Why Did Amazon Get Rid Of Page-Turn Buttons On Kindles?

Turning pages on a Kindle is as simple as tapping or swiping on the screen, but previous versions of Amazon's popular e-book reader came with physical buttons that served the same purpose. The idea behind page-turn buttons was straightforward. You could press the button to turn a page regardless of how you held the device, making physical buttons a convenient choice for situations where one-handed use matters, like reading on your side in bed. But Amazon removed page-turn buttons in 2024 when it discontinued the Kindle Oasis, deciding to offer buyers touch-only Kindle options. The move isn't exactly a surprise in a world where touch interfaces are everywhere. Smartphones and tablets feature touch-first interfaces, and most Windows laptops come with touch screens. We also use touch displays in public places, like placing a fast-food order or buying transit tickets from a machine.

Touch interfaces may also come naturally to newer generations of users, who may start interacting with tablets and smartphones at a very young age. By the time they get to use an e-book reader, which has almost the same design as a tablet, they're trained to switch apps and turn pages with swipes and taps. On that note, iPads and Android tablets can replace Kindle readers, as they support various e-book-reading apps, including the Kindle app. Turning pages on a tablet relies on touch gestures. Tablets only feature a limited set of buttons, including standby and volume controls.

Amazon has been well aware of these touch-first trends when it comes to interacting with computing devices, considering the comments made on the decision to remove page-turn buttons from the Kindle. In May 2025, Amazon's Devon Corvasce told Good e-Reader that "all of our devices are touch-forward, which is what our customers are comfortable with." Corvasce compared Amazon's decision to the mobile industry's switch from keyboard smartphones (BlackBerry models and similar phones) to touch-only handsets and indicated that Amazon will not bring back page-turn buttons. The Amazon executive had similar remarks for The Verge several months earlier, in October 2024, saying that Amazon would not restock the Kindle Oasis once the inventory ran out.

In other words, Amazon appears unlikely to revive Kindle models with page-turn buttons, as of this writing, with the company focusing on several Kindle models that have larger displays, thinner bezels, and no page-turn buttons. Amazon's mid-2026 Kindle lineup includes the Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Colorsoft, Kindle Scribe, and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. The models with "Scribe" in the name also support note-taking, as they come with a built-in stylus for writing and drawing. These features further blur the lines between e-book readers and tablets, allowing Kindle users to be more productive when consuming specific content.

Buyers who want readers with page-turn buttons can purchase devices from Amazon's rivals. Options include the $119.99 Nook GlowLight, the $199.99 Kobo Libra Colour, the $269.99 Boox Go 7, and others.