How to Put Music on Your Kindle From Your Computer

With a 4GB storage, the Kindle can hold a few dozen songs.
... PIKSEL/iStock/Getty Images

While the Amazon Kindle is well known as an e-book reader, many people don't know that several models can also double as a personal MP3 player. As long as your Kindle supports audio, such as the Kindle DX and the Kindle Fire, you can transfer MP3 files from your computer to the Kindle's Music folder and listen to your favorite music on the go. Of course, models without audio support, like the Kindle Paperwhite, don't support MP3 files.

Connect the Kindle to a USB port on your computer. Make sure the Kindle is turned on and then tap the "Desktop" tile on the Windows 8 Start screen.

Tap the "File Explorer" icon on the bottom of the desktop. Locate the Kindle in the left menu just as you would any other USB device. Click the "Arrow" on the left side of the Kindle icon to reveal the "Music" folder below it.

Locate the music files on your computer. In most cases, these will be in your computer's Music folder in the left menu. Open the folder by double-clicking it and then drag the music files into the Kindle's "Music" folder in the left menu. Wait for the files to be copied to the Kindle. The amount of time this takes depends on the size of the files.

Right-click the "KIndle" icon in the left menu of File Explorer, select "Eject" after the file transfer and then disconnect the USB cable.

  • Information in this article applies to Windows 8. It may vary slightly or significantly with other versions or products.
  • Kindle DX supports only MP3 files. The Kindle Fire supports MP3, AAC, M4A, MIDI, PCM/WAVE, OGG, and WAV files.
  • Another way to copy files to your Kindle after connecting it to your computer is to select your music files in the File Explorer and then click the "Copy To" button in the Tool bar. You can then select "Choose Location" from the drop-down menu and select the Kindle's "Music" folder.

A published author and professional speaker, David Weedmark has advised businesses and governments on technology, media and marketing for more than 20 years. He has taught computer science at Algonquin College, has started three successful businesses, and has written hundreds of articles for newspapers and magazines throughout Canada and the United States.

×