Amazon is discontinuing support for older models of Kindle e-readers, prompting users to consider upgrading to newer devices. The upcoming change, effective on May 20, 2026, will prevent affected devices like the Kindle 5 and Kindle Paperwhite (1st Generation) from downloading new titles from the Kindle Store. While existing downloaded books will remain accessible, users will no longer be able to purchase, borrow, or add new content to these e-readers.
Amazon has notified users via email about the impending restriction on new downloads and is offering a 20% discount on select new Kindle models, along with a £15 eBook credit, to ease the transition. Even though the affected devices will no longer support new content, accounts and Kindle Libraries can still be accessed through the free Kindle app and Kindle for Web.
The impacted models include the Kindle 1st Generation (2007), Kindle DX and DX Graphite (2009, 2010), Kindle Keyboard (2010), Kindle 4 (2011), Kindle Touch (2011), Kindle 5 (2012), and Kindle Paperwhite 1st Generation (2012). Users with these devices can continue reading existing books but won’t be able to acquire new ones after the specified date. Additionally, deregistering or factory resetting these devices will render them unusable.
Considering the discontinuation of support for older Kindles, upgrading to newer devices may be a practical choice, particularly with the recent launch of Amazon’s latest Kindle Scribe models in the UK. These new models, released on Amazon’s UK site on April 8, feature enhanced speed, sleek design, and, for the first time, a color display option. The new Kindle Scribe starts at £449.99, while the color-display Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is priced from £569.99.
