I’ve been using the Kindle for years, and I thought I knew everything about it. Turns out, there’s a lot more behind the vanilla interface of the Kindle. As I researched this article, I realized that I had overlooked several features hidden under a small icon here or a minor setting change there. Between the e-reader and the Kindle app on my phone, they have helped to transform how I read. These tips and tricks should add up and make your reading more enjoyable on the Kindle eReader or the Kindle apps.
11
Use the Kindle Reading Ruler
Keep focus line by line like a digital reading aid
This is the most obscure feature I’ve found on the Kindle app for iOS and Android. Try this for focused reading on dense material. The Reading Ruler feature lets you highlight just a few lines of text at a time while dimming everything else, helping your eyes track the text easily. You can enable it by tapping Aa > More > Reading Ruler on the Kindle app.
It’s perfect for readers with attention difficulties or anyone studying complex material. Once you try it, you might find it hard to go back to plain text.
10
Track your reading insights
View how often and how long you’ve been reading
The Reading Insights section is a hidden gem buried in the Kindle app’s More tab. It shows you how many minutes you’ve read today, how many days in a row you’ve kept your streak, and how many books you’ve finished.
I turn these insights into a game. And along with a Goodreads annual reading challenge, it’s perfect if you love tracking progress or want a gentle nudge to keep reading daily. Seeing that I’ve maintained a 47-day reading streak genuinely motivates me to stick to a reading ritual before bed, even on exhausting days.
9
Save custom reading themes
Create the perfect font and background combo for your eyes
Kindle lets you save custom themes so you can return to your favorite layout instantly.
Open Aa > Themes > Custom, adjust your font, boldness, spacing, and background color, then save it with a name like “Relaxed reading” or “Outdoor mode.” It’s one of those small touches that make switching between bright and dark environments a lot easier. The path for the settings might differ slightly depending on the Kindle version you have.
8
Scroll through a book without losing your page
Jump around a book without losing your spot
Let’s say you want to check a chart or map from a previous chapter but don’t want to lose your current page. Just tap the top of the screen, then tap the page number or progress bar at the bottom to open the Page Flip view.
You can scrub through pages freely while your original position stays bookmarked. Tap the “X” or “Back to Page” button to return to your original spot in seconds. It’s an underrated time-saver for research and nonfiction readers.
7
Find the same word elsewhere in the book
Track characters or revisit key ideas with a simple tap
Whenever I encounter an unfamiliar term or want to track when a character was last mentioned, I press and hold the word, then tap More and select Find in Book. It shows every instance of that word throughout the text. This has been invaluable for complex novels with large casts or technical books with specific terminology.
The Kindle app even shows the search results as snippets, so you can jump directly to any occurrence. You can also Pin ten instances of a term in the Kindle app for easy reference.
6
Stop squinting at images for a closer look
Zoom into illustrations, maps, or infographics
Ever tried to make out tiny text on a map or diagram? On most modern Kindles and within the Kindle app, you can double-tap an image to zoom in. Pinch-to-zoom also works if your device supports it.
When you’re done, simply double-tap again to return to normal view. It’s particularly handy for graphic novels, cookbooks, or textbooks with detailed visuals.
5
View popular highlights
See what passages others liked
When you notice subtle gray underlines beneath certain sentences, you’re seeing Popular Highlights—a crowd-sourced feature showing what thousands of other readers found interesting. This community touch is probably one of my favorite features. It often draws my attention to lines I might have skimmed past.
To turn them on or off, go to Aa > More > Popular Highlights. It’s an easy way to discover the moments that moved other readers, or to simply feel how much all readers have in common. In older Kindle Paperwhites like mine, go into Settings > Reading Options > Highlights & About This Book > Popular Highlights for the switch.
4
Use the reading information shortcut
Quickly check how far you’ve read and what’s left
Tap the bottom left corner of your reading screen, and you’ll cycle through handy progress indicators—Location, Time left in chapter, Time left in book, or nothing.
This gives you a sense of pacing without interrupting your immersion. It’s also a clever way to time your reading breaks if you like finishing a chapter before setting the Kindle down.
3
Reset your reading time estimate
Get accurate “time left” data after your pace changes
If you’ve been skimming or re-reading sections, your Kindle’s time-to-finish estimates might drift off. You can fix this easily.
Tap the top of your Kindle screen. From there, tap the search bar and type ;ReadingTimeReset exactly as it’s written here as it’s case-sensitive and with the semicolon at the beginning. Kindle will display “Learning reading speed” at the bottom of the screen where the reading time is displayed. This hack recalibrates your reading time so your “time left” counter becomes accurate again. A small detail, but satisfying for an obsessive-compulsive reader like me.
2
Report a content error
Help improve Kindle books by flagging typos or mistakes
You can flag errors like a glaring typo or a missing image to Amazon directly. Long-press the offending word or phrase, tap More, then select Report Content Error.
You’ll be asked to categorize the issue (such as “spelling,” “formatting,” or “image”). Amazon reviews these reports and may update the book later. It’s a subtle way to contribute to better digital publishing quality for everyone. As far as I know, this feature is present in Kindle models from 2021 onwards.