What to do when your Kindle freezes during a download

⚡ Fast fix

• Give the download a minute. A large book or slow connection can make progress look stuck.
• Check Wi-Fi. If the download isn’t moving, make sure your Kindle™ is actually online.
• Restart the Kindle. A reboot can clear a download that has frozen the device.
• Still staring at the same progress bar?
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Waiting a few seconds for a Kindle book to download is one thing. Watching the progress bar sit in the same spot while the rest of the Kindle stops responding is another—especially when you were planning to be a chapter or two in by now.

At Asurion, we know how frustrating it is when the tech that’s supposed to disappear into the background suddenly becomes the main event. Here’s how we’d get a frozen Kindle and its book download moving again.

Check whether the Kindle is frozen or just the download

Try opening the library, tapping another book, or navigating through Settings. If the Kindle responds normally but one title refuses to finish downloading, leave the rest of the device alone and focus on that book.

When taps and menus stop responding too, the Kindle itself has likely frozen. At that point, waiting on the download isn’t going to tell you much more.

Make sure Wi-Fi is still connected

A download that starts normally and then stops partway through makes the connection worth checking. See whether your Kindle still shows a Wi-Fi connection and try opening the Kindle Store or another feature that needs internet access.

If the connection has dropped, reconnect to Wi-Fi and give the download another chance. When other devices are struggling on the same network, restart the router before doing anything more drastic to the Kindle.

Restart a Kindle that won't respond

If the whole device has frozen, press and hold the Power button for about 40 seconds, then release it. Give the Kindle time to restart fully before pressing anything else.

A forced restart doesn't erase your library or account. Once the Kindle is back, reconnect to Wi-Fi and check whether the book resumes downloading.

Remove a download that keeps getting stuck

If the Kindle works normally after restarting but the same book freezes every time you try to download it, we'd stop repeating the same download.

Press and hold the title or open its three-dot menu, then choose Remove Download if a partial copy appears on the device. Restart the Kindle and download the book again from your library.

Don't choose Permanently Delete just to troubleshoot a stuck download. That removes the title from your library rather than simply clearing the copy stored on the Kindle. Our guide to removing books from your Kindle explains the difference.

Check whether storage is getting tight

If several books refuse to download—or the Kindle has generally become sluggish—take a look at available storage before blaming the individual titles.

Remove downloads for books you've finished or other content you don't need stored locally. Purchased Kindle books can stay in your Amazon library and be downloaded again later, so there's no need to permanently delete them just to make room.

Make sure the Kindle is current

A Kindle that repeatedly freezes during downloads even after you've checked Wi-Fi and storage is worth checking for a software update.

Connect to Wi-Fi and look in Settings for the software-update option available on your Kindle model. Once the update finishes, restart the device and try downloading the book again.

When one book is always the problem

If other books download normally but the same title keeps getting stuck, that's an important clue. We'd stop troubleshooting the entire Kindle and focus on that book or its download.

Leave the problem title removed for now and try another book. If everything else downloads without freezing, resetting the whole Kindle would be a pretty dramatic response to one stubborn title.

FAQ

Why is my Kindle book stuck downloading?

Check the Wi-Fi connection and available storage first. If only one book is affected, remove its download and try downloading it again.

How do I restart a Kindle that's completely frozen?

Press and hold the Power button for about 40 seconds, release it, and give the Kindle time to restart.

Will restarting my Kindle delete my books?

No. A normal or forced restart doesn't erase your Kindle library or Amazon account.

Why does only one Kindle book refuse to download?

If other books download normally, the issue is likely isolated to that title or its current download rather than the Kindle itself.