Delete a book from your Kindle in three steps
To remove a book from your Kindle device or app, find the title in your library, press and hold it (or right-click on a computer), and select delete. The book disappears from your device when ready. On most Kindles, you can also swipe left on a title to delete it without opening a menu.
Deleting a book from your device does not delete it from your Amazon account. You can read it again later without paying again — Amazon keeps a record that you own it. This matters because Kindle storage is limited, especially on older devices or tablets with many apps installed.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are using a Kindle e-reader, a Kindle app on a phone or tablet, or a web browser. Each method takes less than a minute.
Key Takeaways
- Deleting a book from your device does not remove it from your Amazon account, so you can read it again anytime.
- On Kindle e-readers, press and hold a title and tap delete, or swipe left on the book cover to remove it.
- On Kindle apps for phones and tablets, swipe left on a book (iOS) or press and hold it (Android) to delete.
- You can also delete books through Amazon.com by going to your library and selecting remove from device.
- Permanently erasing a book so you cannot read it again requires a different process through your Amazon account settings.
How to delete from a Kindle e-reader
On a Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Oasis, or basic Kindle device, go to your library by pressing the home button. Scroll to find the book you want to remove. Press and hold the title for two seconds until a menu appears with options including delete.
Tap delete. The book is removed from your device storage when ready. If your Kindle has a touchscreen, you can also swipe left across the book cover to bring up a delete button without opening the menu.
On older Kindles without touchscreens, use the directional pad to highlight the book, press the menu button, and select delete from the options that appear. The exact button names vary by model, but the process is the same.
How to delete from the Kindle app on your phone or tablet
On an iPhone or iPad running the Kindle app, open your library and find the book. Swipe left across the book cover. A delete button appears on the right side of the screen. Tap it to remove the book from your device.
On an Android phone or tablet, press and hold the book cover until a menu appears. Select remove from device or delete. The book is removed from your phone or tablet but remains in your Amazon library.
If you use the Kindle app on multiple devices, deleting from one device does not affect the others. You can have the same book on your phone and your tablet, and delete it from only one of them.
How to delete through Amazon.com
Go to Amazon.com and sign in to your account. Click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner and select your library or content and devices. Find the book you want to remove and click the three dots next to its title.
Select remove from device. The book is deleted from whichever Kindle device or app you were last reading it on. If you want to delete it from all your devices at once, you will need to repeat this step for each one, or delete it individually from each device.
This method is useful if you are at a computer and want to manage your library without picking up your Kindle. It also shows you which device each book is currently on.
The difference between deleting and permanently removing a book
When you delete a book from your device, it stays in your Amazon account. You own it and can read it again anytime. Amazon stores your library in the cloud, so your purchase history and notes are preserved.
If you want to permanently remove a book so you cannot read it again, the process is different. Go to Amazon.com, click your account menu, and select content and devices. Find the book, click the three dots, and select delete from library. This removes it from your account entirely. You will have to buy it again if you change your mind.
Most people never need to permanently delete a book. Removing it from your device is enough to free up storage space.
Why you might want to delete books from your device
Kindle devices have limited storage. A basic Kindle holds about 1,000 books, but if you have many large books with images or comics, you may run out of space faster. Deleting books you have finished or do not plan to read soon makes room for new ones.
On Kindle apps for phones and tablets, storage is shared with other apps and photos. Removing books you are not actively reading frees up space for other uses. You can always read them again when you want to read them.
Deleting also keeps your library organized. If you have hundreds of books, removing ones you will not read again makes it easier to find the ones you want.
What happens to your notes and highlights when you delete a book
Your notes and highlights are saved in your Amazon account even after you delete the book from your device. When you read the book again, your notes and highlights reappear in the same places.
If you permanently delete a book from your library (not just from your device), your notes and highlights are also deleted. Amazon does not keep them separately. If you think you might want to reference your notes later, consider leaving the book in your account and just removing it from your device instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a book I borrowed from Kindle Unlimited?
Yes. Borrowed books delete the same way as purchased books. Deleting it removes it from your device but returns it to the Kindle Unlimited library, so you can borrow it again later. You are not charged anything for deleting a borrowed book.
What if I delete a book by accident?
Go to your Amazon library and read it again. It takes a few seconds. Your notes and highlights will be there when it finishes downloading. If you permanently deleted it from your account, you will need to buy it again or borrow it through Kindle Unlimited.
Does deleting a book free up space on my Amazon account?
No. Deleting a book from your device does not affect your Amazon account storage. Your account stores your library in the cloud, and that storage is not limited. Deleting only frees up space on the device itself.
Can I delete multiple books at once?
On most Kindle devices and apps, you delete one book at a time. On Amazon.com, you can select multiple books using checkboxes and delete them together, which is faster if you want to remove many at once.
Will the author or publisher know if I delete their book?
No. Deleting a book from your device is private. Amazon does not report deletions to authors or publishers. They only know you purchased the book, not what you do with it afterward.