Delete a book from Kindle by opening the app, finding the title, and swiping or right-clicking to remove it

Removing books from your Kindle app takes about 10 seconds per title. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're using a phone, tablet, or computer, but the result is the same: the book disappears from your library and frees up storage space on your device.

You can delete a book without losing the ability to re-read it later. Amazon keeps a record of every book you've purchased or borrowed, so you can always add it back to your device if you change your mind. This is different from deleting a file permanently — Kindle treats deletion as a removal from your current device only.

Key Takeaways

  • On a phone or tablet, open Kindle, press and hold the book cover, then tap "Remove from Device" or "Delete" from the menu that appears.
  • On a computer, right-click the book title in your library and select "Remove from Device" or the delete option.
  • Removing a book from your device does not delete your purchase history or prevent you from downloading it again later.
  • If you want to permanently remove a book from your Amazon account so it never appears in your library, you must do that through Amazon's website, not the app.

Delete a book on iPhone or iPad

Open the Kindle app and go to your library. Find the book you want to remove and press and hold the cover image until a menu appears. Tap "Remove from Device" (on older versions of the app, this option may say "Delete").

The book vanishes from your library when ready. Your device now has slightly more storage space available. If you want to read that book again later, you can read it once more by finding it in your purchase history or searching for it by title.

Delete a book on Android phone or tablet

Open Kindle and navigate to your library. Long-press the book cover until a menu appears with several options. Select "Remove from Device" or "Delete from Device," depending on your app version.

The book is removed from your library and your device. You can re-read any book you've purchased at any time by searching for it or browsing your purchase history within the app.

Delete a book on Mac or Windows computer

Open the Kindle app on your computer and look at your library. Right-click the book title or cover and choose "Remove from Device" from the context menu that appears.

On some versions of the Kindle app for Windows, you may see a delete icon or trash button instead. Click that to remove the book. The title disappears from your library, but remains in your Amazon account and can be downloaded again whenever you want.

The difference between removing and permanently deleting

Removing a book from your device is not the same as permanently deleting it from your Amazon account. When you remove a book from the Kindle app, it stays in your purchase history and you can read it again. When you permanently delete a book from Amazon, it no longer appears in your library at all, though Amazon may still show it in your order history.

To permanently delete a book from your Amazon account, you must go to Amazon's website, not the Kindle app. Log in to your Amazon account, go to "Manage Your Content and Devices," find the book, and select "Delete" next to the title. This action cannot be undone, so use it only for books you are certain you will never want to read again.

Why you might want to delete books from your device

Deleting books frees up storage space on your phone, tablet, or computer. This matters most on phones with limited storage, where every gigabyte counts. Removing books you have already finished reading is a straightforward way to keep your device running smoothly without losing access to those titles.

Deleting books also keeps your library organized. If you have hundreds of titles, removing ones you do not plan to read soon makes it easier to find the books you actually want to read next. You can always read them again if you change your mind.

What happens to your bookmarks and notes when you delete

If you delete a book from your device, any bookmarks or notes you made in that book are lost. Amazon does not save these locally — they exist only on your device. Before you delete a book, consider whether you want to keep any of your annotations.

If you re-read the book later, you will start fresh without those bookmarks and notes. Some readers take a screenshot of important passages or copy notes to a text file before deleting a book they think they might want to reference later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a book I borrowed from a library through Kindle?

Yes. Borrowed books can be removed from your device the same way as purchased books. When the loan period ends, the book disappears automatically. You can delete it early if you want to free up space before the loan expires.

Will deleting a book affect my Kindle Unlimited subscription?

No. Removing a Kindle Unlimited book from your device does not end your subscription or affect your account. You can read the book again anytime during your subscription period. If your subscription ends, you will no longer be able to read Kindle Unlimited titles, but that is separate from deleting individual books.

What if I accidentally delete a book I wanted to keep?

You can re-read it when ready. Open the Kindle app, search for the book by title or author, and tap "read" or the cloud icon. The book returns to your device with no penalty. Your purchase history remains intact.

Can I delete multiple books at once?

The Kindle app does not have a bulk delete feature. You must remove books one at a time by pressing and holding each cover (on mobile) or right-clicking each title (on computer). If you have many books to remove, this takes a few minutes but is straightforward.

Does deleting a book from Kindle delete it from my other devices?

No. Deleting a book from your phone does not remove it from your tablet, computer, or e-reader. Each device has its own library. You must delete the book separately on each device if you want it removed from all of them.