Amazon redesigned its Kindle e-reader for 2026, and it now includes a removable back panel, allowing users to replace the battery more easily. As much as we like the idea of a repairable Kindle, Mashable's testing found that the back panel can come off too easily when removing the Kindle from its case, exposing the device's innards.
Customers have taken notice of this design issue, too. A Reddit user also reported the back of their Kindle popping off with minor pressure, and so did TikTok user Jackie's Book Tally, who posted a video of the new Kindle coming apart while removing it from the case. The issue primarily affects the plastic, non-aluminum base Kindle model, based on our testing and customer reports.
Mashable's testing also revealed that when this happens, it can lead to some frame alignment problems. As a result, I'm updating my Kindle review. Previously, I rated the 2026 Kindle as a 5 out of 5 on performance. With this back panel issue, I'm changing that to a 4 out of 5.
When we asked Amazon about the issue, a spokesperson emphasized that the back panel is designed to come off the frame. It doesn't mean the device is broken or needs to be replaced.
An unexpected design issue
Testing is an ongoing process here at Mashable. Even after we publish a review, we'll update it as we spend more time with the product, especially if we experience something that changes our first impressions. We want to know how a piece of tech blends into our lives. That's why a comment from my editor on the new Kindles stuck with me.
Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth went hands-on with the 2026 Kindles at an Amazon preview event. After I completed testing the new basic Kindle, he asked if I'd had trouble removing it from its case. Werth had noticed that during a demo, one of the Kindle bodies briefly popped out of place. It was a relevant question because I actually had experienced that issue. When Amazon sent us a new Kindle to test, it came with a new fabric cover, too. I used the device in the case, and all was well until I tried to remove it from said case.
When I took the Kindle out of the cover, it was particularly difficult. Sure, that means it's a secure fit, but there was so much resistance that I noticed some bending and strain in the device's frame, as if it were coming apart. Then, once I got the Kindle out of the case, I realized it had actually come apart. The back of the Kindle detached from the screen, exposing the internal components.
In my three years testing Kindles, this has never happened before. No matter how many times I've taken the 2022 or 2024 Kindles out of their cases, I've never once been concerned about the e-readers' structure. But the 2026 Kindles have gone through a major redesign.
Part of that redesign is the removable back panel that allows users to replace the battery. Unfortunately, I think this change was a little too successful, and now the Kindle's back panel can come apart from the frame accidentally when applying pressure.
How to fix the 2026 Kindle if the back comes off
We reached out to Amazon for comment, and an Amazon spokesperson relayed that this is part of the redesign: "Your Kindle is designed to open along the edge of the display in order to replace the battery. If the back panel shifts when you remove a case or cover, press it firmly back into place on all four corners and along the edges, and keep reading."
Having taken the 2026 Kindle in and out of its case several times, I've noticed the frame separation is occurring frequently. The upside is that it's exceptionally easy to put the frame back in place. With a little pressure, the frame clicks back; however, I have noticed some issues with the power button and gapping around the screen.
The first time this happened, the power button was caught in the frame, and I had to pop it back off to get it to sit right, leaving it scratched. On top of that, even after the screen is clicked back into place, there is gapping along the seam with my review unit, which requires you to apply extra pressure to fix.
Fortunately, the frame issue does not affect the actual operation of the new Kindle. It's still a quick processing e-reader.
We have only encountered this issue on the basic Kindle model, not the Paperwhite Signature Edition or the new aluminum-body Kindles.
If you've experienced any issues with your 2026 Kindle, let Mashable know at editors@mashable.com.
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