Linking Libby to Kindle takes five minutes and happens in the Libby app itself
Open the Libby app on your phone or tablet, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), and select Settings. Scroll to Connected Services and tap Amazon Kindle. You will be asked to sign in with your Amazon account — use the same email address connected to your Kindle device or app. Once you authorize, Libby knows where to send your books.
The connection works one direction: from Libby to Kindle. When you borrow an ebook from your library through Libby and choose to send it to Kindle, it arrives in your Kindle library within seconds. You do not need to do anything else. The book will appear on whichever Kindle device or app is linked to that Amazon account.
This only works for ebooks. Audiobooks borrowed through Libby stay in the Libby app and cannot be sent to Kindle. If you want to listen to library audiobooks on a Kindle device, you would need to use the Libby app itself instead.
Key Takeaways
- You connect Libby to Kindle through the Libby app's Settings menu under Connected Services, using your Amazon account login.
- Once linked, you can send borrowed ebooks directly to your Kindle device or app with one tap when you check out the book.
- The connection only works for ebooks — audiobooks from Libby cannot be sent to Kindle and must be read in the Libby app.
- Books sent to Kindle appear in your Kindle library and can be read on any device signed into that same Amazon account.
- If you change your Amazon password, you may need to re-authorize Libby in Settings, but the process is the same.
What happens when you send a book to Kindle from Libby
When you find an ebook you want in Libby and tap Borrow, a new option appears: Send to Kindle. Tap that button, confirm your Kindle device or app from the dropdown list, and the book is delivered to your Kindle library. You do not need to read it separately or move files around.
The book appears with a loan period — usually 14 or 21 days depending on your library's settings. When the loan expires, the book automatically disappears from your Kindle. You do not have to return it manually. If you want to keep reading after the loan ends, you can borrow the same title again if it is available, or place a hold and wait for your turn.
Your Kindle will show the book with a small note that it is a library loan, so you know it is temporary. You can highlight, bookmark, and use the dictionary just like any other Kindle book.
Troubleshooting a broken Libby-to-Kindle connection
If the Send to Kindle button does not appear in Libby, the connection has broken. The most common cause is a changed Amazon password. Go back to Libby Settings, tap Connected Services, and look for Amazon Kindle. You should see an option to Reconnect or Re-authorize. Tap it and sign in with your current Amazon password.
If you still do not see the button after reconnecting, check that you are using the same Amazon account on both Libby and Kindle. If you have multiple Amazon accounts, Libby will only send to the one you authorized. Sign out of Libby, sign back in with the correct account, and try the connection again.
Some libraries have older systems that do not support sending to Kindle. If you have reconnected and still cannot find the option, contact your library's digital services desk. They can tell you whether your library offers this feature.
Why a book might not send to Kindle even with the connection active
Not every ebook in Libby can be sent to Kindle. Some publishers restrict how their books can be read, and those titles can only be read inside the Libby app itself. When you try to borrow a restricted title, you will see a message saying it cannot be sent to Kindle — you can still borrow it, but you will read it in Libby instead.
This is a publisher decision, not a Libby or Amazon decision. Different editions of the same book may have different restrictions. If one version cannot go to Kindle but another can, Libby will show you which is which before you borrow.
You can still read restricted books in Libby on your phone, tablet, or web browser. The app works well for reading, and you can highlight and bookmark the same way you would on Kindle.
Managing your library loans across Libby and Kindle
Once a book is sent to Kindle, it lives in your Kindle library, not in Libby. You can read it from any Kindle device or the Kindle app on your phone, tablet, or computer. Your Libby app will still show the loan in your Loans section so you know when it expires.
If you want to stop reading a book early and free up the loan for someone else, you can return it from either place. In Kindle, find the book and select Return this book from the menu. In Libby, go to your Loans section, find the book, and tap Return. Either way, the book disappears from both Kindle and Libby when ready.
You can have multiple library loans on Kindle at the same time. There is no limit to how many borrowed books you can have in your Kindle library, though your library may have a limit on how many books you can borrow at once (usually 50 or more).
When to read in Libby instead of sending to Kindle
Some readers prefer to keep everything in Libby because it is simpler — one app, one place to manage all your loans. If you borrow many books at once or like switching between titles quickly, reading in Libby avoids clutter in your Kindle library.
Libby also works on more devices than Kindle does. You can read Libby books on your phone, tablet, computer, or web browser. If you read on different devices throughout the day, Libby syncs your place automatically across all of them. Kindle does this too, but only for devices signed into the same Amazon account.
If you have a Kindle e-reader and want to read library books on it specifically, sending to Kindle is the right choice. If you mostly read on your phone or tablet, reading directly in Libby is often faster and keeps your Kindle library less cluttered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I send the same book to multiple Kindle devices?
No. When you send a book to Kindle from Libby, you choose one device or app from the dropdown list. The book goes only to that device. However, if multiple devices are signed into the same Amazon account, you can read the book on all of them — it automatically syncs across devices on that account.
What if my library does not use Libby?
Some libraries use OverDrive, Hoopla, or other apps instead of Libby. Each app has its own connection process. Check your library's website to see which app they use, then look in that app's settings for a Kindle connection option. Not all library apps support sending to Kindle.
Do I lose the book if I unlink Libby from Kindle?
Books already sent to Kindle stay in your Kindle library until the loan expires. Unlinking just stops you from sending new books. If you want to send more books later, you can reconnect using the same process.
Can I send a book to Kindle if I am on a waiting list for it?
No. You can only send a book to Kindle after you have borrowed it and it is in your Loans section. While you are waiting for your turn, the Send to Kindle option is not available.
Does the book count against my Kindle storage?
No. Library loans do not use your Kindle storage. Amazon stores them separately, and they disappear automatically when the loan ends, so there is nothing to delete.