Delete a book by long-pressing its cover, then selecting delete
To remove a book from your Kindle app library on a phone or tablet, find the book's cover image in your library, press and hold it for two to three seconds until a menu appears, then tap Delete. The book disappears from your device when ready. On a computer, right-click the book cover and select Delete from Library.
Deleting a book from the app does not delete it from your Amazon account. You can re-read it later at no cost if you own it, or you can remove it permanently from your account through Amazon's website if you want it gone entirely. The app delete is just removing it from the device to free up space.
Key Takeaways
- Long-press a book cover in the Kindle app to see the delete option on phones and tablets.
- Deleting from the app keeps the book in your Amazon account, so you can read it again later.
- To permanently remove a book from your account, you must delete it through Amazon's website, not the app.
- Borrowed books from library apps like Libby or OverDrive delete automatically when the loan period ends.
The difference between deleting from the app and deleting from your account
The Kindle app has two separate delete actions, and they do different things. When you delete a book from the app itself, you are only removing it from that device. The book stays in your Amazon library under Manage Your Content and Devices on Amazon's website, and you can read it to any device whenever you want.
If you want to remove a book permanently so it no longer appears in your Amazon library at all, you must go to Amazon.com, sign in, go to Manage Your Content and Devices, find the book, and select Delete there. This action is permanent and cannot be undone. You will lose access to the book unless you purchase it again.
Most people delete from the app to save space on their phone or tablet. You would only delete from your Amazon account if you want to remove a book you no longer want to own or access.
How to delete books on different devices
On iPhone or iPad: Open the Kindle app, go to your library, find the book, press and hold the cover for two to three seconds, and tap Delete when the menu appears.
On Android phones and tablets: Open the Kindle app, find the book in your library, long-press the cover, and tap the trash icon or Delete option.
On a Mac or Windows computer: Open the Kindle app, find the book in your library, right-click the cover, and select Delete from Library. On a Mac, you can also click the book and press Delete on your keyboard.
On a Kindle e-reader device: Navigate to the book on your home screen or in your library, press and hold it, and select Remove from Device. This removes it from the device but keeps it in your account.
Deleting borrowed books from library apps
If you borrowed a book through Libby, OverDrive, or another library app that syncs with Kindle, the book will delete automatically when your loan period ends. You do not need to manually remove it. However, you can delete it early if you want to return it before the important date.
To return a borrowed book early, open the library app (Libby, OverDrive, or whichever service you used), find the book in your loans section, and select Return. The book will disappear from your Kindle app within a few minutes. This frees up your library loan slot so you can borrow another book right away.
What happens to your highlights and notes when you delete
If you have highlighted passages or written notes in a book, those annotations stay in your Amazon account even after you delete the book from your device or library. You can view them by going to Amazon.com, signing in, and visiting Your Highlights under your account menu.
If you delete a book from your Amazon account entirely, your highlights and notes for that book are deleted as well and cannot be recovered. If you think you might want to reference your notes later, take a screenshot or copy them to a document before you permanently delete the book from your account.
Freeing up space on your device
Deleting books from the Kindle app frees up storage space on your phone or tablet, but the amount of space recovered is usually small. Most Kindle books are between 1 and 5 megabytes each, so even deleting ten books might only free up 50 megabytes.
If you are running low on storage, deleting books helps, but you will likely need to delete other types of files or apps to make a real difference. Check your device's storage settings to see what is taking up the most space. Photos, videos, and other apps usually consume far more storage than e-books.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund if I delete a book I purchased?
Deleting a book does not trigger a refund. If you want a refund for a book you purchased, you must request it through Amazon within seven days of purchase. Go to Amazon.com, find the book in your orders, and select Return for Refund. Deleting the book is separate from returning it for money.
What if I accidentally deleted a book I wanted to keep?
If you deleted a book from the app but still own it in your Amazon account, you can re-read it for free. Open the Kindle app, go to your library, tap All Items or Cloud to see books not currently on your device, find the book, and tap the read icon. It will appear on your device again within seconds.
Does deleting a book from Kindle delete it from other devices?
No. Deleting a book from the Kindle app on your phone does not remove it from your iPad, computer, or e-reader. Each device stores its own copy. If you want to remove a book from all your devices, delete it from your Amazon account through the website instead.
Can I delete multiple books at once?
The Kindle app does not have a bulk delete feature. You must delete books one at a time by long-pressing each cover. If you want to remove many books, you can delete them from your Amazon account on the website, which is faster than doing it in the app.