Loading PDFs onto your Kindle can be a game-changer. Especially if you read lots of chunky academic papers and technical manuals. Or those other docs that just aren’t available in standard e-book formats. You’ll have them all in one place. And won’t have to lug stacks of paper to work or uni in your backpack. Right, here’s how to upload your PDFs in a few easy steps…
Emailing PDFs to your Kindle device
One of the easiest (and most straightforward) ways to get PDFs onto your Kindle is by emailing them directly to your device…
Find your Kindle email address – Open the Kindle app or go to the Amazon Kindle website. Then go to your account settings and look for the ‘Personal Document Settings’ section. You’ll see an email address that looks something like ‘[email protected]’.
Prep your PDF – Your PDF must be less than 50MB in size. Any files bigger than that are unlikely to work. Also, if your PDF is in colour, it’ll be converted to black and white to save space and battery life.
Send the email – Draft a new email and pop your Kindle email address in the ‘To’ field. Attach the PDF file to the email and hit ‘Send’.
Check your Kindle – Your Kindle should then receive the PDF. If it’s all working properly, it’ll appear in your ‘Documents’ folder. If you don’t see it, check your Kindle’s ‘Personal Documents’ section.
Using the ‘Send to Kindle’ app for desktop
You can also sort your PDFs on your PC. Use the ‘Send to Kindle’ app, and you’ll have em’ on your e-readers ASAP…
Download the app – Visit the Amazon Kindle website. Search for the ‘Send to Kindle’ app and download and install it on your computer.
Connect your Kindle – Is your Kindle connected to the Wi-Fi? Hook it up, then open the ‘Send to Kindle’ app. You’ll have to sign in with your Amazon account details.
Send the PDF – Open the PDF file on your computer. Click on the ‘Send to Kindle’ button in the app and choose your Kindle device from the list. The app will then convert and send the PDF to your Kindle.
Transferring PDFs via USB
Moving a PDF via USB is a pretty reliable option too. Here’s the best way to do it:
Plug in your Kindle – Connect the Kindle to your computer with a USB cable. Your Kindle should pop up as a removable drive on your PC.
Find the PDF – Locate the PDF file on your computer that you want to transfer. It’ll have to be in a format that your Kindle can read (like PDF, MOBI, AZW, etc).
Copy the PDF – Drag and drop the PDF file into the ‘Documents’ folder on your Kindle. Or you can just use the ‘Copy’ and ‘Paste’ functions to transfer the file if your prefer.
Eject your Kindle – Safely eject your Kindle from your computer and unplug the USB cable.
Check your Kindle – Open your Kindle and head to the ‘Documents’ folder. Your PDF should now be there and ready to read.
Uploading PDFs through cloud services
If you use cloud storage services like Google Drive or Dropbox, you can easily upload PDFs to your Kindle through them. Just follow these steps:
Upload to cloud storage – Log in to your preferred cloud storage service. When you’re in, upload the PDF file to a folder of your choice.
Install the cloud app on your Kindle – Go to the Amazon Appstore on your Kindle. Search for the cloud storage app you use (e.g. Google Drive, Dropbox) then download and install it.
Connect to your cloud account – Open the cloud storage app on your Kindle and sign in with your account info.
Access your PDF - Navigate over to the folder where you uploaded the PDF. You can then open it up directly from the app or download it to your Kindle.
Converting PDFs to Kindle friendly formats
Sometimes, PDFs can be a bit tricky to read on a Kindle – especially if they’ve got a lot of images or complex layouts. So, converting them to a more Kindle friendly format can make a big difference. We’ve rounded up a few conversion methods for you below:
Use online converters – Visit a website like PDF to Mobi or Calibre. You’ll be able to upload your PDF file, choose the output format (like MOBI or AZW) and then download the converted file. Simple.
Use the ‘Send to Kindle’ email service – Draft an email to your Kindle email address. Attach the PDF file, then write ‘convert’ in the subject line. Send the email, and your Kindle will automatically convert the PDF to a more readable format.
Use the ‘Send to Kindle’ app – Open the ‘Send to Kindle’ app. Pick the PDF file, then choose your Kindle device. The app will convert it and send the file straight to your Kindle.
Reading PDFs on different Kindle models
Kindle Paperwhite:
Supports PDFs, with a good all-round reading experience.
You can tweak the font size and zoom in on specific sections.
Kindle Oasis:
The high-resolution screen makes PDFs look crisp and clear.
Comes with advanced features like page turn buttons and adjustable font sizes.
Kindle:
Basic model that supports PDFs.
The reading experience is decent, but you might need to zoom in for more detailed content.
Kindle Fire:
Tablet model that supports PDFs and has a larger screen.
You can use various apps to read your PDFs, like the built-in Kindle app.
Kindle Voyage:
High-end model with a great high-resolution screen.
For a premium PDF reading experience, the Voyage should be your go-to.
Troubleshooting common PDF upload issues
Not every method is absolutely foolproof. So, you still might run into a few issues when you’re uploading PDFs to your Kindle. Here’s some of the most common problems and how to fix them…
PDF not appearing - Make sure your Kindle is connected to the Wi-Fi. And check the ‘Personal Documents’ section. If it’s not there, try sending the PDF again.
PDF looks blurry - Try converting the PDF to MOBI or AZW format. This can make the doc clearer and a lot easier to read.
PDF takes too long to load – If the PDF is a chunky one, it might take a while to load. Try breaking it up into smaller files or convert it to a more efficient format.
PDF won’t open – Check that the PDF isn’t corrupted. You can see by opening it up on your computer. If it’s fine, try sending it again, or use a different method.
Font size too small – Use the zoom feature on your Kindle to make the text larger. You can also try converting the PDF to a MOBI or AZW format for better readability.
PDF won’t convert - Is the PDF password protected or encrypted? If it is, you’ll need to remove the protection before converting it.
Need more advice?
So, that’s how to upload a PDF to Kindle. And we’ve got plenty of other Kindle based tips to go round too. If you’ve just bought your first e-reader, here’s how to download books on Kindle. It’s fair to say that there’s plenty of titles to pick from! Plus, if you’re a proper bookworm, Amazon have a special subscription that’ll be right up your street. Read what is Kindle Unlimited and how does it work? for a full rundown.
