How to Read PDFs, Notes, Scans, and Comics on the Basic Kindle (2022 and Newer)

If you have a basic Kindle from 2022 or later, you can read PDFs, notes, scans, and comics, but the format and how you transfer files matter a lot for readability. Here’s what works best on your device.

How does the basic Kindle (2022+) display PDFs?

On the basic Kindle (2022 and newer), PDFs appear as fixed pages: the whole page is shrunk to fit the 6-inch, 1072 × 1448 pixel grayscale screen. You can't change the font size—instead, you have to zoom in with two fingers or rotate the device. A page designed for A4 paper is much smaller on the Kindle screen, and the text is reduced accordingly.

How can you read notes or books as reflowable text?

The basic Kindle works best with AZW3 and EPUB formats, which allow reflowable text. This means you can adjust the font size, highlight, and navigate chapters easily. If you have notes, books in PDF, or scanned files, it’s best to convert them first.

• Legible is an online tool that converts PDFs—including notes, books, and scans—into AZW3 or EPUB files. It rebuilds the text, keeps headings, lists, and formatting, fixes split words, and creates a chapter index even if your PDF doesn’t have one. Scanned PDFs are converted to real text with OCR in Spanish, English or Portuguese. You can download the result as AZW3 (for cable transfer) or EPUB (for Send to Kindle). See more in this guide.
• Calibre is another option, but it has trouble with complex PDFs: it may break lines or lose the table of contents. For details, check Why Calibre Cuts Up Lines When Converting PDF to Kindle.

How do you transfer files to the basic Kindle?

You have two main options:

• By cable: Connect your Kindle to your computer and copy the AZW3 file to the "documents" folder. Your Kindle should show up like a USB drive. On Mac, you might need an MTP app if it doesn't appear automatically.
• Online: Use Send to Kindle to send EPUB files (it doesn’t accept AZW3). You can do this from your browser, the Kindle app, or by emailing your @kindle.com address. The book will arrive with its table of contents and be ready to read. For step-by-step details, see How to Transfer Files to Kindle by Cable or Internet.

What about scanned PDFs?

Scanned PDFs are images of pages, so when sent directly to the basic Kindle, the text appears small and fixed. If you convert them with Legible, OCR turns the scan into real Spanish text and builds a reflowable book (EPUB or AZW3), ready for comfortable reading. For more, check How to Convert a Scanned PDF to Kindle (OCR).

How to read comics and manga on the basic Kindle?

The basic Kindle (2022 and newer) has a 1072 × 1448 pixel grayscale screen. It doesn’t open CBZ or CBR files directly, but you can convert them to PDF or AZW3 for a better experience:

• With Legible, just drop your comic file (CBZ, CBR, ZIP, or PDF) and select the setting for the basic Kindle. It trims margins, splits double pages, adjusts size to fit the screen, and supports manga reading right-to-left. You can download as PDF (fixed pages) or AZW3 (page-by-page as a book). For more, see How to Read Comics and Manga on Kindle (CBZ and CBR).
• Kindle Comic Converter is another free tool for prepping comics for Kindle.

What’s different about the basic Kindle (2022+) compared to other models?

The basic Kindle (2022 and newer) has a 6" grayscale screen at 1072 × 1448 pixels—no color support. Comics and manga appear in black and white but look crisp if properly converted. It doesn’t have the extra features of models like the Scribe (larger screen) or Colorsoft (color display). For notes or long books, reflowable text (AZW3 or EPUB) is key to making the most of the small screen.

Summary: How to get the best reading experience on your basic Kindle (2022+)?

• Convert PDFs, notes, and scans to AZW3 or EPUB for reflowable text and adjustable font size.
• For comics and manga, convert to PDF or AZW3 sized for your Kindle’s resolution.
• Transfer files by cable (AZW3) or online with Send to Kindle (EPUB).
• If you just send the PDF, you’ll need to zoom and pan to read comfortably.

If you want to try Legible to convert and preview your book before downloading, head over to the app.