4 straightforward methods I upgraded my new Kindle

One of many issues I recognize about (most) e-readers is their simplicity. It is the purpose, actually — when you can read books on an iPad or in your telephone, there’s not often any must obtain new apps on an e-reader, and even change between them in lots of instances. You wake the pill up, decide a brand new ebook or maintain studying the place you left off, then put it again to sleep while you’re performed. You might not even should cost the machine for weeks at a time.

You need to use a Kindle with out a lot hassle out of the field, at the least as soon as you have linked it to Wi-Fi and linked it to your Amazon account. However if you wish to get probably the most out of it, there are a number of issues you are able to do that may make your studying expertise higher, and even prevent some cash.

Modify brightness, heat, and colour settings to your tastes

Or the time of day, anyway

For those who’re new to Kindles, it is perhaps exhausting to imagine there was a time when none of them had a entrance mild. You had to make use of them in daylight or underneath a lamp when you wished to learn something. For some time, there was an aftermarket for clip-on lamps. Fortunately, in 2026, even the most cost effective Kindle has a built-in mild.

Every mannequin has a special set of lighting choices relying on its specs. From the homescreen, you’ll be able to entry these by swiping right down to entry the Fast Actions menu or by choosing the Settings icon. For those who’re in the midst of studying a ebook, simply faucet on the highest of the display.

Most Kindles will allow you to scale brightness and heat, the latter producing varied shades of white from a bluish tone to amber. You may management these manually, however the Auto-Brightness possibility will adapt to ambient situations, and you might need to Schedule heat modifications so that you just get amber tones nearer to bedtime. Do not forget that larger brightness ranges devour extra battery energy — you should not be blazing at full brightness except you completely want it.

Black-and-white Kindles have entry to Darkish Mode, which basically inverts your show in a approach that could be simpler to learn, particularly at evening. Full-color fashions (like Colorsofts) can solely make pages darkish, not the consumer interface, however do get the flexibility to modify between Customary and Vivid colour ranges. Vivid is extra saturated, however will not essentially attraction to everybody.

Borrow library books without cost

No must pay for the whole lot

Whereas there are roundabout methods of getting books from outdoors shops on a Kindle, say when you’ve received PDF or EPUB recordsdata you’ll be able to sync through Send to Kindle, Amazon actually needs you to spend cash on the Kindle Retailer or on a Kindle Limitless subscription. Third-party shops are inaccessible from the Kindle UI.

The excellent news is that many libraries have developed to satisfy the occasions, and are licensed to allow you to borrow e-books such as you would paper copies. You will want a library card first, so make a go to to your native department.

Within the US, Kindle library titles are dealt with by way of a service referred to as OverDrive, which additionally has a telephone and pill app referred to as Libby. To make use of these, you may want a PIN you (hopefully!) acquired alongside your library card. Subsequent, you may must log into your library’s web site, then seek for a class like Kindle books or eBooks. Through the checkout course of, you may be requested to signal into your Amazon account, then decide the machine you are sending your ebook(s) to.

Word that in your Kindle, you could have to manually set off downloads from the Cloud or Archived Gadgets sections. Some books could even require a USB switch from a pc, however that is unlikely.

Most vital is that Kindle books are like something you’d borrow from a library. You may solely obtain so many without delay, and also you solely get to maintain them for a restricted time. You will even be coping with a restricted choice, so you might must open your thoughts if the titles you need are out or fully lacking.

Purchase an ornamental case

Take into consideration safety too

You do not want a case for a Kindle. Amazon tries to upsell you on one, but when your Kindle sits at house more often than not, it ought to be completely nice bare. It ought to even be nice on planes, trains, and buses so long as you are stashing it someplace protected from scratches or heavy impacts.

That is not all the time sensible, although, and for many individuals, an e-reader looks like an intensely private machine. A case could also be worthwhile for these causes. Some fashions embrace handles and/or stands, which may cut back fatigue throughout longer studying classes.

One widespread strategy is to purchase a “vanilla” case matched to your Kindle mannequin, then customise it with stickers, drawings, or different private touches. If that is extra effort than you take care of, there are many third-party instances with distinctive patterns and supplies. You do not have to purchase them on Amazon’s web site, both.

Remember the protecting factor. You would possibly like the concept of a minimalist case that is all about ornament, however when you’re a frequent traveler, you may need one thing that may survive a drop or jostling in your backpack.

At all times present the duvet of your present ebook

Count on to pay for the privilege

One thing you would possibly miss from paper books is the duvet artwork. When it is effectively performed, a canopy can really feel like its personal inventive assertion, setting the tone for what you are about to learn. Even when it is pure textual content, although, it is good to establish a ebook earlier than you decide it up.

You may get this stuff again on a Kindle by way of a function referred to as Show Cowl. When it is out there, you’ll be able to allow it by going to the Settings tab, choosing Display and brightness, then toggling the Present Cowl possibility. The following time you place your Kindle to sleep with a ebook in progress, the related cowl will present onscreen as a substitute of a generic picture.

“When out there” is a key phrase, sadly. You want an ad-free Kindle to make this work, which comes at a premium, and a few older fashions could not help the function anyway. Typically talking, something launched after the eighth-generation fundamental Kindle or the seventh-gen Paperwhite ought to be suitable.

For those who’ve received an ad-supported Kindle, you are not caught. You may go to the Manage your Content and Devices part of Amazon’s web site to take away advertisements for a one-time price. Within the US, that price is presently $20 — when you dwell elsewhere, you may should examine your individual area’s web site for the main points.