Customers using an outdated software version on Kindle e-readers require an important software update by today (March 22, 2016) in order to continue to download Kindle books from the Cloud, access the Kindle Store, and use other Kindle services on their device.
According to Amazon, if you do not update your device by today, you will receive the following message on your device:
Your Kindle is unable to connect at this time. Please make sure you are within wireless range and try again. If the problem persists, please restart your Kindle from the Menu in Settings and try again. If you see this message on your device on or after March 22, you will need to manually install the latest software update for your device. Go to Fire & Kindle Software Updates for more details.
The update concerns all Kindle versions up to and including 5.6.1.1. You can see a full list of devices here.
How to Update Your Kindle E-Reader via Wi-Fi
If your Kindle e-reader does not have the latest software version, connect your device to Wi-Fi to receive the software update.
To update your Kindle once connected to Wi-Fi:
- From the Home screen of your Kindle, select Menu or tap the Menu icon, and then choose Sync and Check for Items.
- Plug your Kindle in, and leave your Kindle plugged in and connected to a Wi-Fi network overnight.
- While asleep, the software update will download and install automatically. Your device may restart multiple times during the update process.
You will get a final confirmation letter titled 03-2016 Successful Update on your device when the update is complete. You can find the letter on your device by viewing all items in your Kindle Library, and then sorting the items by Recent.
If you’re not sure if your device has the latest version, go to Determine Your Kindle E-Reader Software Version.
I apologize for the late warning, as I only found out about this today.
Update
Lisa Shambrook reports that she contacted Amazon and they said most Kindles have automatically updated as people have used them. If so, no further action is needed. Most articles say sync and update and wait for a letter confirming the update, but Amazon said no letter will arrive if the Kindle is already on the correct version.
Also, many of you are asking what happens in regards to the Kindle app. This particular update seems aimed at e-readers alone, but Annette Rochelle Aben reports that you can still use the link above to update your app, if you haven’t already done so. Here’s how:
- To update Kindle Cloud Reader, click here, then click on the link that reads: FIRE & KINDLE SOFTWARE UPDATES.
- SCROLL DOWN to nearly the bottom of the page and find LINKS for KINDLE for PC, MAC, iPAD, ANDROID, iPhone and iPod touch, Windows Phone 7 and Blackberry.
- Click on Kindle for PC and follow the prompts. It took Annette less than 2 minutes before her computer was updated.
As always, you are a mine of information. Thanks Nick! ?
Aw, you silver-tongued one 🙂
As I always say, takes one to know one. ?
😀
Thank you thank you!!! Didn’t notice. The kindle keyboard was not up-to-date. Just did it manually. Wouldn’t have found out since I rarely use it nowadays.
Glad to have helped 🙂
Thanks for the reminder. I am updated.
Glad to hear it 🙂
I use a IPAD with Kindle ap. How do I update?
You don’t need to. That update is aimed at e-readers only 🙂
Thank you for the information and for following. It’s appreciated. Hope I’m not to late but rarely use the actual Kindle.
In that case, you won’t miss accessing Cloud services 🙂
Good to know. Thank you, Nicholas. My Paperwhite updated automatically, but I’ll spread the word.
Thank you!! 🙂
This issue has my family and myself is a tizzy the last week or so – with much older kindles I haven’t been able to tell whether there has been an update – I check to sync and no new items comes up. No letter though…just keeping my fingers crossed it all works. It all sounds a bit crazy that they can make their own products obsolete!
I’m sure everything will be fine. You must belong to those whose Kindle has already updated 🙂
Just checked them all and working fine…phew
Yay 😀
Thank you!
A pleasure! Thanks for reading 🙂
Is this update for the Windows app, too, do you know?
You can update the app using the link provided, but this particular update seems to be aimed at devices alone.
Tks for this. Mine will need this.
Same here 🙂
Thanks for the critical information. Will update today!
Glad you found it useful 🙂
Glad I don’t have a reader, just the Amazon app. 😀
It’s not as easy on the eye, but it’s niftier 🙂
I read any way I can. Thanks for the information.
Isn’t 5.6.1.1 is the first firmware that doesn’t need updating not the last that does?
Perhaps I’m misreading the chart. You can check it for yourself on Amazon’s help page 🙂
The chart describes 5.6.1.1 as the version a Paperwhite 5 needs, which I parse as meaning you need to update if yours is running a previous one.
As more visceral evidence, my Paperwhite is running 5.6.1.1. and connects without issues.
Thanks for that, Dave. I’ll update the post 🙂