Kindle (1st Generation) Tips & Assistance

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Kindle (1st Generation) Tips & Assistance

• Display Issues
• Power Issues
• Digital Rights Management Issues
• Wireless Issues
• Registration Issues
• Navigation Issues
• Content Issues
• USB Transfer Issues
• Memory Card Issues
• Troubleshooting

Try these tips to optimize your Kindle's performance and find answers to common questions about using your Kindle.

Display Issues

• Screen Flash: The flash you see when you turn the page is a normal part of the display refresh process. Your Kindle uses an electronic ink display that has a slightly longer refresh time than back-lit displays but uses less battery power.
• Shadows: You may see slight shadows on the screen from an image on a previous page. This is due to the display type and not a malfunction.
• Font Size and Clarity: You can adjust font size while you are reading using the text key in the lower right corner of the keyboard. Go to Change Text Size for more information. The font size of menus and Kindle screens is preset and cannot be adjusted.

Power Issues

• Charge the Battery: Check that the power adapter is completely plugged into the electrical outlet. Make sure that the power adapter tip is fully inserted into the correct jack on the bottom of your Kindle. You can also remove the back cover of your Kindle and make sure that the battery is plugged in properly. Your Kindle battery fully charges in two hours when properly connected to a power source and not in use. When your battery is fully charged, the charge indicator light turns off.
• Battery Life: Leave wireless on and recharge approximately every other day. Turn wireless off and read for a week or more before recharging. Battery life varies based on wireless usage, such as downloading content. In low coverage areas or in 1xRTT only coverage, wireless usage consumes battery power more quickly. You can also conserve power by putting your Kindle to sleep. Put your Kindle to sleep by holding down the ALT key and pressing the text key.

Digital Rights Management Issues (DRM)

• Content from the Kindle Store: Most books and other non-subscription items you purchase from the Kindle Store can be accessed for your personal use on to up to six devices or Kindle reading apps registered to your Amazon.com account.

If you have reached the access limit and want to read a title on a new device, you must first delete the content from a device it's already downloaded to. The new device and the old device will both need to be connected wirelessly to complete this process.

• Subscriptions: Subscription content can only be downloaded to one Kindle at a time, and only the most recent issues are available for redownload from your Kindle.
• Content from Audible.com: Audiobooks from Audible.com can be transferred using the AudibleManger. See Listen to Audiobooks on Kindle (1st Generation) for more information.
• Content from other providers: You can read content from other content providers if it is free of Digital Rights Management software and in a supported format. See Learn About Sending Documents to Your Kindle Library for more information.

Wireless Issues

• Establish Connection: If you are not able to connect to wireless resources on your Kindle, make sure the wireless switch on the back of your Kindle is in the ON position and your battery is charged.
• Check Signal Strength: The signal strength is shown at the bottom of the screen. You need at least one bar of signal strength to establish a connection to the Kindle Store and other wireless features. Areas such as elevators, tunnels, or other obstructed locations can interfere with the wireless signal.
• Check Wireless Coverage: To see if wireless coverage is available for your area, go to our wireless coverage map: https://www.showmycoverage.com/mobilecovPM.html?id=IW452LSS_T.

• Travel Outside the Service Area: All content you purchase from the Kindle Store is saved to your account. This allows you to download content to your computer and transfer items via USB when connecting wirelessly is not an option. Go to Use Kindle with Your Computer for more information.
• Wireless Terms and Conditions: You can learn more at Amazon Device Terms of Use.

Navigation Issues

• Jump to Location in Book: Location numbers and a progress bar appear at the bottom of each page when you are reading a book. Locations are the digital equivalent to page numbers. You can jump directly to a location in a book by typing in the location number using the key pad. If you accidentally press a number key while reading a book, you will jump to that location in the book. To return to where you were reading, press the Back button.
• Back vs. Prev Page: When you are reading books, periodicals and personal documents, the Next Page and Prev Page buttons take you forward and backward within the content. Pressing the Back button takes you back to the last place you went to on your Kindle.

Content Issues

• Locate Recent Purchases: Recent purchases appear on Kindle's Home screen. If your Kindle power and wireless are ON and your wireless status indicator shows connectivity, recent purchases download automatically. If you need to start your download manually, go to the Home screen, then select Check for New Items from the menu. You can also check your Show and Sort settings on your Kindle Home screen to make sure that you are displaying all items. For more information about locating your content, go to Organize and Find Content on Your Kindle.

USB Transfer Issues

• Connect via USB: First, make sure that your Kindle power switch is in the ON position. Plug your Kindle in if your battery power is low. Then verify that your USB cable is inserted correctly in your Kindle and in your computer USB port. You may also need to consult your computer documentation to make sure the USB port that you are using is active.
• Locate Transferred Files: Check your Show and Sort settings on the Kindle Home screen to make sure that you are displaying all files. Any files you transfer via USB to your Kindle must be in a supported file format and placed in the appropriate folders in your Kindle memory or your SD card. They must be either purchased from your Kindle accountor free of Digital Rights Management (DRM) restrictions. For more information about supported file types and folders, go to Use Kindle (1st Generation) with Your Computer.
• Kindle Drive Assignments: If you are using a PC, the default drive assignments on your computer could cause a conflict with how your Kindle and SD card appear in Windows Explorer. You may have to disconnect network drives or give them drive letter assignments higher in the alphabet. For more information, go to Use Kindle (1st Generation) with Your Computer .

Memory Card Issues

• Insert Memory Card: SD cards only fit into your Kindle in one direction. To make sure that the SD card is facing the right way, hold your Kindle with the back facing you and hold SD card with its label facing up. Press the edge of the SD card into the slot until you feel the card click into place.
• Memory Card Format: Kindle supports SD cards up to 4 GB. If your Kindle doesn't recognize your SD card, it could be formatted improperly or corrupted. Use an SD card reader attached to your computer to verify the card's formatting. You can't format an SD card with your Kindle. SD card formatting utilities are usually available from the SD card manufacturer's web site. Also verify that your SD card isn't locked by checking the lock tab on the side of the SD card.

Troubleshooting

• Reset Your Kindle: Connect your Kindle to the power adapter, make sure the light next to the power port is lit, and slide the power switch to ON. Carefully slide the gray back cover off your Kindle. Insert a pin or paperclip into the small hole labeled Reset. Avoid using a pencil or other item that could break off inside your Kindle and cause permanent damage.