The Amazon Kindle is an electronic book reader, or e-reader, created by Amazon as an alternative to other e-readers on the market. As with many electronic items, the Kindle can and does experience problems for some users occasionally. Having problems with your Kindle may be frustrating, but there are many steps you can take to troubleshoot whatever issues you may be having. If your problem isn't solved below, try asking in a Kindle user forum.
Screen Issues
If your Kindle's screen is unresponsive or frozen, there may be a problem with battery level and your Kindle may need to be charged. Plug your Kindle into a wall and let it charge. Wait two minutes, then try the screen again.
If the problem is that there are lines across the screen, press and hold the Kindle's power button for 15 seconds, then release it. Your Kindle may be experiencing electromagnetic interference, and pressing the power button should resolve it.
You may have issues with screen rotation, which are likely caused by the fact that screen rotation isn't enabled yet. To enable screen rotation, turn your Kindle on and press the Text button. If the Auto option isn't enabled, enable it, then restart your Kindle.
Content Issues
Problems with receiving content on your Kindle can be caused by your Kindle not being in sync with Amazon servers. Check your Kindle's battery power to make sure it has enough strength, then make sure your wireless signal is strong enough to receive information from Amazon. If it isn't, try moving to a different area. Sync your Kindle, then restart it.
If you can't open a book, if a book is missing pages, or if you get an error when trying to open, delete the book from your library. Once the book has been deleted, restart your Kindle and redownload the book. If you're unable to delete the book, navigate back to the Kindle's home screen. Underline the book that you want to delete, then shift the five-way controller to the left and select "Delete".
For issues with file conversion, make sure that the email address you've listed is approved by checking the Manage Your Kindle screen. While there, make sure your payment method has been confirmed as well. Make sure that the file you want converted is supported by Kindle. Kindle currently supports the following file formats: unprotected PDF, TXT, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; HTML, DOC, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP through conversion. Finally, check the battery. If the battery is low, you'll need to make sure that wireless is still enabled. Check the wireless strength, then sync and restart the Kindle.
If your book is skipping pages or if you can't get your Kindle to save your reading progress when reading on multiple accounts, go into the Settings menu and ensure that "enable annotations backup" is enabled. Next, check that Whispersync is turned on by going to your Manage My Kindle page.
Connection and Power Issues
Sometimes, your Kindle stops being recognized by your computer upon being connected. You may not have the Kindle connected to a USB port that's currently powered up. Connect your Kindle to your computer, then restart your computer with the Kindle still connected.
If your Kindle isn't charging, try moving the adapter to a different outlet. Check and see if there is an orange light on, then restart your Kindle. If the light is on, then you need a new battery for your Kindle. If the light is not on, then the adapter may be faulty, and you can contact Amazon for warranty information.
For Kindles that aren't holding a charge, try turning the wireless connection on your Kindle off. The battery is likely being drained by the Kindle repeatedly trying to make connections to the wireless network. With wireless off, your battery should last for seven days. If this is not the case, contact Amazon for warranty information.
Music and Audiobook Issues
If your music files aren't playing on your Kindle, it may be because the files are missing, or that they aren't mp3 files. To check, connect the Kindle to your computer with the USB cable. Open the Kindle file folder, then navigate to the music folder and confirm that the files are there. If they aren't, add your music to the folder. If they are, double-check that they are mp3 files and not any other kind of music file.
For audiobooks that aren't playing, connect your Kindle to the computer. Open the Kindle file folder, then open the audible folder. Double-check that your audiobook files are in this folder. Upload them to the folder if they aren't. If they are, make sure that they are audible files. Right click the file and select "Properties." If they are, and they still won't play, you will need to contact Audible for help.
