How to cancel a Kindle subscription
You can cancel most Kindle subscriptions through your Amazon account settings on a computer or the Amazon app on your phone. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, a magazine or newspaper, or a Kindle book series. Amazon does not charge a cancellation fee, and your access ends immediately when you cancel — you will not be refunded for the current billing period.
The fastest route is to go to your Amazon account, find the subscription in your "Memberships and subscriptions" section, and select "Cancel subscription." You do not need to contact Amazon customer service unless the cancellation button does not appear or you subscribed through a third-party app.
Key Takeaways
- You can cancel any Kindle subscription from your Amazon account settings without calling or emailing Amazon.
- Cancellation takes effect immediately, and you lose access to the service right away — Amazon does not offer refunds for the current billing period.
- If you subscribed through an app on your phone rather than Amazon's website, you must cancel through that app's settings, not through Amazon.
- Kindle Unlimited, magazine subscriptions, and book series subscriptions all cancel from the same "Memberships and subscriptions" page.
Cancelling Kindle Unlimited on a computer
Open Amazon.com and sign in to your account. Hover over "Account & Lists" in the top right corner and select "Your Account" from the dropdown menu. Scroll down and click "Memberships and subscriptions."
Find "Kindle Unlimited" in the list. Click the three dots next to it and select "Cancel membership." Amazon will ask you to confirm the cancellation and may show you a discount offer to keep the subscription — you can ignore this and proceed with cancellation. Once you confirm, your membership ends immediately.
Cancelling Kindle Unlimited on your phone
Open the Amazon app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner. Tap "Account" and then "Your Account." Scroll down to "Memberships and subscriptions" and tap it.
Find Kindle Unlimited and tap "Cancel membership." Confirm the cancellation when prompted. If you use an iPhone, you may also see the option to cancel through your Apple ID settings under "Subscriptions," but cancelling through the Amazon app is more reliable.
Cancelling magazine, newspaper, or book series subscriptions
Magazine and newspaper subscriptions on Kindle cancel through the same "Memberships and subscriptions" page. Find the publication name in the list, click or tap the three dots, and select "Cancel subscription." You will lose access to new issues immediately, though you keep access to issues you already received.
Book series subscriptions (where Amazon sends you new books in a series automatically) also cancel from this page. Look for the series name rather than "Kindle Unlimited," and follow the same steps. Each publication or series is listed separately, so you can cancel one without affecting the others.
If you subscribed through an app instead of Amazon.com
If you subscribed to Kindle content through the Kindle app on your phone or tablet, you may have subscribed through Apple's App Store, Google Play, or another third-party platform. In this case, you must cancel through that platform's settings, not through Amazon. Cancelling only through Amazon will not stop the charges from the app store.
For iPhone or iPad: Open Settings, tap your name at the top, select "Subscriptions," find the Kindle subscription, and tap "Cancel Subscription." For Android: Open Google Play, tap your profile icon, select "Payments and subscriptions," find the subscription, and tap "Cancel." For other platforms: Go to that platform's account settings and look for a subscriptions or memberships section.
What happens after you cancel
Your access to Kindle Unlimited books ends immediately. If you were in the middle of reading a book, you can finish it, but you cannot borrow new titles. Any books you borrowed remain in your library but will show as "not available" when you try to open them.
For magazine and newspaper subscriptions, you keep access to issues you already received but will not receive new issues. Amazon does not refund the current billing period, even if you cancel on the first day of your subscription cycle. Your account will not be charged again once the cancellation is confirmed.
Restarting a cancelled subscription
You can restart a Kindle Unlimited membership or other subscription at any time by going back to the "Memberships and subscriptions" page and selecting "Renew" or "Restart." There is no waiting period or penalty for restarting. If you restart within the same billing month, you will be charged the full monthly price again — Amazon does not prorate.
If you cancelled a magazine or newspaper subscription, you can restart it the same way. Your reading history and preferences remain in your account, so restarting is straightforward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I get a refund if I cancel mid-month?
No. Amazon does not refund unused portions of your subscription. If you cancel on day 5 of a 30-day billing cycle, you lose access immediately but are not refunded for the remaining 25 days. You are charged only once per billing cycle, so cancelling does not trigger an extra charge.
Can I pause my Kindle Unlimited subscription instead of cancelling?
Amazon does not offer a pause feature for Kindle Unlimited. Your only options are to keep the subscription active or cancel it. You can restart it later without penalty, so cancelling is the same as pausing if you plan to return.
What if the cancel button does not appear?
If you do not see a "Cancel subscription" option, you may have subscribed through a third-party app or platform. Check your phone's app store settings (Apple App Store or Google Play) for active subscriptions. You can also contact Amazon customer service through your account for help locating the subscription.
Do I lose my Kindle library if I cancel Kindle Unlimited?
No. Your personal Kindle library — books you purchased — stays in your account. Only books you borrowed through Kindle Unlimited become unavailable. You can still read books you own after you cancel.
Can I cancel one magazine subscription but keep Kindle Unlimited?
Yes. Each subscription is separate. You can cancel a magazine or newspaper subscription without affecting Kindle Unlimited or any other active subscriptions on your account.