Amazon Kindle: How to Exit a Book and Return to the Home Screen

Amazon Kindle

Few devices are as good at reading as Kindles. Unfortunately, knowing how to exit a book on a Kindle isn’t immediately obvious. Here’s how to do it.

 

Amazon Kindle devices are great for reading a good book, but when it comes time to get out of that book and back to the home screen, it can be a bit of a hassle if you don’t know where to look. While e-readers may not be the new hot gadget on the market these days, their importance is as prevalent as ever. iPads and Android tablets are great machines for watching movies, playing games, and checking social media. However, if someone wants a device for comfortable reading and nothing else, e-readers still can’t be beat.This is completely evident with Amazon’s Kindle line. While Amazon has since expanded into tablets, smart speakers, and smart displays, the Kindle family remains a core part of its product offerings. There’s the entry-level Kindle, the mid-range Kindle Paperwhite, and the flagship Kindle Oasis. No matter what features someone is looking for or how much money they want to spend, Amazon has a Kindle that should fit the bill.

For the most part, Kindles are easy to use. They have touch screens, simple interfaces, and aren’t bogged down with too many unnecessary features. Despite that, something as simple as getting out of a book is not very clear to first-time users. There is no physical home button anywhere on a Kindle, nor are there any virtual home/exit buttons while reading a book. If you’re having trouble getting out of a book on your Kindle, here’s what to do: With a book open on your Kindle, tap anywhere near the top of the screen. This reveals the Kindle’s ‘reading toolbar’, which offers shortcuts to change the font, view the table of contents, and more. Towards the top left of this toolbar is a ‘←’ icon. Tap that and you’ll be out of the book and back at the home screen in no time.

Other Ways to Get Back to the Kindle Home Screen

Going back to the home screen from other parts of the interface works a bit differently. If someone is viewing the Kindle Store on your e-reader, you can return to the home screen at any time by tapping the ‘X’ icon near the top right of the screen. The same thing happens in the Settings app. If you open Settings to adjust something and you’re ready to go home, just tap the same ‘X’ icon to do so. Outside of reading books, that ‘X’ icon will always be there as a way to return home. Whether you use your Kindle to open Goodreads, Amazon Kids, or the web browser, the ‘X’ marks the spot for coming home.

And that’s it! In most cases, the home screen of a Kindle can be accessed with that ‘X’ button. If you’re reading a book, just touch the top of the screen and then touch the arrow icon that appears in the left corner. Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be using your Amazon Kindle like a pro in no time.