Amazon has announced it will stop supporting older Kindle models, leaving up to two million users unable to download new titles from the Kindle store from 20 May 2026. The decision affects devices released in 2012 or earlier, including the Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard, and first-generation Kindle Paperwhite, as well as some early Kindle Fire tablets.
Users will still be able to read previously downloaded ebooks, and their accounts and libraries will remain accessible via mobile and desktop apps. Amazon is offering discounts to affected users to help them transition to newer devices. However, performing a factory reset on these older Kindles will render them unusable.
The move has sparked frustration among users, with some accusing Amazon of causing large-scale waste. Ugo Vallauri of the Restart Project, which promotes electronics repair, noted that while the change affects only about 3% of users, it could generate over 624 tonnes of e-waste. He criticised manufacturers for 'soft-bricking millions of still-functioning devices'.
Tech analyst Paolo Pescatore described the decision as understandable from a security perspective, noting that older devices cannot run newer, data-intensive services. An Amazon spokesperson said the affected models had been supported for 14 to 18 years, but that technology had moved on.
