Amazon has announced that it will be discontinuing support for older Kindle models, angering owners of devices they say still work fine. The company sent out an email on April 7 to users stating it will no longer be supporting certain Kindle models as of May 20, 2026. “We are discontinuing s upport for Kindle devices released in 2012 or earlier,” the company wrote. Here’s what that means, plus the reaction from Kindle users. Can you still use your Kindle from 2012 or earlier? Yes, they won’t just stop working. Any of the books a user has already downloaded to Kindle can still be accessed. However, several crucial functions and services will no longer be available. What will no longer work on the affected Kindle models? Amazon shared in its email to customers that the following functions will no longer be available on the affected Kindle models. You will not be able to purchase, borrow or download additional books on the Kindles as of May 20. If you de-register or factory reset the Kindle, you will not be able to re-register it or use it in any way. You can no longer borrow books using Wi-Fi and the “Send to Kindle” option, which means popular apps like Libby for checking e-books out of your local library will no longer work. Amazon noted that any user who buys a new Kindle will still have access to their library from the older Kindle model. What Kindle models are affected? Amazon is ending its support for the following models: Kindle 1st Generation (2007) Kindle 2nd Generation (2009) Kindle DX (2009) Kindle DX Graphite (2010) Kindle Keyboard (2010) Kindle 4 (2011) Kindle Touch (2011) Kindle 5 (2012) Kindle Paperwhite 1st Generation (2012) Kindle Fire 1st Generation (2011) Kindle Fire 2nd Generation (2012) Kindle Fire HD 7 (2012) Kindle Fire HD 8.9 (2012) Why is Amazon ending support for older Kindle models? “These models have been supported for at least 14 years — some as long as 18 years — but technology has come a long way in that time, and these devices will no longer be supported moving forward,” Amazon said in a statement when contacted for comment. “We are notifying those still actively using them and offering promotions to help with the transition to newer devices. Their accounts and Kindle Library also remain fully accessible through the free Kindle app and Kindle for Web.” What has the reaction been to Amazon’s announcement? Owners of Kindles that are at least 14 years old have shared their discontent on social media, saying the devices are still working fine. “I’m so upset…My Kindle is fifteen years old,” one author wrote on X. “It still works fine, and I want no other. I read a lot, and this is the only e-reader that doesn’t hurt my eyes. None of the new models have a screen that so perfectly mimics paper. And now Amazon is forcing me to buy a new one. I don’t need a touchscreen or sound, and I definitely don’t want adverts!” “Stupidly and naively, it didn’t occur to me that Amazon would force-retire my Kindle Fire 7 that my wife gave me for an anniversary well over a decade ago, one of my most treasured possessions,” another Kindle owner wrote on X. “It wasn’t hurting anyone. It just sat there and worked every time I asked.” “This is A NIGHTMARE,” Business Insider correspondent Katie Notopoulos wrote on X. “Amazon is bricking old Kindles, including my beloved Kindle 5 (with the side buttons). I hate the touch screen versions, I’ve tried them and I’m always accidentally flipping pages.” “This is so lame,” another owner wrote on X. “I bought my kindle in 2011 and it still works perfectly fine.” This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY: Breast Cancer Is Rising in Young People. How to Get a Mammogram Before 40 Covered by Insurance Maggie Baird Is Writing a Recipe Book for Kids Billie Eilish and Finneas With ‘Things They Grew up With’ Grandmas Deserve It All — The Best Mother’s Day Gifts for the Family Matriarch This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. ...read more read less