Although I never considered myself a bookworm when I was young, when I my first Kindle years ago, I found myself unable to put it down.
Kindle is a great way to carry all your books in a single package. A handy device, lighter than a tablet, and relatively inexpensive, Kindle makes it easy to buy, borrow, and keep your books safe.
How to share or lend Kindle books
There are two simple ways to share Kindle books: lend them to others, or share them through your home library. We’ll cover both options, so you can choose the one that’s right for your needs.
Other ways to get the most out of your Kindle:
Lend Kindle books
There are some books that you can lend to other users after you have purchased them. Unfortunately, many do not support lending. Publishers set their loan terms, so loan terms vary — but usually around 14 days. If the book is not accepted for loan within seven days, the book will be returned to you.
Use the mobile app or web browser to sign in to your Amazon account, then access your account settings by clicking Accounts & Lists at the top right of the page.
Sign in then click Accounts & Lists Photo: Maria Diaz / ZDNet
Enter Contents & Devices on Amazon; this will give you access to the settings of the purchased device and content like books, apps, videos and music.
Click on Content & Devices Photo: Maria Diaz / ZDNet
Select Book out of your existing content. This will bring up a list of your purchased and borrowed books.
Your purchased book list has options for each book on the right side of the page. click More action displays the options on the drop-down menu.
above More action menu, click Lend this title loan to others. Next, you’ll be prompted to fill out a form with the recipient’s information:
Next, you will be taken to a form where you can enter your loan details for the recipient’s email address, name, sender, and personal message.
Fill out the loan application form Photo: Maria Diaz / ZDNet
Not all books can be loaned out, so if yours doesn’t have one Lend this title optionally, there is the option to try sharing it via your home library.
Share with Family Library
An alternative option for sharing books is to do it through the Family Library. This can be done in the same action menu that you reach by following steps 1-4 above.
if do not have Lend this title option on the Add action drop-down menu, click Family library management instead of, replace.
Instead of Lend this book, choose Manage Family Library Photo: Maria Diaz / ZDNet
Your home library includes members of your Amazon household.
Pick someone into your home library to give them access to books Photo: Maria Diaz / ZDNet
When you choose someone to share the book with, click the yellow button Make changes to share the book with them. You can add or remove books from your home library at any time.
Click Make Changes to confirm Photo: Maria Diaz / ZDNet
Frequently asked questions
How many devices can share a Kindle book?
A Kindle book can only be shared once. This means that after the book is returned to your library after 14 days, you will not be able to share the book with anyone else.
Also: How to turn your old electronics into Amazon gift cards
However, you can read a book on multiple devices at the same time, as long as you’re signed in to those devices with your Amazon account through the Kindle app. So you can pause reading a book on your Kindle and pick it up again from the Kindle app on your iPad, for example.
Can I share books directly from my Kindle?
Lending isn’t available on Kindle settings, but you can view and manage your home library right on your Kindle device. This is the way:
- From the Kindle home page, tap the menu button (three buttons in the top right corner)
- Select Setting
- Knock on Home & Family Library
- Choose an account to manage
What is Amazon Household and Family Sharing?
amazon household allows users to share some of their Prime benefits with family members, including one other adult, up to four teens, and up to four children. This allows others to use Prime benefits with their own accounts without having to pay for separate subscriptions.
You can share ebooks with other members of your family and add or remove people by going to your Amazon account and clicking Manage your household.
