Lending a Kindle book works through Amazon's built-in lending feature, which lets you send a book to another person's email address for 14 days

Not all Kindle books can be lent — the publisher has to allow it, and you can only lend each book once. When you lend a book, you lose access to it for the 14-day lending period. The person who borrows it reads it on their own Kindle device or Kindle app, and after 14 days the book returns to your library automatically. There is no cost to either person.

The lending feature is built into Amazon's system, so you do not need to read anything or use a separate service. You start from your Kindle library on Amazon's website or from the Kindle app on your phone or tablet.

Key Takeaways

  • Only books marked "Lending enabled" can be lent, and you can lend each title only once per person.
  • You lend through Amazon's website by finding the book in your library, selecting "Loan this title," and entering the borrower's email address.
  • The borrower receives an email invitation and can accept the book into their Kindle library within 7 days, or the offer expires.
  • The book returns to your library after 14 days, or the borrower can return it early through their Kindle settings.
  • You cannot lend a book you are currently reading, and the borrower must have a valid Amazon account to receive it.

Check whether the book can be lent before you offer it

Go to Amazon.com and sign in. Find the book in your Kindle library by clicking "Your Content and Devices" in the upper right corner, then selecting "Books" from the left menu. Locate the title you want to lend.

Hover over the book cover or click the three dots next to it. Look for the phrase "Lending enabled" in the menu that appears. If you see this phrase, the book can be lent. If you do not see it, the publisher has blocked lending for that title and you cannot send it to anyone.

Some publishers allow lending on certain books but not others in the same series, so check each title individually if you plan to lend multiple books.

Send the lending invitation through Amazon's website

From your Kindle library, find the book marked "Lending enabled." Click the three dots next to the cover and select "Loan this title" from the menu.

A window will open asking for the borrower's email address. Enter the email address associated with their Amazon account — this is usually the address they use to sign into Amazon, not necessarily their primary email. If you are not sure which email they use for Amazon, ask them directly.

You can add a personal message if you want, though it is optional. Click "Send" and Amazon will email the borrower an invitation to accept the book.

What happens on the borrower's end

The borrower receives an email from Amazon with the subject line "You've been offered a Kindle book." The email contains a link to accept the book. They have 7 days to click that link and accept it into their Kindle library. If they do not accept within 7 days, the offer expires and the book returns to your library.

Once they accept, the book appears in their Kindle library and they can start reading it when ready on any of their Kindle devices or the Kindle app. They do not need to do anything else — no codes to enter, no additional steps.

The borrower can read the book on multiple devices (their Kindle, phone, tablet) as long as those devices are linked to the same Amazon account. They cannot share it further or lend it to someone else.

How the 14-day lending period works

The clock starts when the borrower accepts the book, not when you send the invitation. They have exactly 14 days to read it. After 14 days, the book automatically disappears from their library and returns to yours.

The borrower can return the book early if they finish before the 14 days are up. They go to their Kindle library, find the borrowed book, click the three dots next to it, and select "Return this book." Once they return it, it comes back to your library when ready and they can no longer read it.

You cannot read the book while someone else is borrowing it. If you try to open it on your Kindle device or app, you will see a message saying the book is currently on loan. You regain access the moment the 14-day period ends or the borrower returns it early.

Restrictions and what you should know before lending

You can only lend each book once to each person. If you lend a book to your friend Sarah, you cannot lend that same copy to Sarah again. You can lend it to a different person, but only once per person. This is a permanent restriction — it does not reset after the 14 days.

You cannot lend a book you are currently reading. If you have the book open on any of your devices, the "Loan this title" option will not appear. You have to finish reading it or close it first.

The borrower must have an active Amazon account. They do not need a Kindle device — they can read on the free Kindle app for phones, tablets, or computers — but they do need to be registered with Amazon.

Some publishers do not allow lending at all. These books will not have the "Lending enabled" label, and there is no way around this restriction. You can still read them yourself, but you cannot lend them to anyone.

Borrowing a Kindle book from someone else

When someone lends you a book, you receive an email invitation from Amazon. Open the email and click the link to accept the book. It will appear in your Kindle library within a few minutes.

You can start reading when ready on any Kindle device or app linked to your Amazon account. The book will be marked as "Borrowed" in your library so you know it is not permanently yours. You do not need to do anything to return it — it automatically disappears after 14 days.

If you finish early and want to return it, go to your Kindle library, find the borrowed book, click the three dots, and select "Return this book." This sends it back to the lender when ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I lend a book to someone without an Amazon account?

No. The borrower must have an Amazon account to receive the lending invitation and access the book. They do not need a Kindle device, but they do need to be registered with Amazon and have an email address associated with their account.

What happens if the borrower does not accept the lending invitation within 7 days?

The invitation expires and the book returns to your library. You can send the invitation again if you want, but the borrower has another 7 days to accept it. There is no limit to how many times you can resend an invitation.

Can I lend a book to multiple people at the same time?

No. Once you lend a book to one person, you cannot lend it to anyone else until it is returned or the 14-day period ends. You can only have one active loan per book at a time.

Do I get the book back if the borrower's 14 days are up while they are still reading?

Yes. The book automatically returns to your library after exactly 14 days, regardless of whether the borrower has finished reading. They will lose access to it at that moment. If they want to keep reading, they would need to purchase their own copy or you would need to lend it again after the return.

Can the borrower highlight or take notes in a borrowed book?

Yes. The borrower can highlight passages, add bookmarks, and take notes just as they would in a book they own. However, these notes and highlights disappear when the book is returned after 14 days.