Amazon's Kindle E-Reader now integrates Assistive Reading Technology
New Text-to-Speech Feature Introduced on Kindle e-Readers, but Short-lived
Amazon has recently introduced a new text-to-speech feature called Assistive Reader on the 11th and 12th generation Kindle e-readers. The feature, which highlights text as it is read aloud, was available briefly between the 11th and 12th of August 2025, following the release of firmware version 5.18.4 around late July.
To enable the Assistive Reader, users simply needed to open an e-book, tap the Aa menu, select the More tab, and toggle on the Assistive Reader at the top of the screen. A speaker icon would appear, allowing users to listen via Bluetooth headphones while the text was highlighted in sync. The feature supported multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian.
However, the feature was quickly removed remotely by Amazon within a few days of its launch, disabling the function without a new firmware update. It appears Amazon took it down possibly for further development, so it is currently not available on the 11th and 12th gen Kindles despite the initial rollout.
The update also introduced a new global font, a new method to enlarge all UI elements for users with poor eyesight, and supported Kindle Books will now have a read-aloud function with a generic AI voice. The size of the enlarged UI elements is adjustable and can be found under the Brightness Settings menu.
Michael Kozlowski, a veteran writer who has been covering audiobooks, e-books, and e-readers for 18 years, resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Despite not being directly involved in the development of the Assistive Reader, his insights and expertise have been instrumental in the e-reading community.
It is unclear when or if the Assistive Reader feature will be reintroduced on the 11th and 12th generation Kindle e-readers. In the meantime, readers can continue to enjoy their e-books on their Kindles as usual.
E-reader users, intrigued by the latest gadgets, were excited when Amazon introduced the Assistive Reader feature on the 11th and 12th generation Kindle e-readers, allowing them to listen to their e-books via Bluetooth headphones while reading. However, just as they were adopting this new technology, the feature was unexpectedly removed, leaving smartphone users with their audiobook apps as the primary option for text-to-speech functionality.
