If the author pictures of your Amazon Kindle 2 screensavers are not so much to your taste, here’s a guide on how to change your Kindle screensaver. This custom update courtesy of darknova of the MobileRead Forum allows you to replace the screensavers that are shown when the Kindle is in sleep mode, with pictures of your choice.
There are essentially two steps involved in changing the screensaver on your Kindle. The first step involves “jailbreaking” the Kindle. While this may sound scary, all this means is you’ll be installing files on your Kindle that will allow you to run any custom code on the device (as opposed to only the code authorized by Amazon). The custom code you’ll be installing on the device is referred to as a “hack” and this will be step two – installing the screensaver hack on the Kindle.
Before you attempt to change your Kindle screensaver, be aware that you are doing this at your own risk! While the process isn’t terribly complex, it will require some technical know-how so if you’re not comfortable with this tutorial, do not attempt it. And if you’re wondering whether or not doing this will void your warranty – it appears it won’t. According to Amazon customer service, changing the screensaver doesn’t void the warranty.
Without further ado, let’s get started! The first step in changing the Kindle screensaver is to install the jailbreak files. Please note, if you have already installed these files for other hacks – for example the font hacks – there is no need to reinstall them. You only need to install the jailbreak files once. Before you install the jailbreak file you need to know which Kindle version you have.
How to Know Which Kindle You Have
1. Press the MENU button, then navigate down to Settings.
2. Check your Kindle serial number. It’s usually found on the second page under Device Info. For Kindle 1 users, you may also check the software version you are currently using (still under Device Info), and it has already been upgraded to Kindle version 2.X, then this hack is also applicable.
You should be able to tell from the serial number prefix which Kindle you own:
Serial No. Prefix B002 – Kindle US Wireless
B003 – Kindle Global Wireless
B004 – Kindle DX US Wireless
B005 – Kindle DX Global Wireless
B009 – Kindle DX Graphite
B006 – Kindle 3 3G US
B008 – Kindle 3 Wi-Fi
B00A – Kindle 3 3G UK/Europe
How to Install the Jailbreak File
Now it’s time to get down to business.
1. First, you need to download the jailbreak file. You can download it from here. That link will take you to the MobileRead forum where you’ll see a zip file named, “kindle-jailbreak-0.4.N,” if you scroll down a little on the page. That is the jailbreak file you need to download to your computer.
2. Simply unzip the tiny 48k file to get the jailbreak installers and uninstallers for all Kindle models. You’ll find a handful of .bin files and an src directory. It should look something like this:
3. Attach your Kindle to your computer using the USB cable. If it doesn’t mount right away, slide the “wake up” switch back and forth until the device is detected by your PC.
4. Extract the update jailbreak file that corresponds to the Kindle edition you own to the Kindle’s root directory. Note the part of the file name (after 0.4.N) indicates what version it is for:
“update_jailbreak_0.4.N_k2_install.bin” – Kindle 2 US
“update_jailbreak_0.4.N_k2i_install.bin” – Kindle 2 Global Wireless
“update_jailbreak_0.4.N_dx_install.bin” – Kindle DX US
“update_jailbreak_0.4.N_dxi_install.bin” – Kindle DX Global Wireless
“update_jailbreak_0.4.N_dxg_install.bin” – Kindle DX Graphites
“update_jailbreak_0.4.N_k3g_install.bin” – Kindle 3 3G US
“update_jailbreak_0.4.N_k3w_install.bin” – Kindle 3 WiFi
“update_jailbreak_0.4.N_k3gb_install.bin” – Kindle 3 3G UK
5. As soon as the file is copied, safely remove your Kindle from the computer. Press HOME > MENU, then scroll down to Settings, press MENU button again, then go to Update Your Kindle. If that option is grayed out, it means you already have an updated hack installed on your Kindle.
6. Click OK when you are asked to confirm the software update. You’ll be shown the update screen while this is being done and as soon as the process is completed, the device will automatically restart. The jailbreak process is typically fast, taking no more than 30 seconds to a couple of minutes
For Kindle 2 owners, you may be notified of a FAILURE during the updating with corresponding U006 error (found at the bottom left corner of the screen), but this is harmless and is nothing to worry about so just carry on.
Jailbreak installed? Now on to the screensaver hack!
How to Install the Custom Kindle Screensaver Hack
The next major step in knowing how to change the Kindle screensaver is setting up the screensaver hack. This is essentially the same as doing the jailbreak.
1. Download the screensaver hack. You can download it from here. That link will take you to the MobileRead forum where you’ll see a zip file named, “kindle-ss-0.18.N,” if you scroll down a little on the page. That is the screensaver hack you need to download to your computer.
2. Attach your Kindle to your computer via the USB cable and wait for it to be detected.
3. Then copy the appropriate update_ss_0.18.N_*_install.bin file into the root directory of your Kindle. For instance for a Kindle 2 Global Wireless, use update_ss_0.18.N_k2i_install.bin.
4. After copying, eject your Kindle from the PC and update it. Just like with the jailbreak, navigate to HOME > MENU > Settings > MENU > Update Your Kindle.
5. Confirm the update by clicking OK and wait while the Kindle is updating. You should again get the Updating Successful notification and then the device will automatically restart.
How To Change The Kindle Screensaver – Adding Your Own Images
1. With the reboot done, plug in your Kindle to the computer via USB again. Check the directory to see if you can now find the /linkss/ folder.
If there’s none, you may have failed to install the screen saver hack successfully or you may need to do a hard restart of your Amazon Kindle. To reboot, eject the device from the PC, press the HOME button, then MENU, toggle down to the Settings option, MENU button again and then go to Restart.
2. After the reboot, mount your Kindle to the computer and as soon as you find the /linkss/ folder, double click it. You should find this on your computer screen.
3. Take note of the folders /backups/ and /screensavers/, and the autoreboot file.
4. If you want to continue using some of the images previously showing on your screen, you’ll find those in the backups folder. Just pick those you want to retain and copy these into the screensavers folder. Otherwise, you don’t need to bother with the backups folder.
5. The screensavers folder on the other hand, is where you will upload any new images you want to use as screensavers for your Kindle. For the 6-inch Kindles, the screen saver images should be 600 x 800, and 824×1200 for the 9-inch DX. It’s best to use 8-bit grayscale pictures saved as .PNG files.
6. If you’ve already copied all pictures of your choice into the screensavers folder, then it’s time to do another reboot of your device. Again, safely remove it from the PC and go to HOME > MENU > Settings > MENU > Restart.
7. You may also opt to use the autoreboot feature so that you don’t have to manually restart the Kindle. Just create another copy of the autoreboot file in the linkss folder and rename it reboot. As soon as you remove your Kindle from the PC, the ebook reader will automatically restart in about 10 seconds.
8. If you want to randomize the sequence in which the images appear, simply create a blank file called random within the linkss folder.
9. After the restart, your Kindle should now display the new set of images, randomly shuffled, when in sleep mode.
Once you learn how to change the Kindle screensaver, you’ll be able to say goodbye to dead authors and hello to new and exciting pictures of your choice.
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
The linked Jailbreak will no longer work on a 3.2.1 update… on that site tho there is one of the credited people named YifanLu, and they have a jailbreak but it requires a touch of luck to make work, or, at least he says. I got mine first try and now the screensavers works. You’ll have to install the .5 jb then the ss again but, really, seems worth it.
able to get jailbreak loaded (found update) but can’t load screen saver hack (unsucessfull) don,t know if bin is good have k 3 wifi any help greatly appreciated thanks
does kindle have to be registered to update after jailbreak? I don’t have update option in settings.
I just got a Kindle 3 with WiFi. The jailbreak and screensaver hacks both said they failed to install. Has anyone else had a problem and found a way around it? Thanks!
I uninstalled the hack completely along with the jailbreak hack. Then reinstalled the jailbreak and screensaver hack (updated separately for each), put my pics in the screensaver folder, ejected from pc then restarted, then I went back in and made a copy of the “autoreboot” file and renamed it “random” and placed it in the linkss file (one file above screensaver), ejected the kindle from the pc, and restarted it again. It works great now. I hope this helps.
my kindle 3 wifi is already updated the problem is that the creensaver hack won’t work can someone help
Worked perfectly in my kinfle 3 wifi
version 3.2 !
i didn’t make the random file, but when i turn off and turn on again, it automatically shuffle the pictures!
Thanks a lot !
Works great. Latest filenames are a bit different–the 0.xx.N will be a larger number than what is shown in the directions. Also, I did a software update to the lateset OS first. Other than that, everything worked as explained.
Dale, instead of a Random ‘folder’, create a text file that is called ‘Random’ with no extention (like ‘.txt’) . Let us know if that works.
hi, Thanks for this information. So far it’s working perfectly. I’ve now got my own images appearing on my Kindle (K2i) One slight problem is that they don’t seem to change unless the Kindle is woken up and put back to sleep. can anyone help with an explantion of how you get the images to transition and can you explain a bit more about the “random” file? What sort of file should this be? A .txt file? Thanks in advance. Andrew
Thank you! This worked wonderfully. Now, instead of boring old dead authors, I can have random pictures of the mating rituals of moose. F**k yes.
Wow, thank you so much!! Worked great on my Kindle 3w. Some of the file names have been updated, but easy enough to figure out. Anyone can do it!!
Thanks for your efforts! The hack worked well on my K3W running the 3.1 update. Only problem is the random function – if I put the photos in the Random folder I get a blank screen. Simply creating the Random folder in the linkss folder and leaving it blank doesn’t seem to do anything. Am I missing something??
Worked perfect on my K3w.
Thank you very much, you helped me a lot!
–
Perfect directions and guidance. Thanks a lot for helping me get rid of those dead faces.
Really cool!!! And very clear explanation. Thanks a lot!
It worked!!! I love it, it wont put the pictures in random but thats ok! Thankssss again soo much, the steps are suppper easy to follow too!
I have Kindle3w and I didn’t have any problem with changing the screensavers. I am very happy with Kindle, but now even happier to have my own photos. Good job, and thank you very much!
For the latest versions, even Kindle 3-compatible hacks, see this thread at Mobileread:
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88004
@me:
Maybe the reason why the “update your kindle” option is not accessible is because there’s nothing to update. Perhaps it’s there already and all you need is a restart. I’ve read somewhere that this option is grayed if the latest update is already been installed. Or maybe your firmware version doesn’t work with the hack. As you can read from some of the comments here, the hack provided here doesn’t work with the version 2.3. If that’s the case with you, maybe the link provided by Jimmy Mullins below would be useful to you.
I’ve done everything and when I go to menu-settings-menu on the kindle the “update your kindle thing is there, but I can’t press it. Can someone please help me?
http://www.charles-reace.com/Kindle_Hacks/
Use that link for the 2.3 updated version of these files.
@Rosanna: You’re right about the hack not working with the latest software version. I upgraded mine too and suddenly found myself looking at the same old screensavers as before. I have yet to discover if there’s a workaround for this.
I just wanted to correct something in my post of December 3rd. I updated to the latest Kindle software, which is version 2.0.3. The hack doesn’t work for me, now that I have this latest software version. I have used the hack for several months and have been very happy with it. I miss it now. I really don’t like the default screensaver pictures.
Oh, and answer to TJF, who had trouble installing the new Kindle software: You can’t install the new software until you remove the screensave hack and put it back to normal. You should have gotten a file with the hack that has the word “restore” in it’s name. I even called amazon and we quickly realized it wasn’t upgrading because of the hack. : )
I want to correct on my post from Dec. 3rd. My newest software version is 2.0.3. And the hack doesn’t work for me with this, the newest version of the Kindle software. It worked just fine before the upgrade to the latest software, and I’ve been using it for months, and it worked great!
how do I install the Kindle 2_2 upgrade (Dec 2009 update for rotation and battery life) after having previously done the update hack?
This didn’t work for me. Several days ago I downloaded and updated my Kindle 2 with the Kindle 3.0.3 ? (latest) software. Does this hack work with that version?
Does this process work for the Kindle DX too? And if they do, what should the dimensions of the image be? Thanks in advance.
Thanks for this post! I’ve simply been bored with looking at the “default” screensavers that come with the ebooks, and with Amazon saying that installing screensavers wouldn’t mess with the Kindle’s warranty, then I’m definitely on board with having some cool new screensavers.