Amazon has released another software update for Kindle ereaders that brings some more changes to the way navigation works when reading ebooks.
The new software version is 5.14.1, up from 5.13.7 with the last update, which brought a lot of changes to the user interface and now they’re attempting to fix one of the main problems created by the last update: the removal of the back button.
Here’s the release notes:
Version 5.14.1 – October 2021
Here’s what’s new:
Navigation options while reading: You can now navigate more easily within a book that has footnotes, endnotes, bookmarks, notes/highlights, or links.
Performance improvements, bug fixes, and other general enhancements.
Basically what they did is add a “back to page” link that appears at the bottom of the screen whenever navigating to a different part of a book.
Now whenever you do things like follow a link, go to a bookmark, use the table of contents, or jump to a different page a “back to page” box pops-up at the bottom of the screen and remains there indefinitely until you use it. You have to either tap a “back to page” link or a “stay here” button to remove the dialog box—there’s no other way to get rid of it. It’s nice if you want to go back right away, but if you want to stay in the new location having to press the “stay here” button every single time gets rather annoying, and it only shows the first page to go back to, not any subsequent pages so it doesn’t mimic the old back button’s functionality.
As noted with the last update that removed the dedicated back button from the top menu bar, you can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the page navigation box to go back to previous locations from there by using the arrows at the very bottom of the screen, but it doesn’t work the same as the old back button used to, and it only remembers a couple of recent locations, not all previous locations like the back button did. You can also tap on the dots to go to previous locations but it’s not quite as intuitive as using a dedicated back button.
I’m also encountering a problem where swiping up from the bottom of the screen doesn’t open the page navigation screen half the time, so no wonder people are having problems adjusting to the new navigation options introduced with the last update.
The update still isn’t available for the Kindle Voyage (it’s still on 5.13.6) so it might’ve finally reached the end of the line as far as software updates go, but considering it was released in 2014 it was pretty good it was still receiving new feature updates until now.
The Kindle Paperwhite 3 is still at the last update, 5.13.7, but it often receives updates later than other models so I wouldn’t be concerned about that just yet.
Like usual with Kindle updates you can wait for the update to automatically download and install when connected to WiFi, but that can sometimes take a few months. If you want the update now you can head over to the Kindle Software Updates Page and download the file to manually install on your Kindle (just put it in the root directory of your Kindle and hit the update button in the settings menu).
The window that pops up at the bottom after syncing and updating the location drives me crazy. I’ve already selected to go to the latest read page so the window should just “go away”. Instead, I have to tap in page to make the pop-up disappear. I’m not sure which release brought that but it’s also on my Voyage, so I guess maybe two updates ago?
I liked how it “used” to work where the pop-up was in the middle of the screen and goes away after I select to go to the furthest location. Then again, I tend to like how things “used” to work.. like the SlingTV guide. LOL The new Guide seems to take forever to navigate. (Although I haven’t checked the settings to see if I can personalize the Guide.) 😉
Funny, I know exactly what you mean about SlingTV’s new user interface, but then I switched to Hulu for local stations and now I really miss Sling’s easier-to-use interface. I guess it’s a matter of perspective. If we all had to go back to using the Kindle’s earlier non-touchscreen interface where you had to scroll endlessly through everything using nav buttons (looking up words in the dictionary used to be such a chore before touchscreens), we’d probably all like the new user interface a lot more.
Which version is your Voyage on?
This question is addressed to KimberlyO.
My Voyage is on 5.13.6 The Voyage remains my favorite.
So I noticed that for some reason since the update I can’t view my collections that were created on other devices on the kindle paperwhite after the update. Has anyone had this issue? If so how can I fix it?
I cannot see them either but if I search it will show me a list of the books in thst collection. I had collections set up by when the books were bought so I could go to sprcific months and years to pick my next read! So frustrating!
Automatic update occurred yesterday, 12.11.21, now I cannot turn the kindle on
The green light goes out
It was fully charged so that is not the issue
I have found a fix. If you know what your collections were called type that in the search bar at the top of the screen when in library. Tap on the collection name to open the list of books in it. In the top right of the screen and click on add to device. This will download the collection to your Kindle (but not the books in it). I now have 244 to add to my device.
Oops on the top right of the screen tap on the three dots to bring up the menu then tap on add to device
Thanks so much for explaining how to do this! Since the update I had been tearing my hair out as most of my collections had disappeared, and by following your instructions I have been able to get them back again. Phew! 😅
Jeez. This makes me really, really hope my PW2 doesn’t die soon.
I have a PW1, my gf has a PW2, and we have three Kindle Keyboard models. Every single one works perfectly.
I tried taking a Paperwhite 4 out of airplane mode just long enough to download one book, but Amazon still managed to take control of it long enough to push out this horrible update. It might be OK on a much bigger screen, but I really dislike losing so much screen real estate to what I consider totally useless information…for me anyway. I guess it’s time to put my Paperwhites and Oases in storage and then see if either of my old Voyages still hold a charge. Otherwise, at least as far as e-ink ereaders go, it’s going to be adios Kindle and hello Kobo.
I really like the new kindle upgrades. The spacing in the book list makes it so much easier to read. Navigation is easier for me, especially with the back button fix. The only problem I have is the font and size settings change by themselves, so when I open my kindle I have to reset before I can read. I think that’s a problem with my kindle though; I’ve been pretty brutal with it. I have the new one on order so I’m not too concerned about it. I’ve been reading reviews about how much people don’t like the upgrade, but I’m happy with it.
Agree, I’ve loved all the recent updates. I’ve also just loved that they care enough about the kindle line again to do updates.
Thank you so much for the information on the latest Kindle update from Amazon. I was totally frustrated about not being able to go back to my standard library view and Amazon was giving me NO help. With the information you gave, I found it immediately.
Anyone know what happened to the “Go To” function with this new update? I can’t find it.
The “go to page or location” option is located at the top of the table of contents list, accessed by pressing the stack of lines on the top menu bar.
Finally found it. Thanks Nathan.
Hi, The Wifi Connection on Paperwhite Gen10 seems to have disappeared around the time of this firmware update. I’ve reload from the .bin file but no difference. Anyone else seeing this?
I’m thankful they added this button. I have some books that seem to mix footnotes and endnotes and it made it difficult to navigate back to the book itself. This new feature solves that problem for me at least.
John Duffin: I think we’re just supposed to use the Airplane mode button to toggle WiFi on and off.
With the new update, in the reading options section in settings we seem to have lost the ability to turn off popular notes and highlights in books. Did the option move?
Thanks for asking this. I’d like to know how to disable popular notes, too.
Wow, bizarre. I just looked and you’re right. Wonder where that moved to. An important thing to be able to access. I always have to turn that off
Went digging and found out —
“Open the Aa menu while reading a book. The option is under the “More” tab. (You may need to scroll the menu to see it.)”
When changed here, it will affect all books.
I agree the change doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but well….
I seem to have lost my option to filter on Doc (vs. Books) in Library, list view. Is this a setting I am not seeing?
It is still there. For me to see it I have to go to filter and then scroll down. Since there isn’t an arrow or anything, it’s very easy to miss.
Thank you! I totally missed the scrolling option on Oasis & PW.. Feeling a little sheepish it was that simple also.
Anyone know how to view collections that were created originally on another device? Since the update it won’t let me view only collections
I can still filter by collections and have them show up first. Yours may have a glitch from the update? Ever since especially the big release of “series” and such, things like this seem buggy with the sorting options.
What happened to my highlights? I can’t find them since the last update.
I don’t have the time to search through all this – I just want to continue using my Kindle without having to learn all the quirks introduced by this 5.13.7 version. Please- can someone tell me how to backlevel to the previous version ? If so, thanks ever so much.
There is no going back; Kindle software cannot be downgraded.
The “stay here” and “back to” buttons are a nightmare! I use the kindle to read newspapers. There I jump around all the time and I always have to press “stay here” over and over again.
Agree, very annoying. The Back button was more efficient and easier to use.
Agree with just about everything everybody said here! SInce losing the back arrow on my Kindle (software update 5.13.7 onwards), reading has become a tortuous and torturous experience – at least, for those of us who need to jump to and fro while we read. Fingers crossed they will fix this problem in 2022. Until that day comes,
I for one will definitely never buy another Kindle reader. Such a pity you can’t backtrack to earlier versions.
The back-to-page bar drives me nuts. I hope Amazon provides an option to disable it
Does anyone know how to get the collection to show in list form. They should have had sent a notice that they were going to make such big change on the Kindle Oasis. They should allow you to say that you do not want these update. I just want to read my Kindle.
My screen on books used to show All and Downloaded..That has now disappeared which leaves me exasperated.How can this be fixed.
Long answer short, see here. Use downloaded filter.
My kindle Paperwhite 7th generation skips to the table of contents, when turning a page! Help!
I only just tried Kindle. I’m about 80 pages into the book but I can’t seem to get a handle on bookmarking the page I’m on. I click the bookmark icon at the top of the page and it then turns blue. Thought I’d cracked it but now there’s an annoying icon bottom left of the page that says “go back to page 56” or whatever. SO annoying I can’t concentrate on reading the book. Think I’ll just go back to a real book. They were so uncomplicated 😂