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Kindle Paperwhite · Guides

Get your own EPUB books onto the Kindle Paperwhite

Use Amazon's free Send to Kindle service to deliver EPUB, PDF and DOCX files to the Paperwhite by email, browser or app, and what the conversion changes.

Tested on
Kindle Paperwhite
Software
Send to Kindle
Difficulty
Easy
Estimated time
10 minutes
Last tested
August 2026
Last updated
August 2026

Send to Kindle is the least fussy way to read your own EPUB books on a Paperwhite. 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.

  1. 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, but very custom layouts and fixed-layout books may not.

  2. Pick a method

    There are three, all free and all tied to your Amazon account. 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.

  3. 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 target Kindle and send. It arrives in a minute or two if the Kindle is on Wi-Fi.

  4. 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. This is handy on a work computer where you cannot install an app.

  5. Method C — email

    Every Kindle has its own address like "yourname_123@kindle.com". Find it under Settings, then "Your Account", on the device, or in "Manage Your Content and Devices" on Amazon's site. Email your files as attachments to that address.

  6. 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 that the file is under the size limit (currently 200 MB) and that the sender address was approved.

  7. Optional — keep the original EPUB in Calibre

    Send to Kindle does not give you the file back in Amazon's format, and it does not organise anything. If you want a tidy library and format control, keep your books in Calibre and use its own "Send to Kindle" or email feature instead.

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