How to Shut Down the Kindle Fire HD

The Kindle Fire HD can go into two modes when you're not using it. The Sleep mode uses minimal power to keep current data in memory, so you can quickly resume where you left off. This option is ideally suited for quick breaks between sessions, but if you plan to store the Kindle for an extended period of time, you should opt for the fully powered-down mode.

A quick press of the right side's power button only places the device into Sleep mode. Because the screen turns off in this mode, it might appear that the device is shut off, but it actually continues to use a small amount of energy. To fully power down the device, press and hold the power button until a pop-up appears with the option to shut down the device; select this option. If the Kindle is frozen, pressing and holding this button for 20 seconds forces the Kindle to restart.