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How to Sideload a Book onto a Kindle
How to sideload a book onto your Kindle so you can proof your own ebook on a real device before you publish it.
Before you publish an ebook, it is worth seeing it on a real Kindle, not just in a preview on your computer. Sideloading is how you do that: you put your own book file onto your Kindle so you can read it exactly as a customer would. It is the best final proof of an ebook, and it takes a few minutes. This guide explains how.
What sideloading means
Sideloading simply means loading a book onto your Kindle yourself, instead of buying it from the store. For an author, it is the difference between thinking your book looks right and knowing it does, because you are seeing it on the actual screen, at the actual font sizes, that readers will use.
The easy way: Send to Kindle
The simplest method is Amazon's Send to Kindle, which comes in three forms: email the file to your personal Kindle email address, use the Send to Kindle app on your computer or phone, or upload the file on the Send to Kindle web page. Within a minute or two the book appears in your Kindle library, ready to open. Send an EPUB file; Amazon accepts EPUB and converts it to its Kindle format automatically, since the old MOBI format has been retired for this.
The manual way: USB
You can also connect your Kindle to your computer with a USB cable, which makes it appear as a drive, and copy the file into its documents folder. Send to Kindle is usually quicker and works wirelessly, but USB is a reliable fallback if you prefer it.
What to check once it is loaded
Open the book on the Kindle and read the opening, flip to a few chapters, and check the table of contents links, the chapter openings, any images, and how the text looks at a larger font size. This is where small problems become obvious in a way they never quite do on a computer screen.
Proofing a Koberger book on Kindle
Koberger exports a validated EPUB, which is exactly what Send to Kindle wants, so you can sideload your book to proof it in minutes. Most issues show up first in Koberger's own built-in preview, so sideloading becomes a final confirmation rather than a hunt for problems. You can also check it with Kindle Previewer on your computer. Format and export your book for free to try it.
Frequently asked questions
What is sideloading on a Kindle?
Sideloading means putting a book file onto your Kindle yourself, rather than buying it from the Kindle store. Authors use it to load their own ebook onto a real Kindle and check how it looks before publishing.
How do I put my own book on my Kindle?
The easiest way is Send to Kindle: email the file to your Kindle address, use the Send to Kindle app, or upload it on the Send to Kindle web page. You can also connect the Kindle by USB and copy the file across. It then appears in your library.
What format do you sideload to Kindle?
Send an EPUB. Amazon now accepts EPUB through Send to Kindle and converts it to its own Kindle format on the device. The old MOBI format has been retired for this, so a well-formed EPUB is what you want.
Can I sideload an EPUB to Kindle?
Yes. Send to Kindle accepts EPUB files and converts them for you, so a validated EPUB from your formatter is all you need to proof your book on a Kindle.