How to Remove Ads From a Kindle in 2026
Cheaper Kindles are sold with what Amazon calls Special Offers: adverts on the lockscreen and a banner at the bottom of the home screen. They never appear inside a book, so they interrupt nothing while you read, but they are the first thing you see every time you pick the device up.
They can be removed permanently for a one off fee, and sometimes for nothing. Here is how, and how to decide whether to pay.
What is in this guide
Quick verdict
- Never shows ads: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB
- The standard model: Kindle Paperwhite 16GB (2024)
- Also carries ads: Kindle 16GB (2024)
Where the ads appear
| Location | Ads shown? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Inside a book | Never | Reading is never interrupted |
| Lockscreen | Yes | A full screen advert instead of a book cover |
| Home screen banner | Yes | A strip along the bottom |
| Signature Edition | Never | Sold without Special Offers |
| Kids editions | Never | Ad free as part of the bundle |
Because ads never appear inside a book, many readers pay nothing and simply ignore them.
The picks
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB
Ad free by design
- Ads: None, and none to remove
- Storage: 32GB
- Charging: Wireless
The Signature Edition ships without Special Offers, so there is nothing to pay and nothing to switch off. It also adds wireless charging and an automatic front light.
If ads are your only objection to a standard Paperwhite, paying the removal fee is the cheaper route. If you wanted the other features anyway, this settles the question.
Pros
- No ads ever
- Wireless charging
- Automatic light
Cons
- A significant premium over the standard model
Check Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB price on Amazon
Kindle Paperwhite 16GB (2024)
Ads removable
- Ads: Shown by default
- Removal: One off fee on your account page
- Alternative: Buy the without ads version at checkout
The standard Paperwhite is offered at checkout in two versions, with and without Special Offers. Buying the ad free version costs the same as buying the cheaper one and paying to remove them later, so it makes no difference which route you take.
What does matter is that the removal is tied to the device, not your account. Removing ads on one Kindle does not clear them from another.
Pros
- Choose at purchase or change your mind later
- Same total cost either way
Cons
- The fee applies per device
Kindle 16GB (2024)
Ads removable
- Ads: Shown by default
- Removal: Same one off fee
The basic Kindle uses the same system. Given its lower price, the removal fee is a larger proportion of what you paid, which is worth weighing before you buy.
A full comparison of the two cheaper models is in Paperwhite against the basic Kindle.
Pros
- Same simple removal process
Cons
- The fee is a bigger share of a cheaper device
The exact steps
The option is not on the Kindle. It is on the Amazon website, in a place that is easy to walk past.
- Sign in to Amazon on a computer or in a browser, not the shopping app.
- Open Account and Lists, then Content and Devices.
- Switch to the Devices tab and select your Kindle from the list.
- Find Special Offers in the device details and choose Remove offers.
- Confirm the one off charge. The lockscreen changes within a few minutes, or after the next sync.
If Special Offers does not appear in the device details, your Kindle was sold without them and there is nothing to remove.
Getting it done for free
Amazon support can waive the fee and reasonably often does. It is not a published policy, so treat it as a request rather than an entitlement.
Open a chat through Amazon customer service, select your Kindle as the item, and ask plainly whether the Special Offers can be removed as a courtesy. It helps if the device is newly bought, if it was a gift, or if you have paid the fee on a previous Kindle. Being polite about it matters more than any particular wording.
If the answer is no, the paid route takes two minutes and is permanent for that device.
Is it worth paying?
Two honest arguments, and the answer depends on how you use the device.
Against paying: ads never interrupt reading. If your Kindle lives in a cover and you open it straight into your book, you may see the lockscreen only in passing. Plenty of people keep the ads for years and stop noticing them.
For paying: the lockscreen would otherwise show the cover of what you are reading, which is genuinely pleasant, and the home screen banner takes space from your library. If the Kindle sits on a table where you see it all day, that is worth the fee. If ads bother you before you have even bought, the which Kindle to buy guide covers the models that never show them.
FAQ
How do I remove Kindle ads?
Go to Amazon, open Account and Lists, then Content and Devices, choose the Devices tab, select your Kindle, and use the Special Offers option to remove them. The charge is one off and takes effect within minutes.
Can I get ads removed for free?
Sometimes. Customer service has discretion, particularly on a recently purchased device or if you have paid to remove ads on a previous Kindle. A polite chat request is worth trying before you pay.
Do ads appear while I am reading?
No. They only show on the lockscreen and as a home screen banner.
Does removing ads carry over to a new Kindle?
No. The removal applies to the specific device, so a replacement Kindle starts with ads again.
Can I just turn them off in the settings?
No. There is no setting on the device itself. It has to be done through your Amazon account page.
Which should you buy?
Final verdict
Remove them from your account page on Amazon, not from the device. It is a one off charge and it applies immediately, or buy a Signature Edition which never shows them at all.
- Never shows ads: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB
- The standard model: Kindle Paperwhite 16GB (2024)
- Also carries ads: Kindle 16GB (2024)