User profile for user: Balouta
Balouta Author
User level: Level 1
53 points

Sepia background for PDF formatted book in Kindle. How???

I am reading a book published in the 19th century and only available in PDF format. I have sent it to Kindle. The black on white background kills the eyes - I have tried tweaking brightness, contrast etc. What I really need is a Sepia background (which I use for all my Kindle books when possible). How can I get PDF format book in Kindle to display with a sepia background? I would prefer not to have to download more software to try it - several people on the Net have written of doing just that and ran into all sorts of problems, not to mention having to pay just to read one PDF formatted book on Kindle. Has nayone ahy easy and straightforward answers. Actually it astounds me that this option is not available for PDF format sine black on white os so bad for the ryes and dark mode is excruciating to read - and probably therefore not particularly good for the vision long-term.

iPad mini 6, iPadOS 18

Posted on Sep 7, 2025 06:20 AM

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6 replies
User profile for user: Balouta
Balouta Author
User level: Level 1
53 points

Sep 7, 2025 10:02 AM in response to Allan Jones

Why you can't change the background color of a PDF

  • Fixed Format:
  • PDFs are fixed-layout documents, meaning their content is not meant to be reflowed or resized. The background color is embedded in the PDF's original design, and the Kindle's software cannot alter it. 
  • App-Specific Functionality:
  • Features like background color changes (white, sepia, or black) are typically reserved for the Kindle app's native ebook formats, which are designed to be adaptable. 



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User profile for user: Allan Jones
Allan Jones
User level: Level 9
76,616 points

Sep 7, 2025 08:50 AM in response to Balouta

Welcome!


Do you mean the Kindle app for iPad?


The latest version (7.40.1.0) of the Kindle app on my iPad very much allows formatting changes including sepia. First, you must open a book and single-tap the page to go into a Page view. On the upper right is a font icon; tapping the font icon gives this pane:


"A" allows you to select a white, sepia, cool blue, or black background. The brightness slider "B" allows you to make the background a more or less intense shade of "sepia," as in the screenshot.


The Kindle app and the Kindle device are Amazon products, not Apple's. Changing views and fonts in old versions of the app used to be easier.


Actually it astounds me that this option is not available for PDF format sine black on white os so bad for the ryes and dark mode is excruciating to read - and probably therefore not particularly good for the vision long-term


If you find the current method of doing that non-intuitive, or if it fails with an imported PDF, you need to leave that feedback with Amazon's Kindle app support:


https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=TVUQbsrvAZn6srQUkJ



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User profile for user: Balouta
Balouta Author
User level: Level 1
53 points

Sep 7, 2025 09:44 AM in response to Allan Jones

Thank you for your reply and all the info, the screenshot and the link.

Yes, I can get a Sepia background in my Kindle App on the iPad for any downloaded book. However for a document / book in PDF format I cannot invoke a sepia background on the iPad.

As far as I know any PDF document displayed in the Kindle App on the iPad uses an Apple PDF viewer which is hidden (probably Preview?). And if I single tap the view of the PDF no option is given for selection an alternative background.

Will check my info again and see if Amazon help can give me an answer.

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Sepia background for PDF formatted book in Kindle. How???

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