You can gift a Kindle book directly through Amazon, and the recipient gets it on their device without needing to buy it themselves
Amazon lets you send a Kindle book to someone else's email address, and they receive it in their Kindle library within minutes. The person you're gifting to doesn't need to own a Kindle device — they can read it on their phone, tablet, or computer using the free Kindle app. You pay the full purchase price upfront, just as if you were buying it for yourself, and Amazon handles the delivery.
The process works the same way whether you're gifting a current bestseller or a book that's been out for years. Some older books or self-published titles may not be available as gifts, but Amazon will tell you during checkout if that's the case.
Key Takeaways
- You can gift a Kindle book from the book's product page on Amazon by clicking "Buy as a Gift" instead of "Buy Now".
- The recipient receives the book in their Kindle library and can start reading when ready on any device with the Kindle app installed.
- You pay the same price as a regular purchase, and you can schedule the gift to arrive on a specific date up to one year in advance.
- Not all Kindle books can be gifted — Amazon will show you during checkout whether a particular title is available as a gift.
- The recipient does not need to own a Kindle device or have an Amazon account before you send the gift, though they will need to create one to claim it.
How to send a Kindle book gift from your computer
Go to the Amazon product page for the book you want to gift. Look for the yellow "Buy Now with 1-Click" button and the white "Add to Cart" button. Between or near these buttons, you should see a link that says "Buy as a Gift" — click that instead of the regular purchase button.
Amazon will ask you for the recipient's email address and let you add a personal message. You can also choose to have the gift arrive when ready or on a specific date up to one year from now. This is useful if you want to time it with a birthday or holiday without having to remember to send it later. After you review the details and complete the payment, Amazon sends the gift notification to the email address you provided.
How to send a Kindle book gift from the Kindle app or device
If you're reading on a Kindle device or using the Kindle app on your phone or tablet, you can gift a book directly from there. Open the book's product page within the app or device, and look for a menu option — usually three dots or lines in the corner. Select "Gift this book" from the menu.
The steps are the same as gifting from a computer: enter the recipient's email, add a message if you want, choose when it should arrive, and confirm the purchase. The process is identical whether you start from a device or a web browser.
What happens when the recipient receives the gift
The person you're gifting to receives an email from Amazon with your message and a link to claim the book. They don't have to do anything when ready — the email stays in their inbox. When they're ready to read, they click the link in the email, and if they don't already have an Amazon account, they create one. The book then appears in their Kindle library.
Once the book is in their library, they can read it on any device where they've signed into their Amazon account with the Kindle app. They can also return the gift within seven days of receiving it if they change their mind, though this is rare.
Books that cannot be gifted
Some Kindle books are not available as gifts. This is usually because of how the publisher or author set up their rights with Amazon. Self-published books, some textbooks, and certain older titles may fall into this category. You'll find out whether a book can be gifted when you click "Buy as a Gift" — if it's not available, Amazon shows you a message saying so.
If a book can't be gifted, you have two options: buy a physical copy and mail it, or send the person a gift card for the amount of the book so they can purchase it themselves. A Kindle gift card works just like a regular Amazon gift card but is specifically for digital content.
Pricing and what the recipient sees
You pay the same price for a gifted Kindle book as you would if you were buying it for yourself. The recipient does not see the price you paid — they only see that someone sent them the book as a gift. This means you can gift a book that's on sale without the recipient knowing whether you paid full price or caught it during a discount.
If the book later goes on sale, the recipient still owns the version they received at no additional cost. They don't get a refund or a price adjustment, but they also don't pay more if the price goes up.
Gifting to someone without an Amazon account
You can send a Kindle book to anyone's email address, even if they don't have an Amazon account yet. When they receive the gift email, the link walks them through creating an account. They'll need to set up a password and provide basic information, but it takes just a few minutes. After that, the book is in their library and ready to read.
This is one advantage of Kindle gifts over physical books — you don't need to know whether someone already uses Amazon. The gift email itself prompts them to set up an account if they don't have one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I gift a Kindle book to someone in another country?
Yes, as long as you have their email address. Amazon's Kindle service works internationally, so the recipient can be anywhere. However, some books may have regional restrictions that prevent them from being gifted outside certain countries — Amazon will tell you during checkout if that applies.
What if I want to gift multiple books at once?
You can gift books one at a time through the process described above. There's no bulk gifting option, but you can schedule each one to arrive on the same date if you want them all to show up together. Alternatively, you can buy a Kindle gift card for a larger amount and let the recipient choose their own books.
Can the recipient re-gift a Kindle book they received?
No. Once a Kindle book is in someone's library, they can read it but cannot send it to someone else. Kindle books are tied to individual accounts and cannot be transferred or re-gifted. This is different from physical books, which can be passed along.
Is there a way to gift a Kindle book anonymously?
Not through Amazon's gifting system — the recipient will see your name or email address in the gift notification. If you want to send a book anonymously, you could buy a Kindle gift card from a third party and send that instead, though the recipient would still need to choose the book themselves.
What if the recipient doesn't claim the gift?
The gift email doesn't expire, so the recipient can claim it whenever they're ready. There's no time limit on how long they can wait. However, if they delete the email, they can contact Amazon customer service with the email address the gift was sent to, and Amazon can help them locate it.