Kindle (11th generation) · Guides
Get your own EPUB books onto the basic Kindle
Use Amazon's free Send to Kindle service to deliver EPUB, PDF and DOCX files to the entry Kindle by email, browser or app, and what the conversion changes.
Send to Kindle is the least fussy way to read your own EPUB books on the entry Kindle. There is no cable and no conversion software to install — Amazon does the conversion during delivery. The two things that trip people up are the approved-sender list for the email method, and expecting the file to look identical afterwards; simple novels convert cleanly, heavily designed books less so.
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Understand what Send to Kindle does
Send to Kindle takes a file from you and delivers it to your Kindle library over Wi-Fi, the same way a purchase arrives. It accepts EPUB, PDF, DOCX, RTF, TXT and common image formats. EPUB files are converted to Amazon's own format on the way; the text and chapters survive well, very custom layouts less so.
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Pick a method
There are three, all free. The phone app is easiest if the book is on your phone. The website works from any computer. Email is best when another program, such as Calibre, can send files for you.
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Method A — the Send to Kindle app
Install the Send to Kindle app on your phone or the desktop app on Windows or macOS. Sign in with your Amazon account. Drag a file onto the desktop app, or use "Share" then "Send to Kindle" on your phone. Choose the Kindle and send. It arrives in a minute or two if the Kindle is on Wi-Fi.
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Method B — the website
Go to the Send to Kindle web page, sign in, and drag your files onto it. Select which devices should receive them and confirm.
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Method C — email
Every Kindle has its own address like "yourname_123@kindle.com", shown under Settings, then "Your Account", or in "Manage Your Content and Devices". Email your files as attachments to that address.
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Wait for delivery and open the book
Make sure the Kindle has Wi-Fi on. New items appear in the Library, usually under "All" rather than "Downloaded", within a couple of minutes. If nothing arrives, check the file is under the size limit and that the sender address was approved.
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Watch the storage
The entry Kindle has 16 GB, which is plenty for text books but fills faster with large PDFs and image-heavy files. Remove downloads you have finished from the device (long-press, "Remove download") to free space; the book stays in your account.