How to sideload books onto an old Kindle

What is sideloading?

Sideloading means copying book files directly onto your Kindle via a USB cable, bypassing the Kindle Store entirely. You download an ebook file on your computer, use Calibre to convert it to Kindle format, and transfer it to the device. The book appears on your home screen ready to read. This has always worked on every Kindle ever made, and it continues to work after the May 2026 cutoff because it does not depend on Amazon’s servers at all.

Step 1: Install Calibre

Calibre is a free, open-source ebook management application. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Download it from calibre-ebook.com and install it. The installer is straightforward — accept the defaults.

When Calibre first launches, it asks you to choose your ebook device. Select Amazon → Kindle (or your specific Kindle model if listed). This tells Calibre which output format to use when converting books.

Step 2: Get your first book

The easiest way to test sideloading is with a free ebook. Standard Ebooks publishes beautifully formatted, free public-domain books. Pick any title — we suggest starting with something short, like Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.

1. Go to standardebooks.org and choose a book.
2. Download the EPUB version (the “Compatible EPUB” option works with all devices).
3. Open Calibre and drag the downloaded EPUB file into the Calibre window. It appears in your library.

Step 3: Connect your Kindle and send the book

1. Plug your Kindle into your computer with a USB cable. The Kindle screen should show “USB Drive Mode” or similar.
2. Calibre detects the Kindle and shows a “Send to device” button in the toolbar (it also appears when you right-click a book).
3. Select the book in Calibre and click “Send to device”.
4. Calibre automatically converts the EPUB to AZW3 (the format Kindles read best) and copies it to the Kindle.
5. Eject the Kindle safely from your computer (use “Safely Remove” on Windows or “Eject” on macOS).
6. The book appears on your Kindle home screen, ready to read.

That is it. You have sideloaded a book. The process is the same for every book from now on: add to Calibre, send to device.

Format notes

Kindles natively read AZW3 (also called KF8), MOBI, AZW, TXT, and PDF. They do not read EPUB natively.

This does not matter in practice, because Calibre handles the conversion automatically. When you click “Send to device”, Calibre converts whatever format the book is in (usually EPUB) to AZW3. You never need to think about formats — just drag files into Calibre and send them to the Kindle.

Where to find free, legal ebooks

There are thousands of high-quality, completely legal free ebooks available. Here are the best sources:

• Standard Ebooks — public-domain classics with professional-quality typography and formatting. The best source for beautifully produced free books.
• Project Gutenberg — the original free ebook library. Over 70,000 books. Formatting varies but the catalogue is enormous.
• Open Library — a lending library run by the Internet Archive. Borrow one copy at a time, like a physical library.
• Your local library — many UK public libraries offer ebook loans through services like BorrowBox or Libby. Check your library’s website. Some provide EPUB files that Calibre can convert for your Kindle.

Optional: Calibre’s wireless content server

If you find USB cables inconvenient, Calibre has a built-in content server that lets you download books to your Kindle over WiFi. In Calibre, go to Connect/share → Start content server. Then open the Kindle’s experimental browser, navigate to your computer’s local IP address and port (Calibre shows you the URL), and download books directly.

This is slower than USB transfer and requires your Kindle’s WiFi to be on, but it avoids the need for a cable. It works on all Kindle models with a web browser.

Going further

The Old Kindle Survival Guide covers sideloading in more depth, including Calibre’s KFX Output plugin (for the highest-quality Kindle formatting), metadata management, bulk library organisation, and how to strip DRM from your own legitimately purchased ebooks so they are not locked to a single device. £3.99, instant PDF download.

Get the Survival Guide →