kindle for pc app has stopped working on Microsoft Surface Pro 11th edition

Question

Kindle for PC app was previously working on a Microsoft Surface Pro 11th edition purchased recently. Now the app does not open. tried to uninstall/reinstall with no luck. Best Buy geek squad tried same fix to no avail. any other fixes? I plan to travel soon. is there an ereader for Kindle library that is not dependent on wifi cloud access (ie on plane with no Starlink)?

Answer 1

I had the exact same issue with a brand new Surface Laptop 7th Edition.

Had to bump my user all the way down to v2.7.70978 just to have it finally open so they could log into their Amazon account.

Newer versions are not necessarily better versions.

Answer 2

Hi Robert Durkin,
Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum. I'm happy to help.

The problem is more likely related to the application itself but not Windows. You should contact Amazon to report the problem.

In the meantime, you may try downloading and installing an older version of the application to see it there's a good one that can run on your system.

We're sorry for any inconvenience may have caused and thank you for your understanding.

For further questions, please feel free to make a thread.

Answer 3

For a Kindle for PC app that previously worked and now will not open on a Surface Pro (11th edition) with Windows 11, start by treating it like any other Windows Store/desktop app issue and then consider ARM/compatibility specifics.

Try these steps in order:

1. Make sure Windows and Store components are fully updated
   1. Select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates and install all available updates, then restart the Surface.
   2. Open Microsoft Store, go to Library > Get updates, and let it update all apps and the Store itself.
2. Repair or reset the Kindle app (if installed from Microsoft Store)
   1. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
   2. Find Kindle in the list.
   3. Select it, choose Advanced options.
   4. First try Repair. If it still will not open, use Reset.
   5. If that fails, uninstall it from here, then reinstall from Microsoft Store or from Amazon’s installer.
   For general guidance on repairing/resetting apps, see Repair or reset your apps in the Windows 11 app troubleshooting steps.
3. If the app still will not open, re‑register built‑in apps and Store infrastructure A damaged app registration can prevent Store apps (and sometimes desktop apps that integrate with Store services) from working. Re‑registering built‑in apps is a common fix:
   1. Open Windows PowerShell (Admin).
   2. Run the following commands one at a time and let each complete (ignore red errors):

            Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name windows.immersivecontrolpanel | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml" -Verbose}
            Get-AppXPackage | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
      

   3. Restart the Surface and try Kindle again.
4. General app troubleshooting on Windows 11 If Kindle still fails to open, follow the standard Microsoft Store app troubleshooting sequence for Windows 11:
   1. Close the app (if it partially opens) and reopen.
   2. Confirm Windows is up to date (step 1 above).
   3. Confirm the app is compatible with Windows 11 and with the Surface’s architecture (Surface Pro 11th edition models may be ARM‑based; some third‑party apps may not be fully supported). See Your app doesn't work with Windows from the app troubleshooting article.
   4. If installed via Microsoft Store, reinstall it from Microsoft Store > Library.
5. ARM‑based Surface considerations If the Surface Pro 11th edition is an ARM‑based model, some traditional x64 installers or drivers may not behave as expected. For peripherals this is documented, and the same principle applies to some apps: they must support ARM or run under emulation. Ensure the Kindle installer being used is the latest version and supported on Windows 11; if it previously worked, a clean reinstall after the steps above usually restores functionality.

Regarding offline Kindle reading while traveling (no Wi‑Fi/Starlink):

Kindle apps and Kindle devices support offline reading as long as books are downloaded to the device beforehand. Once the Kindle for PC app is working again, download the books to the Surface before traveling; they remain readable offline. Alternatively, a dedicated Kindle e‑reader device (not managed from Windows) can be used for fully offline reading once content is synced to it in advance.

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References:

• Fix problems with apps from Microsoft Store
• Using software and peripherals on Surface ARM-based devices
• Troubleshooting and FAQ for mobile apps on Windows
• Windows doesn't respond or stops working on Surface
• Network settings crash settings app, wifi and Ethernet not working or appearing - Microsoft Q&A