You can send a Kindle book directly to another person's email address through Amazon, and they'll receive it in their Kindle library without needing to buy it themselves
Amazon's gift feature works for most Kindle books — you choose the book, enter the recipient's email address, add a personal message, and pick a delivery date. The recipient gets an email notification with the book already in their Kindle library, ready to read on any device that has the Kindle app installed. This is different from buying a physical book and mailing it; the digital copy arrives instantly on your chosen date.
The process takes about five minutes and costs the same as buying the book for yourself. You don't need to know the recipient's Amazon password or account details — just their email address. If they don't have a Kindle device or app yet, they can download the free Kindle reading app for their phone, tablet, or computer and start reading right away.
Key Takeaways
- You can gift Kindle books directly through Amazon's website or app by entering the recipient's email address and choosing a delivery date.
- Most Kindle books are may be able to access for gifting, but some titles have restrictions set by the publisher and cannot be sent as gifts.
- The recipient receives an email notification and the book appears in their Kindle library automatically — they don't need to do anything to accept it.
- You can schedule the gift to arrive on a specific date, which is useful for birthdays or holidays.
- If the recipient doesn't own a Kindle device, they can read the book using the free Kindle app on their phone, tablet, or computer.
How to send a Kindle book gift from a computer
Go to Amazon.com and search for the book you want to gift. On the book's product page, look for a button that says "Give as a Gift" — it's usually near the "Buy Now" button. Click it, and Amazon will ask you to sign in if you're not already logged in.
Enter the recipient's email address in the field provided. This is the email address associated with their Amazon account, or any email address where they can receive the notification. Type in a personal message if you'd like — this message will appear in the email they receive. Then choose the delivery date: you can send it immediately or pick a specific date up to one year in advance. Click "Continue" and review your order, then complete the purchase. The recipient will receive an email from Amazon with the book ready in their library.
How to send a Kindle book gift from the Amazon app
Open the Amazon app on your phone or tablet and search for the book. Tap on the book's title to open its product page. Scroll down until you see "Give as a Gift" and tap it.
Enter the recipient's email address and write a message if you want to. Select your delivery date — today or any date in the future — and tap "Continue". Review the order and tap "Complete Purchase". The process is the same as on a computer, just adapted for your phone screen.
What happens when the recipient receives the gift
The recipient gets an email from Amazon saying someone sent them a Kindle book. The email includes your personal message and a link to the book. They don't have to do anything special — the book automatically appears in their Kindle library under "My Library" on whatever device they use to read.
If they already have a Kindle device or the Kindle app installed, they can start reading immediately. If they don't have either, they can click the link in the email or download the free Kindle app from the Apple App Store, Google Play, or Amazon's website. The book will be waiting for them once they sign into their Amazon account.
Books that cannot be sent as gifts
Some publishers restrict their Kindle books from being gifted. You'll find out whether a book is giftable before you complete the purchase — the "Give as a Gift" button will either be there or it won't. If it's not available, you can still buy the book for yourself, but you cannot send it to someone else as a gift.
This restriction is set by the publisher, not by Amazon, and varies by title. There's no way to work around it. If a book you want to gift isn't giftable, you could instead buy a physical copy and mail it, or send the recipient a gift card so they can purchase the Kindle book themselves.
Scheduling a gift for a future date
When you click "Give as a Gift", Amazon lets you choose when the recipient receives it. You can send it today, or pick any date up to one year from now. This is useful for birthdays, holidays, or anniversaries — you can buy the gift now and have it arrive on the exact day you want.
The recipient will receive the email notification on the date you choose, and the book will be in their library at that same time. If you schedule a gift and then change your mind, you can cancel it before the delivery date by going to your Amazon orders and selecting the gift order.
What you need to know about Kindle book gifting
The recipient must have an Amazon account to receive and read a gifted Kindle book. If they don't have one, they can create a free account using the email address where they receive the gift notification. They don't need a Kindle device — the free Kindle app works on phones, tablets, computers, and web browsers.
Once the book is in their library, they own it just like any other book in their account. They can read it, highlight passages, add notes, and access it from any device where they're signed into their Amazon account. They cannot gift the book to someone else, and they cannot return it for a refund — gifted books are final purchases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I gift a Kindle book to someone who doesn't have an Amazon account?
Yes. When you send the gift, you enter their email address. They'll receive an email from Amazon with the book and a link to claim it. They can create a free Amazon account using that email address and start reading right away. The account creation takes less than a minute.
What if I send a gift to the wrong email address?
If you notice the mistake before the delivery date, go to your Amazon orders, find the gift, and cancel it. You'll get a refund. If the delivery date has already passed, contact Amazon customer service with the order number — they can sometimes redirect the gift to the correct email address, but it depends on whether the wrong recipient has claimed it.
Can the recipient re-gift a Kindle book to someone else?
No. Once a book is in someone's Kindle library, they can read it and keep it, but they cannot send it to another person. If they want to share a book with a friend, they would need to buy a separate copy as a gift.
Do I need to buy a Kindle device to send Kindle book gifts?
No. You just need an Amazon account and a payment method. You can send Kindle books as gifts whether or not you own a Kindle device yourself. The recipient can read on any device with the free Kindle app.
Is there a limit to how many Kindle books I can gift?
Amazon doesn't publish a specific limit, but if you're gifting many books at once, Amazon may flag the activity as unusual. For normal gift-giving — a few books a year — there's no practical limit. If you're buying gifts in bulk, you could space them out over a few days to avoid any issues.