How to Hard & Soft Reset Most Kindle Devices

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Troubleshoot common issues by restarting or resetting your Kindle
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If your Kindle becomes unresponsive, is running slow, or has frequent problems, you can troubleshoot it by trying a reset. A soft reset will solve most issues, but you can also reset the device to its factory settings (hard reset) for a more permanent solution. This guide will teach you how to reset any Kindle and help you troubleshoot problems with resetting and deregistering your e-reader.

Quick Steps

  1. Swipe down from the top the screen.
  2. Tap the Settings or All Settings icon.
  3. Choose Device Options or select Menu .
  4. Tap Factory Reset or Reset Device .
  5. Tap Yes .
Section 1 of 4:

How to Hard Reset Your Kindle

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A factory reset returns your Kindle to the same state it was in when you received it, so it’s a good option if a soft reset doesn't work, or you’re gifting or selling your Kindle. This process will delete all your personal information and any content you've downloaded to your Kindle.

  1. This opens the Quick Actions panel. [1]
  2. You'll see one of these two icons, which looks like a cog, depending on your Kindle model. This opens your settings menu.
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  3. You'll see either Device Options or Menu depending on your Kindle generation.
    • If you're using a 1st generation Kindle, select Reset to Factory Defaults instead, and follow the on-screen prompts to reset the Kindle.
  4. Or, if you have an older Kindle, you may see Reset Device instead. A pop-up will inform you that your settings, information, and content will be removed from the device.
  5. A pop-up will inform you that your settings, information, and content will be removed from the device.
    • After resetting your device, you can download any Kindle books from the cloud.
    • This method works for most modern Kindle models, including Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Scribe, Kindle Oasis, and Kindle Voyage. If you have an older Kindle, see Resetting Older Kindle Models for more specific instructions.
    • Doing a factory reset will also deregister your Kindle. If you run into problems with the factory reset, try deregistering your Kindle manually by going to https://amazon.com/mydevices , selecting your Kindle, and clicking the Deregister button. [2]
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Section 2 of 4:

How to Soft Reset Your Kindle

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If your Kindle is slow, freezing, unresponsive, not syncing, won't connect to Wi-Fi, or otherwise misbehaving, a soft reset (restart) can clear up these glitches. This type of reset won't delete your settings or books, so it makes a great first troubleshooting step for any Kindle problems.

  1. Continue holding down the button until the power menu appears. On some models, including the Paperwhite, you'll find the button on the right side near the bottom, and on others, it may be on the back. [3]
    • If the screen goes blank or you don't wind up seeing a power menu, don't worry—just continue holding down the power button for 40 seconds, and then release the button to restart your Kindle.
    • If you have a 1st generation Kindle,
    • If you have a 1st Generation Kindle and cannot restart it, turn the power switch off, open the back cover, and remove the battery. Wait 1 minute and put the battery back in place. Replace the cover and turn the power switch to “On.”
  2. If a menu pops up, selecting this option will restart your Kindle.
    • You can also restart your Kindle by swiping down from the top of the screen to open the Quick Actions menu and selecting All Settings > Device Options > Restart .
    • If the Kindle freezes again or doesn’t respond to the reset, charge it for at least 30 minutes, then try the soft reset again.
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Section 3 of 4:

Resetting Older Kindle Models

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    • Factory reset: Turn the power switch On and open the back cover with your finger or a small sharp object. Find the tiny hole, which is the reset button. Take a sharp pen, extended paperclip, SIM tool, or toothpick, and press the button for 30 seconds or until your Kindle turns off. Wait until your Kindle reboots itself. [4]
    • Soft reset (reboot): Turn the power switch Off , remove the back cover of your Kindle, and remove the battery. Wait one minute, reinsert the battery, and turn your Kindle back on.
    • Factory reset: Slide and hold the power button for 30 seconds. Immediately after this, press and hold the Home button until your Kindle screen flashes. When your Kindle finishes rebooting, it will be restored to its original factory settings. [5]
    • Soft reset (reboot): Slide and hold the power switch for 40 seconds, then release the switch.
    • Factory reset: Slide and hold the power switch for at least 20 seconds, let go of the switch, and immediately press and hold down the Home button until the Kindle restarts.
    • Soft reset (reboot): Charge your Kindle DX for about 30 minutes. After that, unplug your Kindle, slide and hold the power switch for 40 seconds, and then release the switch. [6]
  4. Hold the power button for 15-30 seconds. After this, wait for the Kindle to reboot. This restores your Kindle to the original factory settings. If this does not work, repeat the steps when your Kindle is fully charged.
    • Factory reset: First, try a soft reset, as detailed below. If that doesn't work, charge your Kindle for at least 30 minutes. Then, press the Home button, then the Menu button, select Settings , and then press the Menu button again. Select Reset to Factory Defaults , then wait for your Kindle to reset. [7]
    • Soft reset (reboot): Slide and hold the power switch for 15 seconds, then release the button. The screen will go blank for about 30 seconds and then turn back on. [8]
    • Factory reset: Press the Home button, press the Menu button, select Settings , then choose Reset to Factory Defaults .
    • Soft reset (reboot): Press and hold the power button for 15 seconds, then release. After 30 seconds, your Kindle will restart. [9]
    • Factory reset: Tap the 3 lines on the top right corner of the Home screen, select Settings . Click the three-line menu again and select Reset Device .
    • Soft reset (reboot): Press and hold the power button for 20 seconds, then release. If this doesn't fix your Kindle Paperwhite, plug it into power for a few minutes and then try again.
    • Factory reset: To reset your Kindle Fire , swipe down twice from the top of the Home screen, tap Settings (the gear), and go to Device Options > Restore to Factory Defaults . If this doesn't work, turn off your Kindle Fire tablet, press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously for about 5 seconds to start recovery mode, then select Wipe data/factory reset . [10]
    • Soft reset (reboot): Press and hold the power button until your Kindle Fire turns off. Wait about a minute, then turn it back on.
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Section 4 of 4:

Troubleshooting

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  1. If you can't navigate the menus of your Kindle, or your Kindle doesn't seem responsive to pressing and holding the Power button, place the Kindle on its charger and allow it to charge for 30 minutes or longer. When the charge is complete, disconnect your Kindle from the charger, press and hold the Power button for 40 seconds, and release the power button.
  2. This error usually occurs when your Kindle's battery has completely drained and it's been a long time since you charged it. Here's what you can do to fix it:
    • Plug your Kindle into a power source that is not your computer, such as a wall charger. The charging light should illuminate—if it doesn't, or if it turns off after a few seconds, try a different charger, and make sure the light is steady. [11]
    • Allow the Kindle to charge for a few hours, then remove the Kindle from the charger.
    • If you still see the Critical Battery screen, disconnect the charger, hold the power slider for 20 seconds, and then release it.
    • As soon as you release the power switch, hold down the Home button for 30-45 seconds—after about that long, the Kindle's screen will flash. Release the Home button when you see the flash.
    • Your Kindle will now boot into recovery mode. Press and hold the R key until the Kindle's screen flashes again.
    • Even if you see the Critical Battery screen again, plug the Kindle back in, then wait for your Kindle to restart to the Home screen.
    • If this doesn't fix the screen, the Kindle is not restorable. Since you're using an older model, your best option is to get a newer Kindle.
  3. If you use VoiceView on your Kindle (on the Oasis, Scribe, Voyage 7th generation and later, Kindle 8th/10th/11th generation, or Paperwhite 7th/10th/11th generation), you'll need to download the VoiceView audio file from https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=202199580 . [12]
  4. If you get a message like "Your Kindle is unable to connect at this time, make sure you are in wireless range and try again" when you try to factory reset or deregister your Kindle using its internal menus, follow these steps:
    • First, put your Kindle into airplane mode by swiping down on the Home screen and tapping the Airplane Mode icon. [13]
    • In a web browser, go to https://amazon.com/mydevices and log in to your Amazon account.
    • Select your Kindle, click Deregister , and follow the on-screen instructions.
    • Once deregistered, go to Settings > Device Options (or Menu ) > Factory Reset or Reset to Factory Defaults to reset your Kindle.
  5. If you try to reset your Kindle but it freezes before coming back up, plug it into a charger, allow it to charge to 100%, and then do a soft reset .
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    My Kindle won't display images on websites. Can I fix this?
    Community Answer
    Check your Silk browser settings and make sure images are turned on. If images are turned on but still won't display, a soft reset might fix this problem.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 8
  • Question
    Why is my Kindle showing a different language?
    Community Answer
    Your Kindle is set to a different language. You can change it in your settings.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Not Helpful 11 Helpful 12
  • Question
    My Kindle Fire shows a blank screen and doesn't respond to any buttons or touches. What should I do?
    Community Answer
    Try holding the power button -- a battery should show up. If it does, that means you need to charge your Kindle. If the battery doesn't show up, go ahead and plug the Kindle in for an hour or so before repeating the same step. If the screen is still blank, your Kindle may need to be replaced.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=G4EWAYLEKM2UGFAC
      2. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GP383NNSU4NSHP7C
      3. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=G9WDGDTCSDQMSU7Z
      4. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20130228045047/http://resetkindle.info/how-to-reset-kindle-1.html
      5. ↑ https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/customerdocumentation/EK2/Troubleshoot+Your+Kindle+(2nd+Generation).pdf
      6. ↑ https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/customerdocumentation/EDX/Troubleshoot+Your+Kindle+DX+(2nd+Generation).pdf
      7. ↑ https://kindle.s3.amazonaws.com/Kindle_User%27s_Guide_English.pdf
      8. ↑ https://kindle.s3.amazonaws.com/Kindle_User%27s_Guide_English.pdf
      9. ↑ https://kindle.s3.amazonaws.com/Kindle%20User%27s%20Guide%2C%204A%20Ed.%20-%20English.pdf
      1. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GBMYCY5F7P7XFMWH
      2. ↑ https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/kindle-critical-battery-error
      3. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=202199580
      4. ↑ ttps://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GGDFGS7YKTQRS6B9
      5. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200226050

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Try a simple restart to see if that fixes the problem.
      2. Turn on the Kindle.
      3. Select Menu .
      4. Select Settings .
      5. Select Menu again.
      6. Select Reset Device or Reset to Factory Defaults .

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