Amazon’s Kindle is a great alternative to reading physical books. It allows you to store all of your favorite reading material in one device so that you can access eBooks anywhere, anytime.
Can I charge a Kindle with a phone charger?
It’s certainly possible to charge a Kindle using a phone charger, providing that the connector is compatible. Kindles use micro USB chargers, so your phone charger cable must also have this connector in order to charge the device.
Like most electronic devices, the Kindle’s manufacturer, Amazon, recommends that you use one of its specific charging cables to charge the device. However, there’s no reason that you can’t use any cable that has a micro USB connector by simply plugging it into a USB port on a plug, computer, or laptop.
This article will explain how to charge your Kindle with a phone charger and highlight some of the other things you need to be aware of.
Can I Charge a Kindle With a Phone Charger?
It’s common for manufacturers of electronic devices to advise that you only use the charging cables that they produce. In some cases, this advice should be followed, but most of the time, it’s just a way of them trying to maximize profit.
Amazon’s Kindle comes with a charger when you first buy the product. All of the Kindle devices up to the 10th Gen model use a USB 2.0 (micro-USB) charger, and the latest editions of the Paperwhite and Oasis use a USB C charger.
Regardless of which charger type your particular Kindle uses, it will be the same as many of the popular Android and iOS smartphones. Therefore, you might be wondering whether it is possible to interchange the charger.
On the whole, charging a Kindle with a phone charger should be fine. The only thing that may be compromised is the charging speed, but this depends on several variables.
Providing the charging cable is of good quality and made by a reputable manufacturer, it should charge your Kindle at a similar speed as the Amazon-made cable that came with the device does.
Most of the plugs sold with the Amazon-made Kindle chargers are rated 5W, but some are 9W. Your phone charger is also likely to be 5W, so you shouldn’t run into any issues when charging your Kindle using the cable.
The obvious thing that you’ll need to check is that the connector on the phone charging cable is the right size for your Kindle. In most cases, Kindles made before 2019 use a micro USB connector, while those made after this date use USB-C chargers.
Android smartphones, like those made by Samsung or Google, are likely to have charges that are compatible with a Kindle. You won’t be able to use an iPhone charger as they have a different connector.
Can I Charge My Kindle From a Wall Plug?
Charging a Kindle is very straightforward. You can do it from a computer or laptop USB port or from a wall plug.
Charging from a wall plug is likely to charge your Kindle at a faster pace than if you plug it into a computer or laptop unless the plug is not very good quality. You’ll need a Kindle wall adapter and a suitable charging cable to do this.
The Kindle Fire tablet comes with a wall adapter, but many of the e-reader Kindles only come with a charging cable. You may therefore need to purchase the wall adapter separately, or you can simply use one that is for another device like a smartphone.
Connecting your Kindle Fire to a wall plug couldn’t be any easier. Simply connect the charging cable to the plug, and push it into the wall socket. Then connect the other end to your signal, check that the plug is switched on, and the device will begin charging.
If you’ve purchased a wall plug to use for the purpose of charging your Kindle, ensure that its output matches the input voltage of the device. If it’s designed for everyday electronic items, then the chances are it will match up fine.
In situations where you don’t have a wall plug to hand and need to charge your Kindle, you can plug the charger cable into the USB port on your computer or laptop.
Tip: Lightning USB ports are more powerful than standard ports, and therefore you will find that plugging the Kindle into one will charge it more quickly.
You could also plug it into a battery power pack, and this will allow you to charge it while on the move. Likewise, any USB charger ports you have in your automobile will also be suitable for supplying power to your Kindle.
Can I Charge My Kindle Abroad
If you’re traveling to another country, having your Kindle with you can be a good way to pass the time on a flight or other form of transport. Or you can take the device to the beach or out into nature to enjoy reading and relaxing.
Before you set off on your trip abroad, it’s a good idea to check that your Kindle will be chargeable in the country that you are traveling to. If you’re from the USA, depending on where you’re traveling to, you’ll probably need a plug adapter.
Countries in Europe, South America, and Asia all use different plugs, so you will need to get a travel plug adapter if you want to charge your Kindle while traveling. Alternatively, you could charge it using a computer or laptop, but you’d still require an adapter to charge that device too.
Travel plug adapters are pretty inexpensive and easy to find. They’re designed for electronic devices like tablets, smartphones, or laptops, so you should have no problems using one to charge the battery of your Kindle.
The plug that you’ll need is not necessarily the same for an entire continent – for example, the UK uses a different plug type than the majority of Europe.
Here’s a YouTube video explaining further information about charging a Kindle on the go:
Can I Use a Fast Charger with Kindle?
“Fast” chargers are designed to charge electronic devices at a quicker pace than standard chargers. They’re commonly sold for smartphones, but Kindle users may also be wondering whether they could benefit from using one with their device.
The various Kindle models have different power capacities, as you can see from the table below:
| Model | Power Capacity |
| Kindle | 1,530mAh |
| Kindle Paperwhite | 1,470mAh |
| Kindle Voyage | 1,320mAh |
| Kindle Oasis | 1,535mAh |
Overall, the power capacity of every Kindle model is pretty low compared to other electronic devices. This is because reading eBooks and the other few capabilities of the Kindle don’t require much power.
Using a fast charger with a Kindle will not make much difference to the speed at which it charges. This is because the Kindle has a maximum charging speed that cannot be altered.
The maximum charging speed of a Kindle is 5V/1.8A. Therefore, if any chargers have a faster maximum charging speed rating than this, it won’t make a difference to the Kindle.
On the other hand, a charging cable that has a significantly slower charging speed than 5V/1.8A will cause the Kindle to take considerably longer to reach full charge.
It’s important, therefore, to check that the specifications of the charging cable and the plug that you use are a good match for your particular Kindle model.
Related Questions
How long does a Kindle take to charge from dead?
If your Kindle’s battery is totally dead, you can expect it to reach full charge again after around 4 hours. The length of time will vary depending on the charging cable and the power source that you use.
What color should the Kindle light be when charging?
When you plug your Kindle in to charge, you should see a yellow light. Once the device has reached full charge, this light will turn green, and you should unplug the charging cable.
How do I know if my Kindle battery needs replacing?
The easy way to know whether your Kindle battery needs to be replaced is if it is struggling to hold charge for as long as it is supposed to. Additionally, you might notice that the Kindle may fail to reach full battery when charged for long periods.
