E-readers have become a staple for anyone who wants to take their reading on the go. Rather than lugging around a hardcover or paperback book, you can use ane-reader, toss it in your bag, and go on your merry way. It’s not tough to tote around a hardcover or paperback book that’s light and short, but if you’re trying to carry Infinite Jest, you probably want to rethink your decision. The portability of e-readers makes them so much fun to own and build up a collection of books.

TheKindlefrom Amazon is one of the most recognizable e-readers on the market. There are multiple versions,both in black and white and in color, and there are several terrific features that set it apart from the competition. Plus, Kindle’s book library offers millions of titles, many of which are free for users to download. You can also hook up your library card and borrow books to your Kindle, allowing you to take yourlibrarybooks with you with ease.

A hand holds the Boox Go 6 over blurred grass with yellow leaves.

This tiny e-reader is my favorite travel companion

The Boox Go 6 is small enough to bring with me wherever I go.

Using a Kindle is easy and reading with it anywhere, day or night, indoors or outdoors, is great. That’s because they feature an easy-to-read typeface and a backlit screen, making it light up in all scenarios. But to actually read a book, you have to download one first. So, how do you actually download a book to your Kindle to accomplish this reading? Read on to find out.

Kindle logo

Amazon Kindle represents either a mobile app or a physical e-reader. You are able to download books, magazines, and audiobooks to your e-reader through your Kindle account.

There’s so much that offered on the platform

If you’re new to Kindle, there is so much that you’re able to use it for. There’s the standard reading of a book, which is simple to do, and you can download a ton of books to your Kindle to do so. You can also purchase digital books and read them on your e-reader. Those won’t ever leave your Kindle account. Audiobooks are also available on your Kindle to listen to. Not only can you listen to an audiobook read by someone else, but you can actually get your Kindle to read you a book you’ve downloaded by reading selected text.

You can even download magazines to your Kindle and read them. Short novels and novellas are also available.

kindle with bluetooth headphones

What are the different subscriptions for Kindle?

You can choose between three options

If you want to get the most out of your Kindle, you should consider utilizing one of Amazon’s subscriptions. The first is Prime Reading, which comes with an Amazon Prime account. If you have a Prime account, you are automatically enrolled in Prime Reading. This opens up a rotating collection of over 3,000 comics, books, audiobooks, and magazines for you to download and enjoy. Prime Reading customers can borrow up to 10 books at a time.

Amazon Prime memberships cost $14.99 per month or $139 per year.

Kindle (2024)

Prime Reading is available through the Kindle app. The Kindle app can be used on your Kindle (the software and interface built into the e-reader), mobile smartphones, and other tablets. So you can download a book to your account through Prime Reading on your Kindle and then read it on your phone through the Kindle app if you want.

How to use your Amazon Prime Reading perk to get free books

If you’re a Prime member, you can use Prime Reading to access free books. Here’s everything you need to know about this Prime benefit for book lovers.

Kindle Unlimited opens up even more titles for you to check out, with a massive library of more than four million.

How to use your Amazon Prime Reading perk to get free books

If Kindle Unlimited seems overwhelming, Kindle Vella might be the perfect middle ground. Kindle Vella is for people who love reading episodically, similar to how many of us consume shows and podcasts. It’s a platform that allows creators to post episodic stories that readers enjoy one at a time. Rather than a flat fee, users can buy tokens and purchase episodes of stories for the tokens. It’s a great way for up-and-coming authors to get their writing out in the wild.

It depends on what you want

For those who don’t have a Kindle subscription, the best thing to do is download a sample of a book. This gives you a small portion, rather than the entire book. The same goes for downloading an audiobook, as you’ll only get a small sample. If you have Prime Reading, you can download a book to your Kindle account in just a few clicks. It’s the same process if you have Kindle Unlimited.

That will start the download to your account, allowing you to read it from your physical Kindle or another device using the Kindle mobile app. This is the same process for ebooks, magazines, comics, graphic novels, and audiobooks. If you want to return one of the titles you’ve downloaded, click on the title and click Return this book. That clears it from your account, freeing up space for more books.