Amazon is discontinuing Kindle for PC on June 30th

What’s changing

Amazon is warning users via an in-app pop-up that the long-running Kindle for PC application will stop working on June 30, 2026. After that date the app will reportedly no longer function even if re-downloaded from other sources. It has been reported that Amazon told Good e-Reader it is building a replacement Kindle for PC, but that new client will be compatible only with Windows 11 and distributed exclusively through the Microsoft Store.

A short history — and a headache

Kindle for PC first arrived in 2009 and, by many accounts, never received the attention other Kindle platforms did. It has been reported that many users relied on older PC builds to download books locally for the express purpose of stripping DRM, and that Amazon has repeatedly forced updates on legacy installs to limit that behavior. The result: a long-running tug-of-war between users and Amazon over control of files and access.

Why readers should care

If you depend on the desktop app for offline libraries, batch downloads, or niche workflows, this is a hard cut-off. Native apps from app stores are harder to tamper with — which may be exactly the point. It has been reported that publisher pressure to curb piracy could be driving Amazon’s tighter platform lock-downs, but Amazon has not publicly confirmed that reasoning. Want to see the warning yourself? Update Kindle for PC to version 2.9.1 and the pop-up should appear.

What to do next

Check whether your machine can run Windows 11 if you plan to move to the new app, and consider backup strategies for any purchased content you need offline. This move is part of a broader trend: vendors nudging users toward store-delivered apps that are easier to secure and manage. Love it or hate it, the desktop freedom of 2009 is shrinking — and this June will be a clear line in the sand.

Sources: goodereader.com, Hacker News