Why your EPUB won't send to Kindle, and how to fix it

Published November 1, 2026 · 3 min read

Most failed deliveries come down to a handful of causes: DRM, the file size, an email address Amazon doesn't accept, or an EPUB with errors in it. Work through these checks in order and the book will usually go through on the next try.

1. Check whether it arrived after all

Deliveries usually take a few minutes, but can take longer. Make sure your Kindle is connected to Wi-Fi and sync it. Then check the list of documents in your Amazon account under Content & Devices → Docs: if the book is there, it was delivered and only needs to download to the device.

2. Use the right Kindle email address

Every Kindle device and every Kindle app has its own @kindle.com address. Find them in Content & Devices → Preferences → Personal Document Settings, and check you emailed the one for the device you are looking at.

3. Approve the address you send from

Amazon ignores emails from addresses that aren't on your Approved Personal Document E-mail List, in the same Personal Document Settings section. Add the exact address you send from, then send the book again.

4. Look for a confirmation email

Amazon sometimes asks you to confirm a document before delivering it. Look in your inbox, and in spam, for an email from Amazon about your Send to Kindle request, and confirm it.

5. Check the file size

At the time of writing, email accepts files up to 50 MB and the Send to Kindle website up to 200 MB. If your EPUB is over 50 MB, send it from the website instead. Large books are usually large because of images, which is common with comics and photo books.

6. Make sure it is a DRM-free EPUB

• DRM: EPUBs bought from Kobo, Apple Books, Google Play or borrowed from a library usually have DRM, and Amazon rejects them. There is no fix on your side; read them in the store's app. For library books, check whether a Kindle version is offered.
• MOBI: Send to Kindle no longer accepts MOBI files. Convert the MOBI to EPUB and send the EPUB; EPUB vs MOBI explains why.
• ACSM: an .acsm file is a license file, not the book, so there is nothing to send.

7. Fix missing or wrong metadata

Send to Kindle reads the book's title, author and language. A book with missing or broken metadata can fail to convert, and one with the wrong metadata arrives with a confusing title or no author. Check and correct them with the EPUB metadata editor, then send the edited copy.

8. Repair a badly made EPUB

If everything above checks out, the EPUB itself probably has structural errors, such as invalid markup or broken internal links, that Amazon's converter can't handle. Two things usually help:

• Rebuild it with Calibre. Converting the book from EPUB to EPUB in Calibre rewrites it cleanly and fixes many problems.
• Find the exact errors with EPUBCheck, the official validator, and fix them in an editor such as Sigil. How to edit an EPUB walks through the options.

The book arrived, but looks wrong

• No cover: Kindle takes the cover from the book's metadata. Add or replace the cover and send it again.
• Wrong title or author in the library: fix the metadata and send it again.
• Different fonts or spacing: Amazon converts EPUBs to its own format, and some publisher styling doesn't survive. This is normal.

Frequently asked questions

How long does Send to Kindle take?

Usually a few minutes, once the Kindle is online. Large books can take longer.

Why did Amazon email me that the document couldn't be delivered?

The file couldn't be converted. The usual reasons are DRM, an unsupported format such as MOBI, or errors inside the EPUB; see fixes 6 to 8 above.

Should I send EPUB or MOBI to my Kindle?

EPUB. Send to Kindle no longer accepts MOBI. See how to put EPUB books on a Kindle for every method.

Related guides

Free EPUB tools