Your Kindle will be affected by the May 20th update.

The Amazon Kindle has become a lifesaver for many readers. It is lightweight, portable, waterproof, and it has a large storage capacity. Its battery can last days and the E-ink screen mimics paper. This allows you to read in any light, even at night. It is not to mention the sentimental value a Kindle may hold for bookworms. Then, there are many other ways to get in touch with each other. With them.

Amazon announced a change this month that sparked a backlash among devoted e-reader owners: some Kindle devices won’t be supported after May 20, 2026. What does this mean and which Kindles are affected?

Amazon’s announcement … and what it actually means

Amazon alerted customers that Older Kindle models are no longer supported. This means that users won’t be able download new books through the Amazon store after May 20th, since the devices no longer support web access. Libby users will also take a hit, being unable to borrow e-books from their library as these books also go through the Kindle store and the ‘Send to Kindle’ feature.

Amazon informed users that if they deregistered their devices or did a factory restore, they would not be able register them again.

The Kindle Library is fully accessible to users via the free Kindle App and Kindle Web. Calibre or other programs that allow you to connect your Kindle to a PC and transfer e-books will work for users who want to sideload e books to their Kindle.

What Kindles may be affected?

Amazon informed Kindle users via email that they were “canceling support for Kindle Devices”. Released before 2012 These devices include:

• Kindle (1st generation)
• Kindle (2nd Generation)
• Kindle DX
• Kindle DX Graphite
• Kindle Keyboard
• Kindle 4
• Kindle Touch
• Kindle 5
• Kindle Paperwhite (1st generation)
• Kindle Fire (1st generation)
• Kindle Fire (2nd Generation)
• Kindle Fire HD 7
• Kindle Fire HD 8.9

Estimates suggest that the move will affect approximately 2 million devices.

The controversy

Readers who own Kindles have been highly critical of the move. Users of older Kindle models can still read the books they have already downloaded, but the inability to download any new books without a third-party program may make them switch to another device like a Kobo.

Some users have also opted to switch from Kindles to other e-readers because of criticisms of Amazon’s Kindle UI. These include the ads, the format restrictions and the lack of support for certain formats. 

Many users have reported that their Kindles still work fine, despite having been more than a ten-year-old. The battery life of newer Kindles can last for weeks, while older models’ performance and battery health will gradually deteriorate with time. However, most Kindles made in 2012 or earlier are still in perfect condition. Amazon’s announcement has been condemned by many readers as a deliberate ploy in order to encourage them to purchase another Kindle.

Some readers prefer older Kindle devices with physical page-turning buttons. Disgruntled readers could be forced to use the touch screen page-turning options with this new announcement.

Amazon is offering a free Kindle to some users in order to ease their transition. 20% discount on newer models, plus e-book credit. The move was criticized by users who were outraged, as it is “corporate greed”. For them, the Kindle represents more than just a way to read and store books on the go. It also holds sentimental value.

Readers’ bottom line

Some users will only have the option of upgrading to a more recent model, or switching to a different brand. Other users may choose to jailbreak their Kindle. This involves removing Amazon’s software restrictions, and gaining access the device’s operating system.

The readers must decide if they wish to continue in Amazon’s ecosystem or if it is time to move on.