How to Share Kindle Books with Your Family
If your family is anything like mine, you probably have more than one Kindle device floating around at home, or some of the family reading books on the Kindle app. But buying the same book multiple times if more than one member of your family wants to read it is really not ideal. Thankfully, Amazon does have a way to share Kindle books with your family – it’s just a bit hidden.
Many Kindle users don’t realise that Amazon allows you to share eligible Kindle books, audiobooks and other digital content with members of your household through Amazon Family.
If you’re wondering how to share Kindle books with your spouse, partner or children, here’s how to set up Amazon Family and start sharing your Kindle library with the people you love (and live with!).
How to Share Kindle Books with Your Family
What is Amazon Family?
Amazon Family (previously Amazon Household) is a free feature that lets you share certain Amazon content – like Kindle books, audiobooks, apps, and more – between family members. You can link:
- One additional adult account
- Up to four child accounts
Note: I currently am able to set up more accounts than this – I am not sure whether this is an error or a leftover from Amazon Household that hasn’t updated for me yet.
Once it’s set up, both of you can access each other’s Kindle books via Family Library, so there’s no need to repurchase titles.
What Can You Share with Amazon Family?
You can share:
- Kindle books
- Audible audiobooks
- Apps and games
- Prime benefits (if one adult is a Prime member)
Note: Some publishers restrict sharing on certain books – so not every title is eligible, but most are.
How to Set Up Amazon Family
To get started:
- Log in to your Amazon account on a web browser (not the app).
- Go to Amazon Family.
- Click “Add a new member” and then select whether it’s an adult or a child you want to invite. If an adult, enter their email address.
- Once they accept the invitation, you’ll both need to agree to share payment methods. (This is required, but you can remove the payment method later or use gift cards.)
- After linking, go to “Manage Your Amazon Family”, click settings, then scroll down to “Manage Your Content and Devices” where you can view the digital content you want to share.
Note: If you’re using the Amazon Shopping app, tap the “Me” tab, select “Account,” then select “Manage Your Amazon Family.”
How to Share Specific Kindle Books
All of your content should be shared with adults (but not automatically with kids), but if it isn’t, you can do the following to share specific books.
Once Amazon Family is set up:
- Go to “Manage Your Content and Devices”.
- Find the book you want to share.
- Click “More actions” to the right, and select “Manage Family Library”.
- Select “Add to Library” > choose the person to share it with.
Now they’ll see it in their Kindle app or on their device under “Shared Content”.
Books that you have shared don’t need to be returned — they stay accessible as long as the Amazon Family is active.
Can Kids Access Shared Kindle Books?
Yes, they can – in the same way as above. You may have to set up a profile for them if they don’t already have one created.
Obviously, it’s important not to share anything that is too grown-up and keep things age-appropriate.
Note: Child accounts do need a Kindle device or the Amazon Kids App – browsing shared books on the Kindle app on mobiles or computers may require a login workaround.
Things to Keep in Mind
- You can only be in one Amazon Family at a time.
- You must share payment methods to link adult accounts (a bit annoying, but manageable).
- Not all books are eligible for sharing, especially certain bestsellers or titles from specific publishers.
Don’t Forget the Kindle App
Family members don’t need their own Kindle device – they can read shared books on the free Kindle app for iOS, Android, or desktop. You can all read the same book at once, too!
Tip: Look Out for 99p Kindle Deals
If you like a bargain, check out my post on the Best Kindle Book Deals for 99p this month, which I update every month with the best deals – there’s always something brilliant to grab, and now you can share them with your family too!
Setting up Amazon Family takes just a few minutes, and it can save you money, especially if you’re all keen readers. Whether you’re sharing thrillers with your partner or bedtime stories with your kids, it’s such a useful little trick.
If you’ve found this helpful, please share it or pin it for later!
FAQ: Sharing Kindle Books with Your Family
Can I share Kindle books with friends who aren’t in my household?
No, Amazon Family is intended for members of the same household. You can only link up to two adult accounts and four child/teen profiles within a single Amazon Family. Sharing outside of this setup isn’t officially supported.
Can multiple people read the same Kindle book at the same time?
Yes! Once a book is shared through Family Library, it can be read by multiple family members at the same time on different devices or apps.
Do I need a Kindle device to share and read books?
Not at all. Anyone in your Amazon Family can read shared books using the free Kindle app on their phone, tablet, or computer.
Will all of my Kindle books automatically be shared?
When you set up Amazon Family, you’ll be asked whether to share your entire library or only selected titles. You can always go back and manually add or remove books later under “Manage Your Content and Devices”.
Why can’t I share some of my Kindle books?
Some books are restricted due to publisher settings and can’t be shared via Family Library. This is especially common with certain bestsellers or newly released titles.
Can Amazon Family members see each other’s orders or content?
No – adults in the same Amazon Family can’t see each other’s orders, browsing history, or personal content. As long as you’re both using your own individual accounts, your activity stays private.
For child accounts, it’s a bit different. Kids can’t make purchases, and adults can manage what they access using the Amazon Kids Parent Dashboard – perfect for keeping things age-appropriate.
What happens if I remove someone from my Amazon Family?
Once a member is removed, they’ll no longer have access to any shared books, content, or Prime benefits. However, any notes or highlights made in shared books will remain in their account.
