Are you a Kindle owner experiencing the dreadful dead battery syndrome? If so, you may be wondering if there’s anything you can do to fix the issue. This tutorial was made for the Paperwhite model, thus some steps may differ depending on the Kindle model you have.
Troubleshooting steps
After realizing the Kindle would not turn on at all, the first thing I did was looking on the internet to see how people resolved this battery exclamation mark error. The few websites I encountered all suggested similar steps:
- 1) try different chargers and cables,
- 2) leave Kindle charging for a few hours,
- 3) hold the power button for 40s-to-1-min.
- Sadly, none of these steps helped at all. Whether I used a computer to charge the Kindle or a different cable, the screen didn’t move by one bit.
Contacting Amazon Support via their chat support didn’t yield anything fruitful but a repeat of the previous steps. However, I did get to share my feedback that Amazon should work towards making their products more repairable and less wasteful. Though Amazon has a Kindle Recycling & Trade-in program in the US, the rest of the world does not, meaning Amazon simply expects people to throw their Kindles in the trash and buy a new one. So much for being in 2022…
So after this, I decided to take matters into my own hand. A simple back-of-the-envelope calculation left me with little choice: A new Kindle Paperwhite cost 150€. Instead, a replacement battery costs 30€ or 5-times less than a new device. It’s one thing if a device is broken beyond repair, it’s another to have a dead battery that only needs replacing. Although I wasn’t sure if it would work, I took the gamble and decided to order a spare battery from Ebay and do it by myself. And here is how you can too!
Checklist
- Follow the Troubleshooting steps indicated by Amazon and other websites (as well as in my previous paragraph. If you fixed the issue, great! Otherwise, continue below.
- Identify what Kindle model you have. This article helped me pinpoint exactly which Kindle I had (10th Gen, Paperwhite 4 from 2018/2019) by identifying the Serial Number. If you don’t know your S/N, you can login to your Amazon account and go into “Content & Devices” section (under your account) and click on “devices”. If your Kindle is linked to your account, you should see it listed here. Click on the device name and you should find detailed information (see picture below). Look for the S/N and Type and use this website to find the exact model.
- Shop: Now that you know exactly which Kindle model you have, it’s time to shop for a new battery. To my surprise, Kindle battery replacements aren’t that common. In the end, I decided to shop on Ebay.
- I typed “Kindle Paperwhite 4 Battery” in the search bar and ended up finding a seller from Germany that sold the battery including the tools for taking apart the Kindle. This is definitely a must unless you already possess these tools. Keep in mind: while the cheapest sellers are usually the ones shipping directly from China, the delivery will take weeks if not months (especially given the current corona restrictions in China). Thus, I advise picking a local seller as much as possible as time is money too!
- In the end, I paid less than 30€ incl. taxes and shipping: my battery arrived in 3 days! A pretty decent bargain.
Opening up the Kindle & Replacing the battery
So now you’ve received your new battery (and tools) and are ready to start the operation. First, check some videos on how to proceed so you have a clear overview of the procedure. The video above helped me prepare mentally. I used the guitar clip provided with the kit to slowly but surely pry apart the back cover from the frame. The only insight to share is to insert the clip between the cover and the rubber band (and not between the rubber band and the screen, as I initially did). The goal is to leave the rubber band intact. If you’re unsure, watch the video carefully before proceeding.
Once you’ve taken off the back cover, you have to carefully remove the battery connector. However, mine had a lot of glue on it. So I had to carefully use a sharp knife and plastic scraper to cut through the glue around the connector. This was harder than expected but the key is to proceed carefully and slowly. Check the video if unsure of how to proceed.
Once the battery connector is off, you have to remove the battery. Again, harder than I thought as the battery is also glued to the frame. I had to stick the scraper underneath the battery, sometimes even bending the battery (which is quite supple). Be cautious not to break or snap the battery to avoid any accidents. This is the last “difficult” step 😉
After the battery is removed, place the new replacement battery in the frame and press gently on the battery connector until you feel a click. Again, don’t rush or force, find the right place until you feel a graceful click. Once done, simply place back the back cover (refer to the video above to make sure it’s the right orientation).
Et voila! Congratulations! You should now see the Kindle screen come alive. Mine had enough battery to start immediately so it was a great feeling to see it come back. I would recommend leaving the Kindle charge to 100% before using it just to make sure. As for the old, defective battery, you can bring it to a local recycling center to dispose of it correctly.
Verdict
Was it worth my time and money? Totally! Not only did I save 5-times the amount of cash I would to buy a new Kindle, I feel great about recovering an otherwise “dead” appliance, saving myself the guilt of fueling the endless consumerism hamster wheel, and reducing the e-waste pile. A small but noble contribution.
Most importantly, I was surprised by how easy the procedure was considering I’m not usually a DIY person. The fact that Amazon, a multi-billion-dollar company, can’t help their customers do what I’m sharing here baffles me. As more people gain an awareness of how wasteful our electronics are and want to act more responsibly, I’m confident that we can educate and share insights on keeping our devices running for longer. Who knows, maybe I’ll write an article on replacing my own iPhone 6S battery next time 😉
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this. If you have questions or comments, feel free to write them down and I’ll do my best to respond. Enjoy reading on your Kindle for a few more years, until the next battery replacement!
Your move multi-billionaire-capitalists without an ecological awareness of your antiquated business model. Your. fuckin’. Move!
Quiet Eccentric 