- Hint: The Apple iPad offers a better experience than Kindle for reading. If you have downloaded some.mobi files from Amazon bookstore, you can easily convert and transfer these books to iPad for reading with MOBI to ePub Converter for Mac.
- Plug the Fire into your Mac using a micro USB cable (the one that’s not included in the box), double-click the Kindle volume that appears on your Mac’s desktop, open the Download folder,.
If you buy an item via this post, we may get a small affiliate fee. Details.
If you want to read Kindle books on Mac and other portable devices like iPad, Nook, Kobo, Sony Reader, BlackBerry Playbook and other readers that not compatible with Kindle books, you need to extract Kindle book files from your Kindle device and make conversions on Mac. Extract Kindle Files on Mac. Kindle's filing system isn't particularly tidy. It consists of three key folders called audible, music and documents. The first two contain your audiobooks and MP3s, the third, 'documents', holds.
The easiest way to add a personal file to the Kindle account is to email it as an attachment to the email address associated with your Kindle device or app.
See also:Bookish images and ideas to share not only during World Book Day
– April 21, 2021
50 classic bookish words modern book lovers could use more often
– April 15, 2021
There is, however, one factor that makes it impossible. It’s the file size limit.
The size limit of the file emailed to Kindle is being caused by two factors:
- attachment size limit of your email provider – for instance, for Gmail the limit is 25 MB,
- size limit on the Amazon side – Amazon won’t accept personal files bigger than 50 MB.
There is a growing number of ebooks that are packed with pictures and multimedia, and therefore are much larger than 50 MB. Cookbooks, picture books or graphic novels are making their way to e-readers and book reading apps. And, of course, Kindle Store is not the only source of them.
More and more ebook vendors offer books in mobi – the file format supported by Kindle.
Even if ebook platforms provide the function to send the purchased file to the Kindle automatically, it won’t happen in the case of ebooks exceeding the accepted size of the outgoing email.
How to send large files to the Kindle or Kindle application? Luckily, there is more than one way of doing it. You can pick up the one that suits you most.
For the purpose of clarity, we’ve grouped the guide in three sections:
There is one more thing you have to keep in mind. The 50 MB is the maximum size of the personal file that will be added to your Kindle cloud library.
Kindle cloud library is the archive of all your books you ever purchased in the Kindle Store or sideloaded. The books are available to download to any of the connected Kindle devices or apps and their content can be synced.
Any file larger than 50 MB can be added directly to the Kindle e-reader or Kindle app, but can’t be backed to Kindle cloud library, and therefore you won’t access it from any other device.
There is another way to cope with the problem. The solution is to reduce the size of the file. We won’t deal with it right now, but, in short, you can use Calibre ebook management software to strip images from the file.
If you have questions regarding the solutions we shared, please do not hesitate to ask.
Read also50 best Kindle covers and sleeves – the 2020-21 edition
Add large ebooks to Kindle or Kindle app
How to add large files to Kindle e-reader
If you want to add the large personal document directly to your Kindle e-reader, you can do it in two ways.
1. Transfer files via USB cable
This solution lets add ebooks that are larger than 50 MB. It’s convenient when you want to add multiple files at once. You can use it both on a PC and Mac computer.
1. Connect your Kindle to the computer
Use the cable that came with your Kindle, to connect the e-reader to the USB port of your computer. The Kindle should be visible as an external disc.
2. Copy the files to the Kindle
Click on a Kindle disc image. Inside, you’ll see the folder named “documents.” Copy the file or files onto it.
2. Use Send to Kindle app on your computer
This solution lets add multiple personal documents to your Kindle account, but you can only send files no bigger than 50 MB.
If you plan to add to your Kindle library a lot of third-party files, the Send to Kindle app is the most convenient way. Besides adding many files at once, it lets you select several Kindle devices or apps, as well as archive the documents in your Kindle cloud library.
1. Open the Send to Kindle app on your computer
If you still don’t have the Send to Kindle app, you can download it from Amazon. It’s available both for PC or Mac computers.
3. Add files to Send to Kindle app
You can add files in three ways:
- drag and drop files to the Send to Kindle application,
- use the Print menu in any application that can print,
- control-click (Mac) or right-click (PC) on the document or documents.
Kindle Files On Android
Below, you can see how to add the file to the Send to Kindle app on a Mac computer.
Drag the file anywhere inside the Send to Kindle window. In the bottom part, you’ll find the list of all devices that are connected to your Kindle account. Select your Kindle e-reader.
Download From Mac To Kindle
If you also want the file to be immediately backed up in the Kindle cloud library, check the box “Archive documents in your Kindle Library.”
How to add large files to Kindle for iOS app
If you own iPhone or iPad, you can add the file to Kindle for iOS application in three ways.
1. Use a cloud storage app such as Dropbox
The solution works for files larger than 50 MB. I’ve tested it on a book that is 70 MB. You’ll be adding the books one by one. If you want to add files in bulk, please use two other methods.
I’ll guide you how to use Dropbox, but you can also successfully use Google Drive or any other cloud storage service.
If you don’t have Dropbox, you’ll need to sign up to the service first.
1. Download the book to your PC/Mac computer
If you’ve bought the book in the third-party ebookstore or found the book in one of the sites that offer free public domain ebooks, make sure to download the file in mobi format.
From here, upload the file to your Dropbox account. You can do it via the web browser or the Dropbox desktop application.
2. Use Dropbox app on the iPhone/iPad to open the file
If you don’t have Dropbox app, you can download it from the App Store.
When you open Dropbox, locate the file and tap it (image below, on the left).
Wait a bit until Dropbox processes the file. The message “No Preview Available” will appear. Tap the three-dot icon in the top right corner (image below, middle).
In the drop-down menu, tap “Export” (image below, right).
A sharing menu will open. Tap “Open in…” icon in the lower row (image below, left).
Then, tap “Copy to Kindle” icon in the upper row (image below, right). If you don’t see this icon in the row, tap the “More” icon in the same row, and make sure to enable the Kindle sharing menu feature.
Kindle for iOS app will open and load the file you’ve just added. It may take a while, depending on the size of the document you wanted to sideload to your Kindle for iOS app.
2. Use iTunes app on a computer
This solution also works for files that are larger than 50 MB. You will be able to add multiple files at once.
The guide shows how to connect iPhone or iPad to a Mac computer, but you can also do it on a PC computer, using iTunes for Windows application.
1. Connect your iPad or iPhone to the computer
Use the USB cable to connect your iOS device to the computer. Open iTunes app if it doesn’t start automatically.
When your device successfully connects to the computer, its icon will appear in the top left corner of the iTunes app.
2. Copy the file to the relevant folder in iTunes
To find the folder holding the files from the Kindle for iOS app, click “Apps” in the sidebar on the left (see picture below).
On the right side, you’ll see “Apps” section. Scroll down to reveal “File Sharing” section. Underneath, you’ll find the list of apps. Select Kindle.
To the right, you’ll see the files that rest inside Kindle for iOS app (see image below).
Now, the only thing is to drag the file from the desktop to the field underneath “Kindle Documents” and drop it there (see image below).
Wait for the upload to finish, click “Done” and disconnect the iPhone/iPad from the computer.
3. Use Send to Kindle app on your computer
This solution lets add multiple personal documents to your Kindle account, but you can only send files no bigger than 50 MB.
If you plan to add to your Kindle library a lot of third-party files, the Send to Kindle app is the most convenient way. Besides adding many files at once, it lets you select several Kindle devices or apps, as well as archive the documents in your Kindle cloud library.
1. Open the Send to Kindle app on your computer
If you still don’t have the Send to Kindle app, you can download it from Amazon. It’s available both for PC or Mac computers.
2. Add files to Send to Kindle app
You can add files in three ways:
- drag and drop files to the Send to Kindle application,
- use the Print menu in any application that can print,
- control-click (Mac) or right-click (PC) on the document or documents.
Below, you can see how to add the file to the Send to Kindle app on a Mac computer.
Drag the file anywhere inside the Send to Kindle window. In the bottom part, there are listed all devices that are connected to your Kindle account. Select your iOS device and any other you want.
If you also want the file to be immediately backed up in the Kindle cloud library, check the box “Archive documents in your Kindle Library.”
How to add large files to Kindle for Android app
You can sideload large ebooks to your Android smartphone or tablet in two ways.
1. Use a cloud storage app such as Dropbox
The solution works for files larger than 50 MB. I’ve tested it on a book that is 70 MB. You’ll be adding the books one by one. If you want to add files in bulk, please use two other methods.
I’ll guide you how to use Dropbox, but you can also use Google Drive or any other cloud storage service.
If you don’t have Dropbox, you’ll need to sign up to the service first.
1. Download the book to your PC/Mac computer
If you’ve bought the book in the third-party ebookstore or found the book in one of the sites that offer free public domain ebooks, make sure to download the file in mobi format.
From here, upload the file to your Dropbox account. You can do it via the web browser or the Dropbox desktop application.
2. Use Dropbox app on Android device to open the file
If you don’t have Dropbox app, you can download it from the Google Play Store.
When you open Dropbox, locate the file. Tap options icon (see image below, on the left).
The menu will slide up from the bottom. Tap “Open with…” option, and select Kindle.
Sometimes, you may get a message saying that there is no app capable of opening the file. You can alternatively select from the menu not “Open with…” but “Export” option. Then select “Send to Kindle.” This option, however, will let you add files that are smaller than 50 MB.
2. Use Send to Kindle app on your computer
This solution lets add multiple personal documents to your Kindle account, but you can only send files no bigger than 50 MB.
If you plan to add to your Kindle library a lot of third-party files, the Send to Kindle app is the most convenient way. Besides adding many files at once, it lets you select several Kindle devices or apps, as well as archive the documents in your Kindle cloud library.
1. Open the Send to Kindle app on your computer
If you still don’t have the Send to Kindle app, you can download it from Amazon. It’s available both for PC or Mac computers.
3. Add files to Send to Kindle app
You can add files in three ways:
- drag and drop files to the Send to Kindle application,
- use the Print menu in any application that can print,
- control-click (Mac) or right-click (PC) on the document or documents.
Below, you can see how to add the file to the Send to Kindle app on a Mac computer.
Drag the file anywhere inside the Send to Kindle window. In the bottom part, there are listed all devices that are connected to your Kindle account. Select your Android device and any other you want.
If you also want the file to be immediately backed up in the Kindle cloud library, check the box “Archive documents in your Kindle Library.”
• • •
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If you buy an item via this post, we may get a small affiliate fee. Details.
Having Kindle books stored in the cloud is very convenient. It allows to sync reading progress between devices registered to the same account. It also is a way to back up the books you don’t currently read.
See also:Bookish images and ideas to share not only during World Book Day
– April 21, 2021
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Well, sometimes it’s good to back up the books the other way round. In this post, we’ll show how to do it, using:
- the Kindle e-reader,
- the Kindle for Mac/PC application.
Ebookstores have much more control over Kindle users’ accounts than anyone could imagine. This e-reader privacy chart explains this in detail.
In other words, someone else has access to your Kindle library and it’s not 100% up to you what and when will change. It’s how cloud storage works, we either deny it or live with it.
While removing content from user’s account is an exception, you may see changes in books you’ve bought. It happens when a publisher updates the file associated with the book. It could be just a formatting, or it could be a new edition that differs from what you had before.
Before moving to the guides, please keep in mind that ebooks from Amazon are DRM-ed. You won’t be able to read them on any other app or device. Or, to put it differently, you will be able after you get rid of the DRM layer.
Tips shared below will let you bring the books you purchased in Amazon’s Kindle Store to you computer – just in case something wrong happens on the other side.
Read also50 best Kindle covers and sleeves – the 2020-21 edition
Back up Kindle books using Kindle e-reader
This tip works for anyone who owns a Kindle e-reader. It’s a quite useful idea to get access to the ebook library even when you don’t have access to the internet.
Also, it’s good if you want to add to your Kindle – and therefore, Kindle cloud library – the books that you acquired from other sites. We’ve got the extended list of the sites that offer free Kindle ebooks from the public domain.
There are two steps to back up Kindle ebooks via Kindle e-reader:
- Connect the Kindle to your computer via USB cable.
- Find the folder containing the books and copy it to disc.
1. Connect the Kindle to your computer with a USB cable
When you connect the Kindle to your computer, either PC or Mac, it will appear as an external drive. Open the drive icon, and locate the folder named “documents”.
Among other files types, the folder contains files in .azw format. It’s a .mobi file, protected with Amazon’s own DRM.
2. Copy the folder to a desired destination
Drag the “documents” folder to a desired place on your disc. You can also copy it to any cloud service you use, like Dropbox or Google Drive.
These cloud services are different from the cloud served by the Amazon. The files there are yours, and no one will change or update them if you don’t allow it.
Things to remember
Please keep in mind that you’ll copy only the files that are stored on the Kindle e-reader, and not the ones archived in the cloud.
To back up all the books from your Kindle library, you’ll first need to download them to the Kindle e-reader, which may take some time.
Back up Kindle books using Kindle desktop app
Using Kindle desktop app is convenient for Kindle users who don’t own an e-reader, and use mobile apps (iOS, Android) to read the ebooks.
It’s also good for Kindle e-reader owners who keep most of their books not on the e-reader but in the cloud.
There are four steps to back up Kindle books via Kindle desktop app:
- Download the Kindle desktop application (there are versions for PC and Mac).
- Download the books from the cloud to the app.
- Locate the folder with Kindle books on your computer.
- Copy it to disc.
1. Download the Kindle desktop app
The Kindle application lets you not only manage, but also read Kindle books on the computer. It’s available for the following systems:
- Kindle for Windows 7, XP and Vista
- Kindle for Windows 8
- Kindle for Mac
When you go to free Kindle apps page on Amazon and click on the Download button, the version that fits the operating system of your computer will start downloading immediately.
After instaling the app, open it and sign in with your Amazon credentials.
2. Download the books from the cloud
In the app, in the Library view on the left, you’ll see how many books you have in your Kindle cloud library. There are three sections:
- All items – how many books you have in your Kindle account in total,
- Downloaded items – how many books you have on the disc of your PC or Mac computer,
- Archived items – these books are stored in the Kindle cloud, and not downloaded to the computer.
Each book that’s not on your computer has a cloud icon in the bottom right corner.
To download the book (on Mac), either double-click on the book cover or select “Download” from a Ctrl+Click menu.
There is no option to download the Kindle books in bulk. You’ll have to do it title by title, but with the double-click, it’s pretty fast.
Please have in mind that just like with Kindle e-reader, you’ll have to download all the books from the archive to the Kindle app, if you want to back up all of them.
3. Locate the folder with downloaded books
During installation, Kindle desktop app creates a folder where all future downloads will be stored.
Below there are paths to find that folder:
- Mac ⇢ ~/Library/Containers/com.amazon.Kindle/Data/Library/Application Support/Kindle/My Kindle Content
- Windows 7, XP, Vista ⇢ C: / Users / Your User ID / Documents / My Kindle Content
- Windows 8 ⇢ C: / Users / Your User ID / AppData / Local / Amazon / Kindle / application / content
I tested the directory on the Mac computer. For details on Windows, please read this Kindle forum.
Useful links
Here are a couple of reference links, in case you need more assistance:
- Free Kindle apps – the download page for Kindle application, not only for PC or Mac, but also iOS and Android.
- Kindle for Mac on the App Store – this is a download link for Mac users who prefer to get the Kindle app from the Mac App Store.
- Kindle for PC installation instructions – if you have problems with installing the Kindle app on your PC, had tot his section of Amazon Help Pages.
- Kindle for Mac support – assistance in installing and managing the Kindle for Mac application.
• • •
To get more posts like this, please subscribe by RSS or email. Let’s also connect on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
More posts for Kindle users:
10 translated Kindle books for World Book Day 2021 are announced and free to download
– April 15, 2021
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– March 22, 2021
Kindle Mac Address
Kindle Unlimited: the best new books to read in 2021
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– November 25, 2020