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Amazon has introduced a Kindle Page-Turn Cover with physical buttons for turning pages on the latest Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition. The $80 accessory requires one of those compatible devices, bringing the minimum price for a Kindle setup with buttons to about $330.
Amazon has launched the Kindle Page-Turn Cover, an $80 accessory that adds physical page-turn buttons to the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition. The case restores a control some Kindle readers have missed since buttons disappeared from Amazon’s lineup, but it is limited to the two higher-priced models and does not add buttons to other Kindles.
The cover connects to a compatible Kindle using magnets and built-in pogo pins, and pairs automatically when the device is fitted. Its right-hand bezel contains two elongated buttons: by default, the upper button advances one page and the lower button goes back. Readers can switch the buttons’ directions in the device settings.
The case has a plant-based leather exterior, a magnetic front flap and a soft interior. It is offered in Graphite, Fig and Seaglass Green to match the Kindle. Amazon’s accessory supports page turns only: users still need the touchscreen to browse their library, open menus or perform other navigation. The buttons turn one page at a time; the source review reports no long-press or double-tap options for other actions.
In testing described by Lifehacker Deputy Editor Joel Cunningham, the first page turn after attaching the case was somewhat delayed, but subsequent turns appeared nearly instantaneous. Cunningham said the difference from tapping the screen was only a fraction of a second, so the apparent speed improvement is a minor observation from that test, not a stated Amazon performance guarantee.
The cover gives readers who prefer tactile page controls a way to use them on newer Kindles without Amazon redesigning the devices themselves. Buttons can be useful for people who prefer physical feedback or want to turn pages without tapping the display. The accessory may also suit readers who find touch controls easy to trigger accidentally while holding an e-reader.
The trade-off is cost and limited compatibility. At $80 for the cover, buyers need one of two Signature Edition Kindles, putting the least expensive supported combination at about $330. That makes physical page turns an add-on for readers willing to pay for premium hardware, rather than a feature available across Amazon’s Kindle range.
Whether that price is worthwhile depends on how much a reader values buttons. People comfortable with touchscreen page turns can continue using their Kindle as before, while readers specifically seeking physical controls now have an Amazon-branded option without buying a separate e-reader ecosystem.
Products Worth Considering
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (12th Generation, 2024), 32 GB, Metallic Black
Amazon Kindle Scribe Colorsoft 64GB (1st Generation)
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (12th Generation, 2024), 16 GB, 7-inch Display, Jade
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Amazon’s change follows a longer shift in Kindle design. The source report says it has been 14 years since Amazon made a Kindle without a touchscreen. As touch navigation became standard, physical page-turn buttons disappeared from most of the lineup. They were later associated with the premium Kindle Oasis, which Amazon retired in 2024.
The Page-Turn Cover is not a return of built-in buttons across the range. Instead, it uses the compatible Signature Edition Kindles’ metal backing, pogo pins and accelerometer to provide controls through a case. Amazon vice president Kevin Keith put the potential audience at about 5% of the market, according to the source report; the material does not provide further details on how that figure was measured.
Other e-readers, including some Boox and Barnes & Noble Nook models, offer physical buttons, and some allow additional actions to be assigned to button presses. The Page-Turn Cover, by comparison, is described as offering basic one-page-at-a-time control. The source report also cites the Boox Go 7 at around $270 as an alternative, though that is a different product rather than a Kindle accessory.
“About 5% of the market”
— Kevin Keith, Amazon vice president in charge of Kindle, as cited by Lifehacker
Compatibility and Performance Limits
The source identifies the Paperwhite Signature Edition and Colorsoft Signature Edition as compatible models, but does not establish whether Amazon plans to support other Kindles or introduce the cover in additional versions. Readers should check the listing for their exact device before buying, since the accessory depends on specific hardware including pogo pins and an accelerometer.
The source also does not provide independent, repeated measurements of page-turn speed, battery effects or long-term durability. Its speed comparison comes from Cunningham’s testing, and the stated market estimate is attributed to Keith without a description of how it was calculated. The accessory’s button functions are described as limited to single-page turns, with no supported shortcut controls reported.
Check Your Model Before Buying
Readers considering the accessory should confirm their Kindle is one of the two supported Signature Edition models, then weigh the $80 case price against how often they would use physical controls. The cover is described as launching alongside the new flush-front Paperwhite Signature Edition; the source does not give a broader rollout schedule or announce additional compatible devices.
Amazon could provide further details about availability, compatibility or future versions, but none are confirmed in the source material. For now, the practical choice is between touchscreen navigation on a wider range of Kindles and a higher-priced, button-equipped setup restricted to these two models.
Key Questions
Which Kindles work with the Page-Turn Cover?
The source lists the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition. The cover relies on device hardware including pogo pins and an accelerometer, so compatibility with other Kindle models is not established.
How much does a Kindle with physical page-turn buttons cost?
The cover costs about $80 and requires a compatible Signature Edition Kindle. Based on the prices in the source, the minimum supported setup costs about $330.
Can the buttons do more than turn pages?
The source describes the buttons as controls for moving one page forward or backward. Readers can reverse which button does which in settings, but the cover is not reported to support chapter skips or other long-press and double-tap actions.
Do the buttons replace the Kindle touchscreen?
No. The buttons are for page turning; readers still use the touchscreen to navigate the library and device menus.
Does the cover make page turns faster?
In Lifehacker Deputy Editor Joel Cunningham’s test, turns after the first were nearly instantaneous, while tapping the screen had a perceptible delay. He described the difference as a fraction of a second, and the source does not report formal performance measurements.
Source: Lifehacker
