled. It syncs your furthest page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights across devices.

Can I transfer books from my old Kindle to my new Kindle via USB?

Yes, but only for personal documents or books that are not DRM-protected. For purchased Kindle books, it’s easier to download them from the cloud. If you copy via USB, reading progress will not sync.

What if I have books from outside the Kindle Store (e.g., EPUBs)?

You can email them to your Kindle address or use the “Send to Kindle� feature. They will appear in your library and can be downloaded to the new device. Progress sync works for these too, but only if the file format supports it (e.g., AZW3, MOBI, EPUB).

Will my collections (folders) transfer?

Yes, collections are stored in the cloud and will appear on the new Kindle once you sign in. However, you may need to enable “Collections� view in the library.

Can I transfer books to a Kindle that is not registered to my account?

No, you need to register the new Kindle with your account. You can temporarily register a friend’s Kindle to your account, but that will remove their books from the device.

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