Up until recently, if you turned off the screen on an Kindle eReader you’d see one of two things: a random image from Amazon or an advertisement, depending on whether you’ve paid the extra $20 for an Ad-free experience.
But now Amazon is adding an option that probably should have been there all along: you can view the cover of the eBook you’ve been reading.
The feature works with most Kindle devices released since 2014 and supports covers for most books, magazines, or comics. But you’ll need to enable the option manually by visiting the Settings tab on your device, choosing Device Options and then sliding the toggle for Show Cover to the on position.
You’ll also need to have lock screen ads disabled on your Kindle. If you didn’t pay for the ad-free experience up front, then you can disable “special offers” from Amazon’s Manage Your Content and Devices page and paying $20, or buy contacting customer support and paying the same fee.
Or you could just buy an eReader from a different company. Kobo, for example, has been allowing users to display book covers on the lock screen for years, and Kobo eReaders also do not show advertisements.
You can find more details at Amazon’s support page for book covers on the lock screen.
I like this idea. I agree, they should have done this from the beginning. I still use the Kindle e-reader and I also use the Kindle app on my tablet computer.