Delete a book from your Kindle in three steps
To remove a book from your Kindle device or app, find the title in your library, press and hold it (or right-click on a computer), and select delete. The book disappears from your device immediately. If you own the book, it stays in your Amazon account and you can download it again later. If you borrowed it through Kindle Unlimited or your library, the book is gone once you delete it — you cannot get it back unless you borrow it again.
The exact steps differ slightly depending on whether you are using a Kindle e-reader, a phone or tablet app, or a computer. This guide walks you through each one so you know exactly what to tap or click.
Key Takeaways
- Deleting a book from your device does not delete it from your Amazon account — you can download it again anytime if you own it.
- Borrowed books (from Kindle Unlimited or your library) cannot be recovered after deletion unless you borrow them a second time.
- The delete option is in a menu you access by pressing and holding the book title on a Kindle device, or right-clicking it on a phone, tablet, or computer.
- Deleting a book frees up storage space on your device but does not affect your Amazon library or billing.
Delete a book from a Kindle e-reader
On a Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Oasis, or basic Kindle device, go to your library by pressing the home button. Scroll through your books until you find the one you want to remove. Press and hold the book cover for two to three seconds until a menu appears.
Tap Delete from the menu. A confirmation message will ask if you are sure. Tap Yes to confirm. The book is now removed from your device and no longer takes up storage space. Your Amazon account still owns the book (if you purchased it), so you can download it again by going to your library and tapping the cloud icon next to the title.
Delete a book from the Kindle app on your phone or tablet
Open the Kindle app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device and go to your library. Find the book you want to delete. On an iPhone or iPad, swipe left across the book cover. On an Android device, press and hold the book cover until a menu appears.
Tap Remove from Device (iPhone/iPad) or Delete (Android). The book disappears from your app immediately. If you own the book, it remains in your Amazon library. You can re-download it by tapping the cloud icon next to the title in your library. If the book was borrowed through Kindle Unlimited or your library's lending program, you will need to borrow it again to read it.
Delete a book from Kindle on a computer or web browser
Go to Amazon.com and sign into your account. Click Account & Lists in the top right corner, then select Your Content and Devices. You will see a list of all your Kindle books.
Find the book you want to delete and click the three-dot menu button next to it. Select Delete from the dropdown menu. A confirmation box will appear asking if you want to delete the book. Click Delete again to confirm. The book is removed from your library and all your devices. If you purchased the book, you can restore it to your library by contacting Amazon customer service, though this is rarely necessary since you can simply re-download it from your account.
The difference between deleting and archiving
When you delete a book from your device, it is removed from that specific device only — not from your Amazon account. This is different from archiving, which hides a book from your library view but keeps it in your account. Most people delete books to free up storage space on their device.
If you want to hide a book from your library without deleting it, you can archive it instead. On a Kindle device, press and hold the book and select Archive Item. On the Kindle app or Amazon website, look for an archive option in the same menu where you would find delete. Archived books do not show up in your library list, but you can restore them anytime by going to your account settings and viewing archived items.
What happens to borrowed books when you delete them
If you borrowed a book through Kindle Unlimited or your library's digital lending program, deleting it ends your access to that copy. You cannot read it anymore unless you borrow it again. Some libraries let you borrow the same book multiple times, but others have limits on how many times you can borrow a single title.
Before you delete a borrowed book, check whether you have finished reading it or marked your place. Kindle saves your reading progress, but only while the book is on your device. Once you delete it, your bookmarks and notes in that book are gone. If you think you might want to read the book again, consider archiving it instead of deleting it — this keeps your progress saved without taking up device storage.
Freeing up storage space on your Kindle
Kindle devices have limited storage, especially the basic Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite. If your device is running slowly or you cannot download new books, you may be out of storage space. Deleting books you have finished reading is the fastest way to make room.
To check how much storage you have left, go to Settings on your Kindle device and look for Device Info or Storage. This shows you how much space is used and how much is available. Books with lots of images or color illustrations take up more space than text-only books. If you have many books on your device, delete the ones you are least likely to re-read. You can always download them again later since they stay in your Amazon account.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I delete a book I purchased, can I get it back?
Yes. Deleting a book from your device does not remove it from your Amazon account. You can download it again anytime by going to your library and tapping or clicking the cloud icon next to the title. If you want to permanently remove a purchased book from your account entirely, you would need to contact Amazon customer service.
Will deleting a book affect my Kindle Unlimited subscription?
No. Deleting a Kindle Unlimited book from your device does not charge you or affect your subscription. You simply end your access to that borrowed copy. You can borrow the same book again later if you want to read it a second time, depending on your library's lending rules.
What is the difference between removing from device and deleting?
On the Kindle app, "Remove from Device" and "Delete" mean the same thing — they both take the book off your phone or tablet but keep it in your Amazon account. The wording just differs between iPhone and Android. Your book remains in your library and you can re-download it anytime.
Can I delete multiple books at once?
On a Kindle device, you have to delete books one at a time. On the Kindle app and Amazon website, some versions let you select multiple books and delete them together, but this varies by device and app version. If your app does not show a select-all option, deleting one book at a time is the standard method.
Does deleting a book free up storage space immediately?
Yes. The storage space is freed up as soon as you confirm the deletion. If your device was running slowly because it was full, you should notice an improvement right away. However, if your device is still slow after deleting several books, the problem may be something else — try restarting your Kindle by holding the power button for 20 seconds.