Amazon has made reading books on Kindle as simple as clicking a button every few minutes. However, that has led to many overlooking the rest of the Kindle's abilities. Most users don't look past the standard Kindle features. Therefore, here are some tips to help you get more out of Amazon's ebook reader.

1. Convert Documents Before Sending Them to Your Kindle

Screenshot showing the convert for Kindle function-1

You might be familiar with the Send-to-Kindle feature, which is a great way to upload free books to your Kindle or to upload your documents. But while it's compatible with a vast range of file formats, only two allow you to take advantage of your Kindle's functionalities like font size and WhisperSync.

Fortunately, Amazon offers an easy solution. To convert documents to the Kindle format, you need to write "convert" as the subject line when emailing a personal document to your Send-to-Kindle address. Amazon will automatically convert the file and add it to your Kindle library.

If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can also send files to your Kindle directly from Microsoft Word.

2. Get a Clutter-Free Kindle Home Screen

Screenshots of Kindle Home screens showing the option to remove recommendations

By default, your Kindle's home screen is populated with books that Amazon thinks you might be interested in and items from your reading list, leaving little room for the books already in your library.

Fortunately, there are many ways to organize your Kindle, but if you want a quick way to view a less cluttered Kindle home screen, just tap the Library button on the bottom right side of your screen. This will display only the contents of your own library, which is less distracting.

3. Connect Goodreads to Your Kindle

Screenshot of Amazon Kindle Goodreads recommendations feature

Amazon also lets you link your Goodreads account to your Kindle. Doing so allows you to review a book, see other readers' thoughts, and keep a reading record. You'll also get personalized recommendations on what to read next.

To connect your social profiles, you will have to head into Settings and tap My Account. Go into Social Networks and configure your Goodreads account. You'll only need to do this once. Use our guide to how to get Goodreads on Kindle to get extra help.

4. View the Most Highlighted Passages in an Ebook

There's also a way to view a book's most highlighted passages on your Kindle. To read those, open the book and tap the three-dot button in the Quick Settings menu at the top of your screen. Next, click Notes & Highlights and then enter the Popular tab.

Here, you should be able to view the text highlighted by the maximum number of readers. The device will show how many people highlighted it and on which page it is situated. You can also tap any individual paragraph to jump to the associated page quickly.

5. Export Your Kindle Highlights

Screenshot of Amazon Kindle export notes feature

If you want to make the most out of your Kindle, you need to know how to share what you read. For people looking to share all their highlights and notes from a book, there's also an option for exporting those. Open any book and tap near the top of your screen to access the Quick Settings menu.

Next, tap the three-dot button at the top right and choose Notes & Highlights from the menu that appears. Your selected notes and highlights appear in a pop-up window. Simply tap Export Notes at the bottom of the window, and Amazon will send you an email with a PDF and a CSV file containing all your notes from that specific book.

6. Take a Screenshot on Your Kindle

Like your phone or computer, you can also take a screenshot on a Kindle. The process is slightly more complicated and can take a couple of attempts if you're new. You will need to tap the two opposing corners on your Kindle to capture a screenshot on your Kindle. For instance, you can tap the top right and bottom left.

If successful, the screen will flash momentarily. To use these screenshots, you will have to connect your Kindle to a computer and export them. You can find your screenshots in the root location, not inside any specific folder.

7. Extend Your Kindle's Battery Life

Screenshots showing airplane mode and page refresh options in Kindle

Your Kindle probably lasts weeks on a single charge, which is one of many reasons why you should buy a Kindle ereader. However, it's still annoying to see it has run out of battery when you're about to start reading a new book. With a few tweaks, you can extend its battery life even further.

The first tweak is to turn on Airplane mode when you're not downloading or browsing new books. The quickest way to do so is to swipe down while reading to reveal the Quick Settings menu and tap the Airplane icon.

In addition, you can also switch off Page Refresh from the Reading Options in Settings. Disabling this setting will prevent the Kindle from manually refreshing its e-paper screen with every page turn.

The screen needs to be refreshed because e-paper displays can suffer from an issue called "ghosting," where residues of the last page's text are visible on the next. Leaving the Page Refresh setting on ensures you never run into ghosting. However, even without it enabled, it's highly unlikely you will ever encounter any problems. If you do, you can always turn it back on.

8. Quickly Change Your Kindle's Brightness

A quick tip to improve your reading experience on Kindle is to adjust the brightness to whatever feels right for you. The brightness slider on your Kindle makes it easy to switch it to the exact brightness level to suit your reading conditions.

Simply swipe down from the top to reveal the Quick Settings menu. Then, slide the Brightness bar to suit you. And if you press and hold the minus (–) and plus (+) signs on the right and left, the screen will instantly switch to the minimum or maximum brightness.

If you own a Kindle Paperwhite or Oasis model, check the Auto Brightness box next to the slider, and the device will adjust automatically using a built-in light sensor. It’s perfect for reading during changing light conditions.

9. Master a Language Using Your Kindle

Screenshot of Kindle Oasis showing the Vocabulary Builder and Flashcards functions

Kindle devices come with a built-in tool called Vocabulary Builder for readers who are trying to get better at understanding English. When you enable and use Vocabulary Builder on your Kindle, you can reveal dictionary definitions if you long-press any word in a book.

When you look up a word using this method, it is added to your Kindle's Vocabulary Builder by default, and you can see a complete list of the words you have searched for. Display them as a list or choose to see them as flashcards to make learning even easier.

Vocabulary Builder is enabled by default. You can access its settings by going to Settings > Reading Options > Vocabulary Builder.

10. Use Bookmarks While Reading

Screenshot of Kindle Oasis showing the bookmark feature

Amazon makes it easy to add and manage your Kindle bookmarks. The Whispersync feature means it will always save your place in your book. But you can use the Bookmarks function and leave your own markers to help you remember key locations and return to them easily.

Just tap the top right corner of the screen while reading, and a ribbon marker will appear with the chapter number. Tap the plus sign next to the page information to set the bookmark. The marker will change color. Check your bookmarks by choosing the bookmark icon from the book's menu.

Expand Your Amazon Kindle Library

While most of these tips may seem trivial, they can significantly improve your experience, especially if you're an active Kindle user. You may find yourself reading more frequently. And there are many great sources of reading material Kindle readers can take advantage of.