What Formats are Compatible with Kindle and how to Convert the ones that are not?

The new bookstores are digital and Amazon has revolutionized the literary market with its shelf of books available to read on Kindle, the top reading app for digital books on Amazon and Android devices.

Nevertheless, not all text formats are supported with the Kindle reader. Find out which formats the application accepts and which ones it does not; Also, learn how to convert incompatible formats to be able to read them from Kindle without any problem.

What are the limitations for reading a digital book with Kindle?

Although it is a fairly comfortable and complete application, Kindle has its limitations, too. Despite this, it stands out among the best applications for reading books. Still, you should be aware of the Kindle’s weaknesses.

Accessibility to formats

The Amazon reader stands out for being compatible with a number of formats, which gives it versatility. However, with the large number of formats out there, you need external applications to convert the files before you can display them properly. A format incompatible with Kindle is the ePUB format..

Wasting time converting files

Given its incompatibility with some formats, a file conversion process is required to be able to read certain books with the Kindle app. This is time consuming as you need to download a conversion app and then set the new format before you start reading.

What are the types of formats that Kindle supports?

Learn about all the formats that the Kindle application is capable of reading and take advantage of its book catalog. To have access to your entire library, activate Kindle Unlimited and make the most of one of the best virtual bookstores. The application is compatible with the formats presented below.

Kindle format 8

The native and exclusive format for Kindle, AZW3. It was developed by Amazon to work on its Kindle tablets from the seventh generation. It works perfectly smoothly and is fully compatible with Kindle.

For versions earlier than Kindle format 8

Before the 7th generation of Amazon e-readers, the native format was AZW. It was also developed exclusively for Kindle and is still the main format on Kindle tablets of old generations.

MOBI and PRC without DRM protection

A free standard format that now belongs to Amazon is MOBI. While it is not exclusive, it is well integrated with the Kindle app. PRC is another format that, like MOBI, they can only be read if they do not have DRM protection. However, there are methods to remove DRM and read any book on Kindle.

TXT type format

It’s a basic text format. E-books are not usually available in this format, but it can be useful for making notes that are compatible with Kindle viewing.

Some PDF

Although it is not an e-book format, it can be read from Kindle. The only downside is that may not be displayed correctly depending on its content.

What format is the most appropriate for Kindle?

The formats MOBI, AZW and their variant AZW3 They are the Kindle defaults, therefore, they are the most recommended for reading books from the application created by Amazon.

What is the way to convert the formats that are not supported by Kindle?

When you come across an e-book that is in a format that is incompatible with Kindle, you can resort to a simple method, the format conversion. To do it, you have two alternatives.

With a program

The Caliber application, available for computers, can convert the format of your e-books. You don’t need to have a lot of knowledge, just select your device model and the program will give you the necessary assistance for the rest of the process.

From an online converter

If you want to convert the file to a specific format, you can also use an online converter where you only need to upload the book and wait for the conversion to complete to download it in the new format.

Why doesn’t Kindle read a supported format?

It may be due to a sync error, a problem with the application, or an error within the file. To fix it, check your internet connection, update the Kindle app or email the file and download it again from there.