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Before you replace a Kindle, connect the old device to the internet, make sure Sync is on, and run a sync. Then register the replacement to the same Amazon account and sync it. Check that the books, reading position, and notes you care about are available on the new device before resetting the old one.

1. Connect the old Kindle and check Sync

Amazon’s cloud-sync process requires the Kindle to be connected to the internet. Sync is enabled by default, but check the setting before retiring the device. Amazon’s Kindle sync settings explain how to update it.

If Sync was turned off, notes, highlights, or bookmarks made during that period may be lost when Sync is turned on again. Connect the Kindle to Wi-Fi and verify Sync is enabled before proceeding.

2. Run Sync on the old Kindle

With the device online, run Sync on the old Kindle. Amazon says syncing can download pending books and notes and highlights, and back up the furthest page read. For the device-specific steps, see Amazon’s Sync Your Kindle E-Reader instructions.

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#1 Best Overall
Sale
Amazon Kindle 16 GB (2024 model) - Light and compact, with fast page turns, and high contrast ratio - Matcha
  • Light and compact - With adjustable brightness, high contrast ratio, and fast page turns.
  • Effortless reading in any light - Read comfortably with a 6“ glare-free display, adjustable front light—now 25% brighter at max setting—and dark mode.
  • Escape into your books - Tune out messages, emails, and social media with a distraction-free reading experience.
  • Read for a while - Get up to 6 weeks of battery life on a single charge.
  • Take your library with you – 16 GB storage holds thousands of books.

Kindle Scribe notebooks have a separate portability detail: Amazon Customer Service says, “Kindle Scribe notebooks are backed up to the Cloud when the device is connected to the internet and Sync is turned on.”

3. Register and sync the replacement

Set up the new Kindle using the same Amazon account linked to the old device, then run Sync. Amazon says saved data syncs to Kindle devices and apps connected to that account. If you are buying a replacement Kindle, ordinary text highlights do not require a Scribe; handwritten annotations have different compatibility limits, described below.

Rank #2
Sale
Amazon Kindle 16 GB (2024 model) – Light and compact, with fast page turns, and high contrast ratio – Black
  • Light and compact - With adjustable brightness, high contrast ratio, and fast page turns.
  • Effortless reading in any light - Read comfortably with a 6“ glare-free display, adjustable front light—now 25% brighter at max setting—and dark mode.
  • Escape into your books - Tune out messages, emails, and social media with a distraction-free reading experience.
  • Read for a while - Get up to 6 weeks of battery life on a single charge.
  • Take your library with you - 16 GB storage holds thousands of books.

If a book is missing

Use Amazon’s manual book delivery instructions to select the replacement from Manage Your Content and Devices, deliver the book to it, and sync the Kindle. This is a way to deliver a book to a registered device, not a complete local backup of your library.

4. Check what kind of notes you need to move

Text-based annotations, such as typed notes and highlights, can be accessed across Kindle surfaces when synced. Handwritten annotations are different: Amazon says they are currently accessible only across Kindle Scribe devices. If you are moving from a Scribe to a non-Scribe Kindle, do not assume its handwritten annotations will appear there.

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Rank #3
Sale
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 16GB (2024 model) – 7" glare-free display and weeks of battery life – Black
  • Our fastest Kindle Paperwhite ever – The next-generation 7“ Paperwhite display has a higher contrast ratio and 25% faster page turns.
  • Ready for travel – The ultra-thin design has a larger glare-free screen so pages stay sharp no matter where you are.
  • Escape into your books – Your Kindle doesn’t have social media, notifications, or other distracting apps.
  • Battery life for your longest novel – A single charge via USB-C lasts up to 12 weeks.
  • Read in any light – Adjust the display from white to amber to read in bright sunlight or in the dark.

Personal-document notes can also vary by device, app, and file type. Check Amazon’s Kindle personal-document file type compatibility details for the document you use.

5. Understand sync versus a local backup

Account sync and re-delivery are cloud-based ways to access content on registered devices. They are not the same as having independent files saved locally. Amazon’s help pages describe syncing and delivering books, but do not establish a universal method for exporting every purchased Kindle book and every type of annotation as local files.

Rank #4
Sale
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 16GB (2024 model) – 7" glare-free display and weeks of battery life – Raspberry
  • Our fastest Kindle Paperwhite ever – The next-generation 7“ Paperwhite display has a higher contrast ratio and 25% faster page turns.
  • Ready for travel – The ultra-thin design has a larger glare-free screen so pages stay sharp no matter where you are.
  • Escape into your books – Your Kindle doesn’t have social media, notifications, or other distracting apps.
  • Battery life for your longest novel – A single charge via USB-C lasts up to 12 weeks.
  • Read in any light – Adjust the display from white to amber to read in bright sunlight or in the dark.

Amazon’s USB and wireless file-transfer guidance covers moving files, with steps that vary by operating system and Kindle model. It does not establish a complete backup of purchased books or all notes. See Amazon’s e-reader file transfer instructions if you need to transfer personal files.

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6. Reset the old Kindle only after checking

Confirm that the replacement has the books and synced information you need before you erase the old device. Amazon warns that a factory reset removes personal data and downloaded content, deregisters the Kindle, and removes content that has not synced. Follow Amazon’s factory-reset instructions only after verifying the replacement.

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Quick Recap

SaleBestseller No. 1
Amazon Kindle 16 GB (2024 model) - Light and compact, with fast page turns, and high contrast ratio - Matcha
Amazon Kindle 16 GB (2024 model) - Light and compact, with fast page turns, and high contrast ratio - Matcha
Light and compact - With adjustable brightness, high contrast ratio, and fast page turns.; Read for a while - Get up to 6 weeks of battery life on a single charge.
$103.99
SaleBestseller No. 2
Amazon Kindle 16 GB (2024 model) – Light and compact, with fast page turns, and high contrast ratio – Black
Amazon Kindle 16 GB (2024 model) – Light and compact, with fast page turns, and high contrast ratio – Black
Light and compact - With adjustable brightness, high contrast ratio, and fast page turns.; Read for a while - Get up to 6 weeks of battery life on a single charge.
$103.99
SaleBestseller No. 3
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 16GB (2024 model) – 7' glare-free display and weeks of battery life – Black
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 16GB (2024 model) – 7" glare-free display and weeks of battery life – Black
Battery life for your longest novel – A single charge via USB-C lasts up to 12 weeks.
$149.99
SaleBestseller No. 4
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 16GB (2024 model) – 7' glare-free display and weeks of battery life – Raspberry
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 16GB (2024 model) – 7" glare-free display and weeks of battery life – Raspberry
Battery life for your longest novel – A single charge via USB-C lasts up to 12 weeks.
$149.99
Best Value
Sale
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB (2024 model) – Auto-adjusting front light, wireless charging, and weeks of battery life – Metallic Jade
  • Our fastest Kindle Paperwhite ever – The next-generation 7“ Paperwhite display has a higher contrast ratio and 25% faster page turns.
  • Upgrade your reading experience – The Signature Edition features an auto-adjusting front light, wireless charging, and 32 GB storage.
  • Ready for travel – The ultra-thin design has a larger glare-free screen so pages stay sharp no matter where you are.
  • Escape into your books – Your Kindle doesn’t have social media, notifications, or other distracting apps.
  • Adapts to your surroundings – The auto-adjusting front light lets you read in the brightest sunlight or late into the night.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.