Kindle Paperwhite on couch.
Justin Duino / How-To Geek

One of the best features of Amazon Kindle eReaders is the ability to borrow library books. However, just like physical books from a library, they come with return dates. We’ll show you how to keep them past the due date.

It may seem strange, but digital eBooks from the library are treated the same as physical books. That means there are a limited number of eBooks to check out, and you typically only get them for 14 days. When those 14 days are up, you can check it out again, but there’s usually a waitlist of people who you’ll have to wait behind.

There’s a very simple trick that will allow you to read a library book on your Kindle for an indefinite length of time. All you have to do is put your Kindle in airplane mode before the due date and never close out of the book. Wait, are we suggesting you steal from the library?

The best part about this trick is it’s a victimless “crime.” You’re not preventing the next person in the waitlist from getting the book. The eBook has still technically been “returned,” but your Kindle doesn’t know that.

To enable airplane mode on your Kindle, tap the arrow at the top of the home screen. If you’re in a book, tap toward the top of the screen to reveal the arrow.

Tap the arrow to open the menu

Next, tap the airplane icon to turn it on.

That’s it! Now just open the book and don’t leave it until you’re done. That also includes if the eReader powers off due to a low battery. Theoretically, you should be able to read the book for as long as you need. Your Kindle can hold a lot of books, but sometimes one takes a while, and that’s okay.

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Profile Photo for Joe Fedewa Joe Fedewa
Joe Fedewa is a Staff Writer at How-To Geek. He has been covering consumer technology for over a decade and previously worked as Managing Editor at XDA-Developers. Joe loves all things technology and is also an avid DIYer at heart. He has written thousands of articles, hundreds of tutorials, and dozens of reviews.
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