Skip to main content

Discolored line on your new Kindle? You aren’t alone

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition on a table.
Amazon

The new Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition is the first full-color e-reader, and a lot of bookworms couldn’t wait to get their hands on it. Sadly, many people are reporting the display has a discolored yellow area at the bottom of the screen. The problem is so widespread that the Kindle Colorsoft dropped to an average review rating of 2.6 out of 5, although it does remain the bestselling e-book reader at the moment.

The cause of the discoloration isn’t clear. Some users report that it only happens when using the edge lighting feature on the Kindle, while others say it appeared after a software update. Either way, the yellowing is a problem, especially on a device that Amazon has marketed as being great for comics and graphic novel fans. It’s hard to enjoy the colorwork in a comic when it’s distorted.

Recommended Videos

Amazon hasn’t given an official statement on the issue, although one Reddit user did post a screenshot that seems to indicate the company is aware of the issue and is working on a fix. The user was told by an Amazon customer service representative that an update will rectify the problem and asked them to check back in 48 hours.

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition in the hands of a person
Amazon

The response to the line has been mixed. Some users say it isn’t noticeable; in fact, a lot of people didn’t even realize their Kindle had the discolored section until someone else pointed it out. Others say the problem is too much of a distraction and detracts from the overall experience.

Hopefully, Amazon will release a fix soon. If the problem is software-based, it should be easy to correct. If it’s hardware-based, though, it could be a lot harder to solve. If you’re experiencing this issue, reach out to Amazon support. The more people that report this problem, the less time it will take to be repaired.

Patrick Hearn
Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…
Amazon’s new Your Books hub will nudge you to buy more books
A screenshot from Amazon's new Your Books feature.

Amazon began business in 1995 as an online bookseller and continues to this day to sell physical books and e-books to millions of customers globally. It also released its first Kindle e-book reader in 2007 before going on to launch additional Kindle devices such as the Paperwhite, Oasis, and Scribe. On top of that, the behemoth acquired audiobook service Audible in 2008, followed by social reading site Goodreads in 2013.

Amazon even offers a platform for creators who want to publish their own books on demand, in print and digital form.

Read more
Why I replaced my Kindle with an $1,800 Android phone
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and books

Kindles are cheap, long-lasting, and easy on the eyes. Depending on the variant you pick, they can even fit in your jeans pocket, just like a phone. Amazon’s e-reader owns a lion’s share of the market with a diverse hardware choice and a rich portfolio of titles in its digital library. It’s a dream device for bookworms that can carry thousands of books in a package that is just over five ounces.

But the Kindle comes with its fair share of pitfalls, and over time, you start craving the feel of real books with all their colors. It happened to me, and the result was a long, dry spell of not reading books, even though my Kindle library is still about 70% left unread. But that’s not the end of it.
The Kindle bored me into book isolation

Read more
Amazon is adding 4 big features to your Kindle Scribe — here’s what’s new
Someone writing on the Kindle Scribe.

Ever since it launched in November of last year, we've been seeing plenty of new, solid updates coming to the Kindle Scribe. Starting today, four more great features are being added to the device.

While we noted that the Scribe was missing a handful of features at launch that we thought might be useful, Amazon has made up for it (and more) with the updates that the company has been pushing on a regular basis.

Read more