Transferring your personal documents, EPUBs, and web articles to an e-reader shouldn't feel like a chore. The Send to Kindle service lets you beam files directly to your Amazon device or app using a custom email address, browser extensions, or desktop apps. Whether you want to read long-form journalism offline or review work documents without eye strain, setting up this workflow takes less than five minutes.
In this guide, you'll learn every method for transferring files, the exact supported formats and file size limits, and how to fix common delivery failures.
1. Setting Up Your Kindle Email Address
Every Kindle device and app has a unique @kindle.com email address. Finding and configuring this address is the first step to enabling direct document transfers.
- Go to the Amazon Manage Your Content and Devices page on your computer or phone.
- Click on the Preferences tab.
- Scroll down to Personal Document Settings and expand the section.
- Note your Send-to-Kindle Email Address. You can click Edit to customize the prefix if you want something easier to type.
- Scroll down further to Approved Personal Document E-mail List and click Add a new approved e-mail address. Type in the personal email address you plan to send files from. Amazon blocks incoming files from unknown senders to prevent spam.
Note: Only files sent from your approved email addresses will successfully land on your device. If you try sending from an unapproved address, Amazon will reply with an automated email asking you to verify the sender.
2. All Ways to Send Content to Your Kindle
Once your email is approved, you have several different ways to push content to your library depending on what device you're currently using.
Email Method
Open your regular email client (like Gmail, Outlook, or Apple Mail), attach your document, and address it to your custom Kindle email address. You don't need to write a subject line or body text, though typing Convert in the subject line forces Amazon to convert older formats like PDFs into reflowable Kindle text.
Browser Extensions
If you prefer reading long web articles or blog posts on your e-reader instead of a glowing computer screen, install the official Amazon Send to Kindle Browser Extension for Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Once installed, click the extension icon in your toolbar while viewing any web page to strip away ads and send clean text straight to your device.
Desktop and Mobile Apps
Amazon provides official Send to Kindle applications for Windows and macOS. After installing the app and logging into your Amazon account, you can right-click any compatible file on your computer and select Send to Kindle, or drag and drop documents into a designated folder. On iOS and Android, you can use the share sheet inside mobile browsers or document apps to tap Send to Kindle.
3. Supported File Formats and Size Limits
Before sending files, make sure they meet Amazon's technical specifications. Sending unsupported formats or oversized files is the number one reason transfers fail.
- EPUB (.epub): Fully supported. Amazon automatically converts these into the modern format for your device.
- PDF (.pdf): Supported. You can choose to keep the fixed layout or convert it to read more like a standard book.
- Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx): Supported and automatically converted.
- Rich Text and Plain Text (.rtf, .txt): Supported.
- Images (.jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .png, .bmp): Supported.
- File Size Limit: Individual files must be under 200 MB (though files over 50 MB may take longer to process and convert).
If you are trying to send a massive technical manual or comic book archive that exceeds 200 MB, split the file into smaller parts using a compression or PDF-splitting utility before emailing it.
4. Troubleshooting Common Send to Kindle Failures
Even with a proper setup, transfers occasionally stall. Here is how to fix the most common issues:
- Documents not appearing: Ensure your Kindle is connected to Wi-Fi and synced. If your Wi-Fi is off, the device cannot download queued items from the cloud.
- "Email address not approved" error: Double-check that the exact email address you used to send the file is listed under your approved personal document email list in your Amazon account settings.
- Formatting looks broken on PDFs: PDFs viewed in fixed layout mode can have tiny text on small e-reader screens. To fix this, try putting the word
Convertin the subject line of your email when sending the PDF so Amazon attempts to reflow the text.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I read EPUB files directly on my Kindle now?
Yes. Amazon added native EPUB support to Kindle devices and apps, meaning you no longer have to manually convert EPUB files to MOBI format using tools like Calibre before sending them.
Do documents sent to Kindle sync my reading progress?
Yes. As long as your Kindle is connected to the internet, your furthest page read, bookmarks, and notes will sync across all other devices logged into your Amazon account, including phone and tablet apps.
Is there a fee for using Send to Kindle?
No. Transferring personal documents via Wi-Fi is entirely free. Amazon only charges a fee if you choose to deliver documents over cellular data on Kindle models equipped with cellular connectivity.
Why did my PDF arrive as an image instead of text?
If you don't use the conversion trigger, complex PDFs with heavy graphics or fixed layouts are delivered as static documents. To make the text adjustable, type Convert in the email subject line when sending.
