# Wiping a kindle **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 16, 2014, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiping-a-kindle/693285 "2014-07-16T17:06:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2014, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiping-a-kindle/693285/1 "2014-07-16T17:06:24Z")
When my wife lost her kindle, I bought her a new one as a surprise/gift. It’s a paperwhite and I like it. I love my kindle, but have lusted after her paperwhite. So I found someone (a friend’s son) who is a reader and would love a kindle. So, I had a legitimate reason to order myself a paperwhite. Tracking shows it on the truck, so I’m giving the kid his kindle. Any tricks I need to know to wipe my books off of his kindle? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiping-a-kindle/693285/2 "2014-07-16T17:18:22Z")
If your Kindle works like the Paperwhite, choosing “Reset Device” in the settings menu will wipe all books and deregister it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiping-a-kindle/693285/3 "2014-07-16T17:35:41Z")
Thanks!!! I just got a text from the kid, thanking me again. Meanwhile, I’m the one who should be thanking him! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2014, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiping-a-kindle/693285/4 "2014-07-16T19:25:13Z")
Your old kindle must also be deregistered in order to disconnect it from your account (the reset will wipe but not disconnect: “You will still be able to download items from the Cloud.”). You can deregister on the kindle itself (in Settings - Registration) or from the Amazon site under “Manage Your Content and Devices”. ETA: Hmm. The Amazon terminology seems a bit unclear. It looks like the simple reset will also deregister. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiping-a-kindle/693285/5 "2014-07-17T11:30:16Z")
Well, i de registered the kindle first, then did a reset. Then I selected the “return to original factory settings” option and all was well! I met my friend at the bar and I showed him how to get his son started. Oh, and my paperwhite is fantastic! ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiping-a-kindle/693285/6 "2014-07-17T11:56:57Z")
Quick question for **kayaker** (or anyone else who has a paperwhite), can you invert the colors of text? (Meaning, can you have the background black and the text white? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiping-a-kindle/693285/7 "2014-07-17T12:29:50Z")
No, can’t invert colors with any of the ink ereaders as far as I can tell. The Fire, yes. I’ve looked through font choices and settings. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiping-a-kindle/693285/8 "2014-07-17T12:34:50Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > Quick question for **kayaker** (or anyone else who has a paperwhite), can you invert the colors of text? (Meaning, can you have the background black and the text white? > [@kayaker](#): > > No, can’t invert colors with any of the ink ereaders as far as I can tell. The Fire, yes. I’ve looked through font choices and settings. Yeah, no, because e-ink was specifically designed to mimic paper printing. Note, though, the reason you would want to do so on a backlit LCD display is obviated by the e-ink display; the capacity for eyestrain from an e-ink display is negligible (or, close to the same as a print book). ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiping-a-kindle/693285/9 "2014-07-17T14:14:54Z")
Since this is a hardware question, moved to IMHO (from Cafe Society).