Amazon is set to end support for Kindle devices launched before 2012, blocking them from the Kindle Store and making them mostly unable to load new content. This change will take effect on May 20, 2026.
Amazon notified customers via email that support for these devices will end. Screenshots of the message were shared on social media and Reddit, and Amazon confirmed the news. Kindle e-readers and tablets from 2012 or earlier will lose Kindle Store access, meaning they can’t buy, borrow, or download new books directly after the deadline.
After May 20, users will only be able to read already downloaded content on their devices. If an older device is deregistered or reset, it can’t be re-registered.
The affected models include the original Kindle (1st and 2nd generation), Kindle DX, DX Graphite, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle 4 and 5, Kindle Touch, and the first-generation Kindle Paperwhite.
“These models have been supported for at least 14 years — some as long as 18 years — but technology has come a long way,” said Jesse Carr, an Amazon spokesperson, to TechCrunch. “We are notifying active users and offering promotions for upgrading.”
Users can still access their libraries via newer devices, the Kindle mobile app, or Kindle for Web.
Many longtime users expressed frustration over the decision, citing that their older Kindles remain in good working condition. Several users on Reddit shared their reliance on these devices, viewing this move as tech companies phasing out functional products and contributing to electronic waste. A similar instance is Google ending support for older Nest thermostats in 2025. UNITAR estimates global e-waste will reach 82 million tonnes by 2030, a 32% increase from 2022.
One Reddit user commented, “My Kindle is still perfect, and it serves me well. It’s wasteful to make a product unusable just to push new sales.”
For some, this change suggested trying alternative e-ink readers like the Boox Palma or Vivlio e-reader.
This move to phase out older Kindles isn’t unexpected, as Amazon has been cutting back support for legacy devices. In 2016, Amazon required Kindle models from 2012 and earlier to update to maintain Kindle Store access, foreshadowing an end to long-term support.