If you’re an avid reader, having a Kindle is very convenient. Not only is the device much more practical than physical books, but it can also perform additional functions to enhance your reading experience.
Does Kindle track reading time?
The Kindle Reading Insights program lets users track their reading time and other insights. The feature tracks the amount of time you spend reading and is available either on the Amazon website or on the Kindle app for iOS or Android devices.
In addition to tracking your reading time, a Kindle can provide various other data and statistics regarding your reading habits. If you’d rather that Amazon didn’t collect this data, you can opt-out, and the insights are deactivated.
This article will look into how the Kindle tracks reading time and discuss its other related capabilities.
What Are Kindle Reading Insights?
The “Kindle Reading Insights,” also known as “Kindle Reading Streaks,” is a feature that tracks how you use your Kindle. It can provide you with insights and analytics on your reading habits.
Just as some people like to track their workouts and fitness data, others enjoy seeing how much time they’ve spent reading in the past week or how many consecutive days their current reading streak has stretched.
Kindle Reading Streaks are available on the Amazon website. Alternatively, you can access the feature by downloading the Kindle app onto an iOS or Android device.
If you want to view your Reading Insights using the Kindle app, you’ll find it by tapping on the “More” tab on the main page; then, underneath the name of your Kindle, you should see the Reading Insights tab.
Once you open the feature, you will be presented with a range of different insights. At the top of the page, you’ll find analytics on when you have been reading particular books on your Kindle.
The Reading Insights will show you which days of the week you have been reading the most, and it will tell you whether you’ve read on consecutive days or whether your reading habits are less predictable.
Another useful aspect of this feature is the calendar display, which provides a color-coded insight into which days you have read books on your Kindle and which days you haven’t.
For some people, reading is a big part of their life. Therefore, being able to track the data of when and what they read may be of interest to them.
Insights is also a great feature if you want to stay motivated to read consistently, as it will make you want to keep your current streak going.
The feature automatically tracks your Kindle usage, but you can opt out of it in the Insights menu on your Kindle app or Amazon account.
Does Kindle Track Reading Time?
It’s impossible to track your reading time using the Kindle as a standalone device, but when you combine it with the Kindle app for Android or iOS devices, you can see how much time you’ve spent using the device. To do this, you’ll need to use the Reading Insights feature.
Reading Insights provides you with a wide range of information on how you use your Kindle, but one of the most valuable analytics it provides is the total amount of time you spend on the device. Furthermore, you can also see how long you spend reading individual books.
You’ve probably noticed that your Kindle has a reading speed monitor, which predicts how long it will take you to finish a chapter or an entire book. To do this, it must track the time it takes you to read each page.
The reading speed calculator isn’t always accurate because it doesn’t consider the fact that you may have left your Kindle on while you go to make some food or use the bathroom, for example.
The Reading Insights feature is highly accurate when tracking your reading time. Still, you will need to factor in the times when you may have been distracted from the eBook on your Kindle, which could have added a significant amount of time to your total reading time.
You’ll need to connect your Kindle to Wi-Fi or Amazon’s mobile network to update your statistics. This will allow the Kindle to send the information to your Reading Insights account so that you can view your reading time and other analytics.
Here’s a YouTube video that discusses about the ruler feature, in association with reading time:
Does Kindle Count Re-reads?
If you’ve finished reading a book that you enjoyed, or perhaps you felt like you didn’t quite absorb it the first time, you may feel the need to read it again. This leads to the question of whether the Reading Insights feature will count as the re-read in your statistics or not.
Unfortunately, the Reading Insights feature does not count a book twice. Even if you add it to the “currently reading” section of your Kindle profile, it will not be counted a second time towards your statistics.
Amazon may address this issue in the future, as it is bound to be quite frustrating for readers who want to track their entire reading habits rather than having re-reads omitted from their stats.
If you read an eBook again in a different calendar year, it still will not be added to your Reading Insights information for a second time.
Some users may feel that this makes the Reading Insights feature inaccurate, as many people like to re-read a book they enjoyed or didn’t fully understand the first time.
For example, books on personal development or spiritual topics may be designed to be read many times so that the reader fully absorbs the message.
Amazon listens to the feedback given by Reading Insights users, so it’s worth notifying them of your thoughts if you are disappointed by re-reads not being counted.
How Much Do You Have to Read Kindle to Count it as a Day?
When you open an eBook on your Kindle, it will be registered in the Reading Insights statistics as a day after a few minutes of reading. You don’t need to worry about reading for hours for it to count.
Even if your Kindle is offline, as soon as you connect it to Wi-Fi or a mobile network, if you are using a 3G/4G compatible model like the Paperwhite or the Oasis, your recent reading activity will be logged in the Reading Insights feature. If you’ve read for a few moments, it will still be counted as a day of reading.
Reading Insights doesn’t just count the days you have used your Kindle; it also provides you with information on the duration of your reading sessions. If you read on your Kindle, it will be logged as a day and counted in any consecutive streak you have achieved.
How to Reset Kindle Reading Time
If you’ve bought a second-hand Kindle or received one as a gift, you’ll probably want to reset the reading time and history on the device. This would allow you to view only your statistics in the Reading Insights.
Unfortunately, your Reading Insights are linked to your Amazon account rather than the Kindle itself. You would need to sign out of the Kindle with the original account and factory reset it, then sign in with your account, and the insights would start again.
There’s no simple way to reset the Reading Insights statistics, including the time you’ve spent reading on your Kindle.
Related Questions
How do you get the time to show on a Kindle?
If you own a Kindle Paperwhite or a Kindle Oasis, you can set the time to be displayed while you read your eBooks. To do this, go to the display settings, open the reading menu, and activate the “show clock while reading” feature.
Why are the page numbers not showing on my Kindle?
If you cannot see the page numbers on your Kindle, this is probably because you’ve increased the font size. When you do this, it can cause the page numbers to be cut off from the display.
What does Loc mean on Kindle?
Kindle users often see the phrase “Loc” while using their device, which means “Location ID.” It is an alternative to the page number to save space on the Kindle display screen.
