Amazon’s Kindle is one of the most popular eBook readers available in the market. If you have acquired a Kindle and want to know how to transfer eBooks to it, then this Techspirited article will guide you on your way.
A new volume, called Kindle, will appear on your Mac. You can open it up and see the files inside. The key folders inside the Kindle volume are audible, documents, and music.
Quick Fact
Many eBook readers, like the Amazon Kindle, use e-ink screens. These black and white screens do not reflect sunlight the way a shiny tablet LCD screen does and do not have built-in lights. This makes them easier on the eye when reading for long periods of time.
Would you like to write for us? Well, we're looking for good writers who want to spread the word. Get in touch with us and we'll talk...
One of the most popular eBook readers available in the market, the Amazon Kindle is a user-friendly device with a simple design and easy to use interface. eBook readers are a delight for all bookworms on the go. Reading novels, periodicals and documents is easy with these devices. There are many variants of the Kindle available in the market. Some act as eBook readers only, while there are models with additional functions that work as tablets. You can store several books, magazines and newspapers on one device, and use virtual bookmarks to keep track of what you are reading.
More About the Amazon Kindle
Among the headline models of Kindle available in the market, the Amazon Kindle Basic, Amazon Kindle Keyboard, Amazon Kindle Paperwhite and the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 3G are eBook readers, while the new 8.9-inch and 7 inch Amazon Kindle Fire HD are tablets.
While it may be a delightful eBook reader, the Kindle has its own set of problems. Basically, it does not read all eBook formats, and therefore transferring eBooks to Kindle can be slightly tricky. Popular eBook formats like EPUB do not work for Kindle. AZW, MOBI, TXT and watermarked PDF can be read on Kindle. Once you have downloaded or purchased the eBook with a compatible format, you can transfer it to the Amazon Kindle via USB, using Kindle Personal Documents Service or with the ‘Send to Kindle’ app.
Download Kindle for PC Download Kindle for Mac. Run Kindle for Mac and you will see all your Kindle books. Then, find the ebooks you want to convert. By double clicking the cover of the ebook, Kindle will download this ebook automatically from server to current computer. Both Macintosh and Windows users can download and transfer compatible content files from a computer to Kindle Fire HD device using a compatible USB cable. When your Kindle Fire is plugged into your computer, it will appear as a removable mass-storage device. This method is highly recommended. System Requirements to transfer files. Congrats on what sounds like a very nice present: the Amazon Kindle Fire HD and Fire 8 are very nice tablets with vivid color screens and, of course, tight integration with the Amazon experience, both books through Kindle and shopping through the various Amazon apps you can download. Download Send to Kindle for Windows to send personal documents and ebooks to your kindle.
Transfer via USB
- Connect the Kindle to the computer using the USB cord that is packaged with the reader. The Kindle will go into USB drive mode and you won’t be able to use the device while it is plugged to the computer.
- The Kindle will appear as a removable drive on the computer. If you are using Windows then it will appear in the “My Computer” menu, while Mac users can check it on their desktop.
- Double-click to open the Kindle drive. It would contain a lot of folders. Locate the ”documents” folder. This is where the eBook will be transferred.
- Copy the eBook from the location where it is stored on your computer. Paste it in the ”documents” folder. Alternately, you can drag and drop the file in the appropriate location.
- Once the transfer is done, eject the Kindle and remove the cable.
- The eBook should now appear on the Kindle reader and is now available to read.
Using Kindle Personal Documents Service
The Kindle Personal Documents Service is more than just another cloud document service. It allows you to send your eBooks to Kindle devices while also storing them in the Amazon Personal document cloud, thus allowing you to read the eBook from many devices.
- Visit the Amazon’s website and go to the Amazon Kindle Page. Click on the ”Manage Your Kindle” on the top right hand corner of the page.
- Register your email address to send documents to the reader. To do this, add the email address to the “Approved Personal Document E-mail List.”
- The ”Manage Your Kindle” page will display your Kindle email addresses (for different Kindle devices) as [youraccountname]@kindle.com. If you want to change the email address then click on any ”Edit” next to any device and customize the address.
- Create an email to your Kindle email address and add the eBooks as attachments. If there are multiple files then send them as separate attachments or in a single zip file.
- To convert the eBook formats like MOBI and PDF to Amazon’s .azw format, put ”convert” in the subject line of the email.
- On your device, open the Kindle library and check the eBook. This service directly syncs the notes and highlights as well.
Note: This service is free only when the documents are delivered via Wi-Fi. If it is connected to Amazon’s Whispernet 3G service then you might be charged for the delivery of the eBook.
Using ‘Send to Kindle’ App
This is probably the simplest way to send eBooks, or for that matter any documents to your Kindle. The ‘Send to Kindle‘ is a free app that also allows you to generate PDF automatically, and send the files that you are working on to your Kindle library. This means you can read your eBooks on Kindle devices and also on other smartphones or tablets with the Kindle app. This is also the best way to transfer eBooks to Kindle Fire which does not come with a USB cable.
Moreover, this handy PC app allows you to send all sorts of documents to your Kindle. So even if the eBook has a different extension, it gets converted to PDFs and is then displayed correctly on the Kindle. You can also get a cloud backup of the eBook in the Kindle library.
- Download the ‘Send to Kindle’ app for Windows or Mac.
- When you install it for the first time, the app will prompt you for your Amazon credentials. You need to log in to start sending the documents.
- Right-click the eBook that you want to transfer, and choose ‘Send to Kindle’ from the context menu.
- You can now choose the device to which the eBook has to be sent. This can be a Kindle or any other device with the free Kindle app.
- The eBooks are archived in the Amazon cloud and can be re-downloaded later, on supported devices and apps.
Would you like to write for us? Well, we're looking for good writers who want to spread the word. Get in touch with us and we'll talk...
The ‘Send to Kindle‘ app is also available as a Chrome extension and as an upgrade for the free Kindle app on your Android devices.
With these simple ways you can transfer your favorite eBooks to the Kindle with ease. Due to Amazon’s exclusion policy there are only a few file formats which you can read on a Kindle, even if they are secure eBooks. So check the eBook file format before sending it across to your Kindle device.
Related Posts
- How to Find Free Kindle Books
If Kindle has 'kindled' a love for reading in you, back again, you must be on the lookout for free ebooks that you could enjoy reading on it. In this…
- An Overview of Kindle for PC
People who wish to read ebooks can install Kindle for PC on their systems, and enjoy a wide range of ebooks. Find out the information about this software in this…
- Kindle DX Review
The article provides information about Amazon's e-reader product through the Kindle DX review. The features of this product are discussed below.
If you buy an item via this post, we may get a small affiliate fee. Details.
The easiest way to add a personal file to the Kindle account is to email it as an attachment to the email address associated with your Kindle device or app.
There is, however, one factor that makes it impossible. It’s the file size limit.
The size limit of the file emailed to Kindle is being caused by two factors:
- attachment size limit of your email provider – for instance, for Gmail the limit is 25 MB,
- size limit on the Amazon side – Amazon won’t accept personal files bigger than 50 MB.
There is a growing number of ebooks that are packed with pictures and multimedia, and therefore are much larger than 50 MB. Cookbooks, picture books or graphic novels are making their way to e-readers and book reading apps. And, of course, Kindle Store is not the only source of them.
More and more ebook vendors offer books in mobi – the file format supported by Kindle.
Even if ebook platforms provide the function to send the purchased file to the Kindle automatically, it won’t happen in the case of ebooks exceeding the accepted size of the outgoing email.
How to send large files to the Kindle or Kindle application? Luckily, there is more than one way of doing it. You can pick up the one that suits you most.
For the purpose of clarity, we’ve grouped the guide in three sections:
There is one more thing you have to keep in mind. The 50 MB is the maximum size of the personal file that will be added to your Kindle cloud library.
Kindle cloud library is the archive of all your books you ever purchased in the Kindle Store or sideloaded. The books are available to download to any of the connected Kindle devices or apps and their content can be synced.
Any file larger than 50 MB can be added directly to the Kindle e-reader or Kindle app, but can’t be backed to Kindle cloud library, and therefore you won’t access it from any other device.
There is another way to cope with the problem. The solution is to reduce the size of the file. We won’t deal with it right now, but, in short, you can use Calibre ebook management software to strip images from the file.
If you have questions regarding the solutions we shared, please do not hesitate to ask.
Read also50 best Kindle cases and accessories (2020 edition)
Add large ebooks to Kindle or Kindle app
How to add large files to Kindle e-reader
If you want to add the large personal document directly to your Kindle e-reader, you can do it in two ways.
1. Transfer files via USB cable
This solution lets add ebooks that are larger than 50 MB. It’s convenient when you want to add multiple files at once. You can use it both on a PC and Mac computer.
1. Connect your Kindle to the computer
Use the cable that came with your Kindle, to connect the e-reader to the USB port of your computer. The Kindle should be visible as an external disc.
2. Copy the files to the Kindle
Click on a Kindle disc image. Inside, you’ll see the folder named “documents.” Copy the file or files onto it.
2. Use Send to Kindle app on your computer
This solution lets add multiple personal documents to your Kindle account, but you can only send files no bigger than 50 MB.
If you plan to add to your Kindle library a lot of third-party files, the Send to Kindle app is the most convenient way. Besides adding many files at once, it lets you select several Kindle devices or apps, as well as archive the documents in your Kindle cloud library.
1. Open the Send to Kindle app on your computer
If you still don’t have the Send to Kindle app, you can download it from Amazon. It’s available both for PC or Mac computers.
3. Add files to Send to Kindle app
You can add files in three ways:
- drag and drop files to the Send to Kindle application,
- use the Print menu in any application that can print,
- control-click (Mac) or right-click (PC) on the document or documents.
Below, you can see how to add the file to the Send to Kindle app on a Mac computer.
Drag the file anywhere inside the Send to Kindle window. In the bottom part, you’ll find the list of all devices that are connected to your Kindle account. Select your Kindle e-reader.
If you also want the file to be immediately backed up in the Kindle cloud library, check the box “Archive documents in your Kindle Library.”
How to add large files to Kindle for iOS app
If you own iPhone or iPad, you can add the file to Kindle for iOS application in three ways.
1. Use a cloud storage app such as Dropbox
The solution works for files larger than 50 MB. I’ve tested it on a book that is 70 MB. You’ll be adding the books one by one. If you want to add files in bulk, please use two other methods.
I’ll guide you how to use Dropbox, but you can also successfully use Google Drive or any other cloud storage service.
If you don’t have Dropbox, you’ll need to sign up to the service first.
1. Download the book to your PC/Mac computer
If you’ve bought the book in the third-party ebookstore or found the book in one of the sites that offer free public domain ebooks, make sure to download the file in mobi format.
From here, upload the file to your Dropbox account. You can do it via the web browser or the Dropbox desktop application.
2. Use Dropbox app on the iPhone/iPad to open the file
If you don’t have Dropbox app, you can download it from the App Store.
When you open Dropbox, locate the file and tap it (image below, on the left).
Wait a bit until Dropbox processes the file. The message “No Preview Available” will appear. Tap the three-dot icon in the top right corner (image below, middle).
In the drop-down menu, tap “Export” (image below, right).
A sharing menu will open. Tap “Open in…” icon in the lower row (image below, left).
Then, tap “Copy to Kindle” icon in the upper row (image below, right). If you don’t see this icon in the row, tap the “More” icon in the same row, and make sure to enable the Kindle sharing menu feature.
Kindle for iOS app will open and load the file you’ve just added. It may take a while, depending on the size of the document you wanted to sideload to your Kindle for iOS app.
2. Use iTunes app on a computer
This solution also works for files that are larger than 50 MB. You will be able to add multiple files at once.
The guide shows how to connect iPhone or iPad to a Mac computer, but you can also do it on a PC computer, using iTunes for Windows application.
1. Connect your iPad or iPhone to the computer
Use the USB cable to connect your iOS device to the computer. Open iTunes app if it doesn’t start automatically.
When your device successfully connects to the computer, its icon will appear in the top left corner of the iTunes app.
2. Copy the file to the relevant folder in iTunes
To find the folder holding the files from the Kindle for iOS app, click “Apps” in the sidebar on the left (see picture below).
On the right side, you’ll see “Apps” section. Scroll down to reveal “File Sharing” section. Underneath, you’ll find the list of apps. Select Kindle.
To the right, you’ll see the files that rest inside Kindle for iOS app (see image below).
Now, the only thing is to drag the file from the desktop to the field underneath “Kindle Documents” and drop it there (see image below).
Wait for the upload to finish, click “Done” and disconnect the iPhone/iPad from the computer.
3. Use Send to Kindle app on your computer
This solution lets add multiple personal documents to your Kindle account, but you can only send files no bigger than 50 MB.
If you plan to add to your Kindle library a lot of third-party files, the Send to Kindle app is the most convenient way. Besides adding many files at once, it lets you select several Kindle devices or apps, as well as archive the documents in your Kindle cloud library.
1. Open the Send to Kindle app on your computer
If you still don’t have the Send to Kindle app, you can download it from Amazon. It’s available both for PC or Mac computers.
2. Add files to Send to Kindle app
You can add files in three ways:
Send To Kindle Mac Download App
- drag and drop files to the Send to Kindle application,
- use the Print menu in any application that can print,
- control-click (Mac) or right-click (PC) on the document or documents.
Below, you can see how to add the file to the Send to Kindle app on a Mac computer.
Drag the file anywhere inside the Send to Kindle window. In the bottom part, there are listed all devices that are connected to your Kindle account. Select your iOS device and any other you want.
If you also want the file to be immediately backed up in the Kindle cloud library, check the box “Archive documents in your Kindle Library.”
How to add large files to Kindle for Android app
You can sideload large ebooks to your Android smartphone or tablet in two ways.
1. Use a cloud storage app such as Dropbox
The solution works for files larger than 50 MB. I’ve tested it on a book that is 70 MB. You’ll be adding the books one by one. If you want to add files in bulk, please use two other methods.
I’ll guide you how to use Dropbox, but you can also use Google Drive or any other cloud storage service.
If you don’t have Dropbox, you’ll need to sign up to the service first.
1. Download the book to your PC/Mac computer
If you’ve bought the book in the third-party ebookstore or found the book in one of the sites that offer free public domain ebooks, make sure to download the file in mobi format.
From here, upload the file to your Dropbox account. You can do it via the web browser or the Dropbox desktop application.
2. Use Dropbox app on Android device to open the file
If you don’t have Dropbox app, you can download it from the Google Play Store.
When you open Dropbox, locate the file. Tap options icon (see image below, on the left).
The menu will slide up from the bottom. Tap “Open with…” option, and select Kindle.
Sometimes, you may get a message saying that there is no app capable of opening the file. You can alternatively select from the menu not “Open with…” but “Export” option. Then select “Send to Kindle.” This option, however, will let you add files that are smaller than 50 MB.
2. Use Send to Kindle app on your computer
This solution lets add multiple personal documents to your Kindle account, but you can only send files no bigger than 50 MB.
If you plan to add to your Kindle library a lot of third-party files, the Send to Kindle app is the most convenient way. Besides adding many files at once, it lets you select several Kindle devices or apps, as well as archive the documents in your Kindle cloud library.
1. Open the Send to Kindle app on your computer
If you still don’t have the Send to Kindle app, you can download it from Amazon. It’s available both for PC or Mac computers.
3. Add files to Send to Kindle app
You can add files in three ways:
- drag and drop files to the Send to Kindle application,
- use the Print menu in any application that can print,
- control-click (Mac) or right-click (PC) on the document or documents.
Below, you can see how to add the file to the Send to Kindle app on a Mac computer.
Drag the file anywhere inside the Send to Kindle window. In the bottom part, there are listed all devices that are connected to your Kindle account. Select your Android device and any other you want.
Send Files To Kindle
If you also want the file to be immediately backed up in the Kindle cloud library, check the box “Archive documents in your Kindle Library.”
• • •
To get more posts like this, please subscribe by RSS or email. We are also waiting for you on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
More posts for Kindle users: