How To Change Your Amazon Kindle 2 Screensaver
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 MobileRead Forums allows you to replace the Amazon screensavers that are shown when the Kindle is on sleep mode, with pictures of your choice.
Before trying out this Kindle How To, be aware that there is a potential risk to this process and that you are doing this of your own volition. Installing custom screensavers however, does not necessarily mean voiding your warranty (Source: Amazon.com). That said, it would also be good for you to know that several people have tried doing this and have been successful in their efforts.
So now here are the steps to a whole new set of custom screen savers:
1. Make sure that you are using the latest version of the Kindle software on your device. If not, it is best that you upgrade your software first.
2. Download the Kindle screensaver file to your computer and unzip it.
3. Via USB, connect your Kindle 2 to the computer and locate the Kindle directory usually K:\.
4. Then go to the \system folder in the Kindle directory and create a new screen_saver subfolder there.
5. Put in all custom pictures that you want your Kindle screensaver to display one after the other. You may use both PNG and JPEG files but don’t use the 10-megapixel photos from your digicam as these would take too long to load.
6. Remember to resize images to a dimension of 600 x 800 before copying to the folder.
7. In the screensaver hack that you’ve downloaded and unzipped in step #2, you will find a file there named Update_kindle2_user_screen_savers.bin. Copy this to the root directory of your Kindle 2.
8. Disconnect your Kindle from the computer by unplugging the USB.
9. In your Kindle 2, select “Menu” then press “Settings.” Under this, press “Menu” and choose “Update Your Kindle”.
10. If your installation was done right, it shouldn’t take a minute to update your Kindle and do a reboot.
11. To check if your new Kindle screensaver was successfully set, you should see this line in the bottom portion of your display:
Version: Kindle 2.0.1 (303870012) + Screen Saver Hack 0.3
If you haven’t upgraded to the latest software yet, just wait for our next Kindle How To which will cover How To Update Your Kindle Software. In the meantime, enjoy your new screensavers! Also, if you want to know about other ebook reading devices available, check out the Sony Reader PRS-700.
Resource: blogkindle.com
@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.