How to Fix a Kindle That's Frozen (2024)

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Troubleshooting an unresponsive Kindle

By

Jeremy Laukkonen

How to Fix a Kindle That's Frozen (1)

Jeremy Laukkonen

Writer

  • Shoreline Community College

Jeremy Laukkonen is automotive and tech writer for numerous major trade publications. When not researching and testing computers, game consoles or smartphones, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles .

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Updated on May 24, 2022

Reviewed by

Jon Fisher

How to Fix a Kindle That's Frozen (2)

Reviewed byJon Fisher

  • Wichita Technical Institute

Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA-certified technologist with more than 10 years of experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.

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Tablets

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    This article explains what to do if your Kindle has locked up, with all of the most common ways to fix a Kindle that’s frozen. If your Kindle is powered on, but it’s unresponsive, then you can use these methods to fix it.

    Did your Kindle remain frozen so long the battery died, and now it won’t turn on? You can also fix a Kindle that won’t turn on.

    What Causes a Kindle to Freeze Up?

    When your Kindle device locks up or freezes and becomes unresponsive, it’s usually due to one of these issues:

    • Overworked processor: Kindles don’t have a lot of processing power, so it’s easy to overload. This usually happens when using the browser to visit webpages.
    • Memory problems: Kindles also have a limited amount of memory, and they can freeze if loaded with too much data. This also usually happens when using the web browser.
    • Low battery: If the battery is low, it can result in reduced power to the processor and the Kindle may freeze.
    • Outdated firmware: If your Kindle hasn’t been updated in a while, it may freeze due to problems with the firmware, or a lack of support for the feature you’re trying to use.

    How Do You Get Your Kindle To Unfreeze?

    In a lot of cases, you can unfreeze a Kindle by restarting it. If you’re dealing with an overloaded processor or memory, then restarting the Kindle will clear everything out and allow the Kindle to work normally again. If that doesn’t work, then there are a few other fixes that you can try.

    Here’s how to unfreeze a Kindle that has locked up:

    1. Restart the Kindle. When your Kindle locks up, the best way to fix the problem is to restart the device. You can give it a couple minutes to unfreeze if you like, but resetting is a quick and easy process and it doesn’t remove any data.

      To restart an unresponsive Kindle, press and hold the power button until the screen flashes, then release the power button. The Kindle will restart, and you can start reading again.

    2. Charge the Kindle. In some cases, you’ll find your frozen Kindle won’t restart even if you hold the power button down for 40 or more seconds. If that happens, then try charging your Kindle first.

      After the Kindle has charged for several hours, check to see if it works. If the Kindle is still frozen, leave it connected to the charger, then push and hold the power button. The screen should flash after about 10 to 40 seconds, and the Kindle will restart.

    3. Update the firmware. If you experience repeated lock ups, then you may be dealing with outdated firmware. Restart your Kindle using one of the methods described above, then update the firmware.

      To update the firmware, navigate to Amazon’s Kindle software update page and download the relevant software update.

      You can then connect your Kindle to your Windows PC with a USB cable, and drag the software update file to the Kindle. You can then disconnect the Kindle from your PC, tap Menu (three vertical dots) > Settings > Menu (three vertical dots) > Update Your Kindle.

    4. Factory reset the Kindle. If your Kindle still experiences freezing problems, then performing a factory reset may help. This will erase everything from the Kindle, so you’ll have to connect it to your Amazon account and redownload your books afterwards.

      To factory reset a Kindle, swipe down and tap Quick Actions or Menu > Settings or All Settings > go to Device Options or Menu > Reset (for older devices, select Reset Device again) > YES.

    5. Contact Amazon. If you’ve restarted your device, fully charged the battery, updated the software, and have performed a factory reset on the Kindle, and it still keeps locking up, then it is likely in need of repairs. It may be eligible for free repairs or replacement, or Amazon may be able to offer other solutions. Contact Amazon support for additional assistance.

    FAQ

    • How do you fix a Kindle that won't charge?

      A Kindle not charging is almost always a problem with the battery. If it's completely depleted, try keeping it connected to power for an extended amount of time; eventually, it should come back on and charge normally. Otherwise, you'll need to schedule servicing to have the battery replaced.

    • How do I reset a Kindle Fire?

      Depending on the age and model of your Kindle Fire, you'll find the reset commands in one of two places. For newer ones, go toSettings>Device Options>Reset to Factory Defaults>Reset. For older models, try Settings>More>Device>Reset to Factory Defaults>Erase everything.

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    How to Fix a Kindle That's Frozen (2024)

    FAQs

    How to Fix a Kindle That's Frozen? ›

    Restart your Kindle to resolve intermittent issues such as a frozen screen or slow performance. Press and hold the power button until either a power dialog box appears or the screen goes blank. Continue holding the power button for 40 seconds, then release.

    How do I fix an unresponsive Kindle? ›

    Just press and hold the power button until you see the Power menu appear, then tap Restart. If you press and hold the power button but the screen simply goes blank, continue holding the button for at least another 40 seconds, and it should reset automatically.

    Why has my Kindle frozen and won't turn off? ›

    The problem you're having is often due to the software in the Kindle locking up and it needing to be rebooted. To do this, simply press and hold the power button on the Kindle for 40 FULL seconds, then release and wait a full minute for it to reboot (do no press anything else within that minute).

    What happens when Kindle freezes? ›

    If that happens, then try charging your Kindle first. After the Kindle has charged for several hours, check to see if it works. If the Kindle is still frozen, leave it connected to the charger, then push and hold the power button. The screen should flash after about 10 to 40 seconds, and the Kindle will restart.

    Is there a reset button on a Kindle? ›

    Kindle devices typically don't have a physical hard reset button. To perform a hard reset, you can press and hold the power button for about 40 seconds until the device restarts. Make sure to release the button after the device restarts.

    What to do if your Kindle is frozen and won't wake up? ›

    Restart your Kindle to resolve intermittent issues such as a frozen screen or slow performance. Press and hold the power button until either a power dialog box appears or the screen goes blank. Continue holding the power button for 40 seconds, then release.

    How to force turn off Kindle? ›

    Locate the power button on the bottom of your Kindle device and depending on your Kindle model, either slide or hold the button for 40 seconds to turn your Kindle device off.

    What to do if Kindle is not responding to touch screen? ›

    You can reboot your Kindle device. Press and hold the power button for 40 seconds or until the device restarts. If the issue persists and you opt for getting a new device, here's information about how to recycle your old device: Recycling Your Amazon Device. Let us know if you need help with anything else.

    How do I unfreeze my Kindle app? ›

    Try closing the Kindle app completely and see if it works when you re-open the app : from the home screen (i.e. not with the Kindle app 'open' on-screen) double-click the home button to bring up the taskbar, then press and hold any of the apps on the taskbar for a couple of seconds or so until they start shaking, then ...

    How to reboot kindle fire? ›

    To force your Amazon Fire tablet to restart, simply press and hold the Power button until the device restarts, which could take 20–40 seconds. You may see an onscreen option to turn off your tablet, but you should ignore this. Once the device is off, press the Power button again to turn it back on.

    How often should you restart your Kindle? ›

    Every computer benefits from a restart now and then; more rarely computers need to get wiped clean and start fresh. To that end it is beneficial to restart your Kindle occasionally (once a month or even every few months is fine if there are no issues like sluggishness).

    How do I unfreeze my Kindle Oasis? ›

    Try rebooting as follows: Plug it in until the charging light turns green, unplug it, press and hold the power button in for 30 seconds (time it), then release and leave it alone for a few minutes.

    How to unlock a Kindle? ›

    Here are a few steps you can follow to try and resolve the issue:1. **Hard Reset**: Press and hold down the power button for 20 seconds or longer. Then turn the device back on by hitting the power button again. If this doesn't work, you might need to charge your Kindle for a while and then try the hard reset again.

    What causes a Kindle to stop working? ›

    One of the most common reasons and the one that can be fixed easiest is that your Kindle is running out of power. When your device has significant low power than it reduces the power going to the main processor therefore causing it to freeze and malfunction.

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