Kindle content on the Mac: New app required from October!

If you get your eBooks from Amazon and access them on the Mac using the Kindle app, then you should keep an eye on the App Store right now. As Amazon informs, the current Kindle app will be discontinued by October 2023. The new app is scheduled to be made available in September. You can find out here which prerequisites still apply and how easy the switch is supposed to be.

Old Kindle app needs to be updated to version 1.40.1

If you want to be able to transfer your eBooks and other content from the old app to the new one, then you must have updated the old app to version 1.40.1. This was released in March 2023, so chances are you already have it installed. You can check this by opening the Kindle app, clicking Kindle in the menu bar, and selecting About Kindle from the menu. There should then be “Version: 1.40.1” among other things. If an older version is still displayed, simply go to the App Store and search there the Kindle app out and update it via the corresponding button.

Switching to the new Kindle app: Open and simply transfer?

In a recent e-mail on the subject, Amazon said, among other things: "Open the latest version of the current app. This will trigger the transfer of your collections.“ – I haven’t been able to try that yet as the new Kindle app doesn’t seem to be available yet. But I could imagine that you have to open this new app, then open the old one as well and then a transfer takes place. I don't know whether the Amazon account required for this is linked to the Apple ID and whether the registration in the new app takes place automatically. But it reads a bit as if you don't have to register yourself in the new app.

Release date of the new Kindle app is yet to be announced

According to the email mentioned earlier, sometime this month, "a new and improved app that optimizes user experience for book reading and library management“. This could mean that the outdated macOS app will be replaced by an app in the design of the iOS and iPadOS versions. Simple buttons, a toolbar at the bottom of the screen, and a generally more modern look could replace the current design. Exactly when the new Kindle app for the Mac will be released in September is not yet clear. Feel free to leave a comment if you found it in the App Store :D

Johannes Domke

After graduating from high school, Johannes completed an apprenticeship as a business assistant specializing in foreign languages. But then he decided to research and write, which resulted in his independence. For several years he has been working for Sir Apfelot, among others. His articles include product introductions, news, manuals, video games, consoles, and more. He follows Apple keynotes live via stream.