You can gift a Kindle book directly through Amazon, and it arrives in the recipient's email within minutes
Amazon lets you send a Kindle book to someone else's email address, and they receive it immediately without you needing their account details. The recipient can read it on any device that has the Kindle app — a Kindle e-reader, phone, tablet, or computer. You choose whether to include a personal message, and you can schedule the gift to arrive on a specific date if you want to surprise them later.
The process takes about two minutes from your Amazon account. You do not need to know the recipient's Amazon password, and they do not need to do anything to accept it — the book simply appears in their library.
Key Takeaways
- You send Kindle books through Amazon.com by finding the book, clicking "Buy as a Gift," and entering the recipient's email address.
- The recipient receives the book in their email within minutes and can start reading immediately on any device with the Kindle app.
- You can add a personal message and choose to send it right away or schedule it for a future date.
- The recipient's email address is all you need — you do not require their Amazon account information or password.
- Not all Kindle books can be gifted; some publishers restrict this option, and the book details page will tell you if gifting is available.
How to gift a Kindle book in five steps
Start on Amazon.com and search for the book you want to gift. Open the book's page and look for the price button — next to "Buy Now" you will see a dropdown arrow or a link that says "Buy as a Gift" or "Give as a Gift." Click that option.
A form will appear asking for the recipient's email address, a personal message (optional), and the delivery date. Type in the email address where you want the book to arrive. If you want to send it right now, leave the date as today. If you want it to arrive on a birthday or holiday, select that date instead. Add a message if you like — something like "Happy birthday, thought you'd enjoy this" — then click the button to complete the purchase.
Amazon will charge your account the same price as a regular Kindle book purchase. You will receive a confirmation email, and the recipient will receive their own email with the book attached and your message included. They can click the link in that email to open the book, or it will automatically appear in their Kindle library if they are signed into their Amazon account.
What happens if the book cannot be gifted
Some publishers do not allow Kindle books to be sent as gifts. If this is the case, the "Buy as a Gift" button will not appear on the book's page, or it will be grayed out and unclickable. You will see text that says something like "This title is not available for gifting."
When this happens, your only option is to buy the book for yourself and send the recipient a gift card instead. Amazon sells Kindle gift cards in any amount from $5 to $500, and you can email those directly as well. The recipient can then use the gift card balance to buy the book themselves, or any other Kindle book they want.
Using a gift card if gifting is not an option
To send a Kindle gift card, go to Amazon.com and search for "Kindle gift card." You will find both physical cards (which arrive by mail) and digital cards (which arrive by email). Choose the digital option if you want it to arrive quickly.
Select the amount you want to send, enter the recipient's email address, add a message, and choose whether to send it now or on a specific date. The recipient will receive an email with a code they can redeem in their Amazon account. The balance will appear in their account and they can spend it on any Kindle book, or anything else Amazon sells.
Making sure the recipient can actually read the gift
The recipient does not need to own a Kindle device to read a book you send them. Amazon's free Kindle app works on iPhones, Android phones, iPads, Android tablets, Mac computers, and Windows computers. They can download the app from their device's app store, sign into their Amazon account, and the gifted book will be waiting in their library.
If the recipient does not have an Amazon account yet, they will need to create one to read the book. The email they receive will guide them through this process. It takes about two minutes and requires only an email address and a password.
What the recipient sees and how they access the book
When you send a Kindle book as a gift, the recipient receives an email from Amazon with the subject line "You've received a Kindle book gift from [Your Name]." The email includes your personal message (if you wrote one) and a button or link to open or claim the book.
If they click the link, they will be taken to Amazon and asked to sign in. Once signed in, the book will be added to their Kindle library automatically. If they do not click the link, the book will still appear in their library the next time they sign into their Amazon account on any device. There is no action required on their part — the book is theirs to keep and read whenever they want.
Troubleshooting common problems
If the recipient says they did not receive the email, check that you typed their email address correctly. Ask them to check their spam or junk folder — sometimes Amazon emails end up there. If they still cannot find it, they can sign into their Amazon account and look in their Kindle library directly. The book should be there even if the email went missing.
If the recipient has trouble opening the book, make sure they have the Kindle app installed on their device. They can download it free from the App Store (on iPhone or iPad), Google Play (on Android), or Amazon.com (for computers). Once the app is installed and they sign in with their Amazon account, the book will open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I gift a Kindle book to someone who does not have an Amazon account?
Yes. They will receive an email with the book and a link to claim it. They can click the link and create a free Amazon account right then, or they can create an account later and the book will be waiting in their library. Either way, they do not need an account before you send the gift.
What if I want to gift a book but I do not know the recipient's email address?
You will need their email address to send a Kindle book gift. If you do not have it, send them a Kindle gift card instead — you can email that to any address and they can use it to buy the book themselves, or any other book they want.
Can the recipient return or regift a Kindle book I sent them?
Kindle books cannot be returned or transferred to another person once they are in someone's library. However, the recipient can delete the book from their library if they do not want it. They cannot sell it or give it to someone else.
Does the recipient have to pay anything to receive a gifted Kindle book?
No. The book is completely free to them. You pay the full price when you send the gift, and they receive it at no cost. They do not need a payment method on file or a Kindle Unlimited subscription to read it.
Can I schedule a Kindle book gift to arrive on a specific date?
Yes. When you click "Buy as a Gift," the form lets you choose the delivery date. You can send it today or pick any date up to one year in the future. This is useful for birthdays, holidays, or anniversaries.