Last week, Amazon released a new software update for several recent Kindle models. The company’s release notes only mention “performance improvements, bug fixes, and other general enhancements,” but the update includes notable changes when it comes to text and line spacing adjustments that improve readability and accessibility for many users, as The eBook Reader has observed.
The 5.18.3 update currently supports Kindle Scribes, Kindle Colorsoft, and the 11th and 12th generation versions of the basic Kindle and Paperwhite models. Amazon is slowly rolling it out through Kindle’s automatic update system, but if you don’t want to wait, you can download a custom update file for your reader, copy it to your device, and perform the update manually using the instructions provided by Amazon.
Previously, these Kindles only offered three basic line spacing options that could be found in the Layout section, including options for adjusting the size of the margins. The new line spacing options can now be found by clicking the button in the Font section, which will take you to a dedicated page. There you’ll find four size options for adjusting line, paragraph, word, and even character spacing, as well as the option to reset all settings to the default.
Text and line spacing settings on the Kindle have long lagged behind those offered by some of Amazon’s competitors in the e-reader market. However, while the latest generation of Kobo devices still offer more options for customizing font size, line spacing, and margins, they don’t offer dedicated controls for paragraphs, words, and character spacing. With the latest software update, these latest Kindle models may be a better option for visually impaired users or those with dyslexia.
