3 Ways to Fix Kindle Dictionary Not Working

Quick Tips

• You won’t be able to access the dictionary if it isn’t downloaded to your Kindle reader.
• You have not enabled the right dictionary for the language present in the book.
• If you use your Kindle offline, Wikipedia and word translation will not work.

Basic Fixes

• Check Network Connection: If you want to use Wikipedia to find the meaning of a word or translate a word, disable airplane mode and use an internet connection on your Kindle.
• Restart Kindle: Shutting down your Kindle shuts down all the operations, clearing bugs. Therefore, restarting your Kindle can help fix the problem.
• Update Kindle: If several readers face a problem while using the dictionary on their Kindle devices, Amazon will take note of it and release an update to your Kindle reader.

Fix 1: Download the Dictionary

If you can’t use the dictionary on your Kindle, the dictionary may not be added to your Kindle reader in the first place. Here’s how to fix it.

Step 1: Connect your Kindle to the internet and open the library. Scroll down to find the Dictionaries section.

Step 2: You will see a collection of dictionaries. Select the one you want to use and tap on the three dots icon. Tap on Download.

The dictionary will now be downloaded on your Kindle reader.

Step 3: Tap anywhere on the screen and select the downward-facing arrow at the top of the screen. Tap on all Settings.

Step 4: Tap on Language & Dictionaries > Dictionaries.

Step 5: Tap on the language of the dictionary and select the dictionary you downloaded.

Now, you can use the selected dictionary while reading a book on your Kindle ebook reader.

Fix 2: Re-Download the Dictionary

If you downloaded a dictionary and it is not working, the chances are it wasn’t downloaded properly and faced an interruption in the process. You can delete the dictionary and download it again.

Step 1: Open the library and scroll down to find and open the Dictionaries section. Tap on the three dots icon on the downloaded dictionary.

Step 2: Tap on Remove Download and tap on three dots icon on the dictionary you want to re-download.

Step 3: Tap on Download. The dictionary will be downloaded onto your Kindle device.

Once downloaded, you can go to Settings > Language and Dictionaries > Dictionaries and select the dictionary you downloaded.

Fix 3: Reset Kindle

Any misconfiguration causing your Kindle’s dictionary not to work properly will be fixed once you reset it. Here’s what happens if you reset your Kindle:

• You will lose all your data, including books, documents, and settings.
• You will need to re-download any content that you want to keep.
• You will need to sign in to your Amazon account again.

Step 1: Tap anywhere on your screen while reading a book. If you are on the home page, jump to Step 2.

Step 2: Tap on the downward-facing arrow icon to open the control panel and go to All Settings. Tap on Device Options.

Step 3: Tap on Reset. Tap on yes to confirm and wait for it to complete the process.