One of the Kindle’s greatest strengths is its ability to store an enormous number of books, so you can take your entire library with you wherever you go. It’s so slim and light, in fact, that you’ll never have to go anywhere again without something to read. But if you buy a new Kindle device or install the Kindle app on your phone or tablet, how do you get to your library of Kindle titles? It’s super easy—here’s what you need to know.
How to get to your library on your Kindle
Your library of books and documents is easy to get to on your Kindle—you just need to find the home page. If your Kindle is already in a book, just tap anywhere along the top of the screen. You should see a drop-down menu appear with a variety of options like font, bookmarks, and search. On the left side, you should see Home. Tap that.
Now you’re on the home page. In the From Your Library section, you can see some of your most recently opened titles. Or tap the Library tab at the bottom of the screen to browse your entire library.
How to get your library onto your Kindle
But what if you don’t see your Kindle library on your Kindle at all? The good news is that your library should automatically appear on your Kindle device and on any Kindle apps you've installed on devices like your phone or tablet. You simply need to sign in with the same Amazon account that you used to purchase the Kindle books to start with. For most people, that’s easy—you probably only have a single Amazon account, so use that to sign into the Kindle device or app.
But if your Kindle device is already connected to an Amazon account that’s not yours, you’ll need to deregister it from that account and then sign in with your own. To do that, go to your Kindle’s home page and tap the three dots at the top right of the screen. In the drop-down menu, choose Settings, then Your account. Finally, tap Deregister device and follow the instructions to remove the Kindle from that account.
After that, you can sign into your own Amazon account on that Kindle and you’ll see your own Kindle book library appear on the device.
How to troubleshoot your Kindle if it’s not showing your library
Most of the time, you’ll be able to see your library on your Kindle without any difficulty. But on those rare occasions when your titles aren’t showing up on your Kindle and you know you’re signed into the right Amazon account, there are a few simple troubleshooting steps you can take.
First, make sure your Kindle is connected to the internet—you should see a Wi-Fi symbol at the top of the home page. If you don’t, tap the three dots at the top right of the screen. In the drop-down menu, choose Settings, then Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and ensure Airplane mode is off and the device is connected to Wi-Fi.
Then swipe down from the very top of the screen to reveal the Quick Actions menu. Tap Sync and let the Kindle ensure your data is up to date.
One last thing to try: restart your Kindle. Press and hold the power button until you see the pop-up Power window. Choose Restart and let the Kindle shut off, and then turn back on again. Sync the Kindle one more time. If none of those steps work, you might need to contact Amazon’s customer service.
