Amazon ends support for pre-2012 Kindles, blocking new content. Here’s what users need to know to save their e-books and plan upgrades.
Matilda
Amazon To End Support For Older Kindle Devices
Amazon is ending support for older Kindle devices, impacting users with e-readers released before 2012. Starting May 20, 2026, these devices will no longer access the Kindle Store, making it impossible to buy, borrow, or download new books. Users will still be able to read content already downloaded, but any device reset after the cutoff will be permanently locked out. This move has sparked frustration among longtime Kindle owners who see their functional devices rendered effectively obsolete. Which Kindle Devices Are Affected? The list of impacted models includes some of Amazon’s earliest e-readers: the original Kindle (1st and 2nd generation), Kindle DX and DX Graphite, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle 4 and 5, Kindle Touch, and the first-generation Kindle Paperwhite. These devices, some supported for up to 18 years, will lose Kindle Store functionality completely after the May 20 deadline. Jesse Carr, an Amazon spokesperson, emphasized that “technology has come a long way,” explaining that the…