People are always asking how to give their Kindle book away without violating Amazon’s KindleUnlimited policies. Can I give my book away to a friend or reviewer without having to give it as a gift? Do I really need to pay full price for someone to get a Kindle version?
Amazon has provided a way to do just that. It’s a feature on the user’s Amazon account that most people don’t even know is there.
It is called Send-to-Kindle, and it’s how review sites, such as NetGalley get copies to their users.
This will require the receiver of the file to do a couple of things. They will need to find an email address stored in their Amazon account and adjust their settings to allow the file to be received.
Here are the basic steps on the receiver’s end:
1. Locate the Kindle devices email address. Yes... each device registered with an Amazon account has an email address. Here’s how to find it.
The user must be logged into their account, then select “Your Content and Devices.”
Once there they will presented with three tabs across the top. Select settings. Then click the button next to ”Personal Document Settings.”
This is where a user can see the assigned email addresses for each device associated with their account. This is the address you will need to send the file to their device, but you’re not finished yet.
2. Amazon does not simply let anyone send files to a device. Here’s how to be added as an approved sender.
While in the same location have the user scroll down until they see their Approved Personal Document E-mail List. This is the list you will need to be added to.
From here there are two ways to move forward.
a. If they are uncomfortable with giving you access they can add their own address here. You send them you MOBI file and they send it to their Kindle address (listed above) as an attachment.
b. You provide them with the email address you will be using to send the file to their device.
Add the email address that will be providing the MOBI file as an attachment.
The new address will show up in the approved list.
3. The last step is to send the file. Create an email to the device email address. The address will be something like amazonusername_0@kindle.com. See the Send-to-Kindle list above.
Add the MOBI file as an attachment. It is not necessary to add any other content to the message. The attachment is the only required element, however it may help you to add a subject line in order to keep track of where and when you sent the file.
That’s it. The file will be sent to their device without violating any policies and it will show up just like any other book in their library.