Amazon is preparing to end support for Kindle devices released before 2012 — cutting them off from the Kindle Store and effectively rendering them unable to load new content. The company has set May 20, 2026 as the closing date.
Amazon sent an email to customers this week announcing it would end support for the devices, according to screenshots of the message posted on social media and Reddit by customers and verified by Amazon. According to the message, Kindle e-readers and tablets released in 2012 or earlier will lose access to Kindle Store features after the deadline. This means that affected devices will no longer be able to buy, borrow or download new books directly.
After May 20, users will only be able to use their devices to read content that has already been downloaded. When an older device is deleted or factory reset, it cannot be re-registered after May 20.
The list of affected Amazon models includes the original Kindle (1st and 2nd generation), Kindle DX and 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 in that time, and these devices will no longer be supported going forward,” Jesse Carr, an Amazon spokesman, said in a statement to TechCrunch. “We’re notifying those who are still actively using them and offering deals to help transition to newer devices.”
Users can continue to access their libraries through newer devices, the Kindle mobile app or Kindle for Web, the Amazon spokesperson said.
Several longtime users have expressed their dismay at the move to end support for older Kindles, many of which are in excellent condition and have not seen any functional degradation. On Reddit, many users said they still rely on these older devices and see no reason to replace them. To some, it seemed like another example of tech companies ending support for perfectly functioning products, pushing customers toward upgrades while contributing to the increase in e-waste. An example of this is Google, which ended support for older Nest thermostats in 2025. According to United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)global e-waste is estimated to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030, a 32% increase from 2022.
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A Reddit user he wrote“I’ve had my Kindle for years, but it still works great and continues to serve me well. What a waste to make a product practically useless to force people to buy a newer model.”
For some, the change meant it might be time to get an alternative e-ink reader, like the Boox Palma or Vivlio e-reader.
The decision to effectively kill off older Kindle devices isn’t entirely unexpected, as Amazon has been phasing out support for its legacy devices. In 2016, the company required Kindle e-reader models from 2012 and earlier to install updates just to maintain access to the Kindle Store, an early sign that long-term support for these devices would eventually end.
