# Where to find my Kindle PID#



## dynalady (May 13, 2010)

Sorry if this has been gone over a lot. I did search but nothing came up. I just got my Kindle so I'm learning everything. It and these boards! I've been told you can find this number on the Kindle but its kind of hidden.  TIA


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## marianneg (Nov 4, 2008)

You'll first have to find the serial number.  It's on the box it came in, and I think it's also on the back of the Kindle.  Also, from the settings page, if you press "411" you will see it there.  To get the PID, you have to run a script on your computer with the serial number as input.


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## dynalady (May 13, 2010)

I found the serial # but you lost me at running a script?


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## markmcak (Oct 11, 2009)

marianner said:


> You'll first have to find the serial number. It's on the box it came in, and I think it's also on the back of the Kindle. Also, from the settings page, if you press "411" you will see it there. To get the PID, you have to run a script on your computer with the serial number as input.


Versions of MobiPocket earlier than 6.2 will get your PID for you also.


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## dynalady (May 13, 2010)

> Versions of MobiPocket earlier than 6.2 will get your PID for you also.


How? I have a Mac and the only MobiPocket version I have is for PalmOS. Could I put MobiPocket on my husbands PC and use my Kindle on there to find it? And how would I find it? I just hate it when I have to admit how little I know


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

Why do you need your Kindlle's PID?


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## dynalady (May 13, 2010)

> Why do you need your Kindlle's PID?


My library has mobipocket books but to check one out (download) you have to enter a valid PID # for a mobipocket device you're going to use it on.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

dynalady said:


> My library has mobipocket books but to check one out (download) you have to enter a valid PID # for a mobipocket device you're going to use it on.


May not work The Kindle PID has an asterisk in it, which is not a valid Mobipocket serial number character. It will probably not be accepted.

Mike


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## Varin (May 12, 2009)

Kathy said:


> Cool thanks. I was wondering the same thing.


It works?


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

I'm sorry, we don't allow discussion of PID here on KB. I've deleted the posts that contain the link.

From Forum Decorum:



> - PID tools: Utilities that derive personal identifiers (PID) for your Kindle reader are considered by Amazon to be in violation of their terms of service. We do not allow posts that provide how-to instructions, source code, or links for obtaining these scripts.


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## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

luvmy4brats said:


> I'm sorry, we don't allow discussion of PID here on KB. I've deleted the posts that contain the link.
> 
> From Forum Decorum:


What is the PID used for? I've never even heard about it until now.


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## markmcak (Oct 11, 2009)

Varin said:


> It works?


Google is your friend.


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## Varin (May 12, 2009)

markmcak said:


> Google is your friend.


^_^

Link was removed, yay that I caught it before that....

Kath, the PID is used to.... uhh, something about identifying the Kindle, and you'd need to know it if you wanted to borrow ebooks from the library.


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## dynalady (May 13, 2010)

Thank you! That was simple and seems to have worked. The library site accepted it as  valid PID.


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## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

Varin said:


> ^_^
> 
> Link was removed, yay that I caught it before that....
> 
> Kath, the PID is used to.... uhh, something about identifying the Kindle, and you'd need to know it if you wanted to borrow ebooks from the library.


Does Amazon not allow the use of library books? I guess they would only want you to buy from them.


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## Varin (May 12, 2009)

Kathy said:


> Does Amazon not allow the use of library books? I guess they would only want you to buy from them.


Dunno why they won't allow the use of library ebooks, other ebook device makers - Sony, Nook, allow it. THEY aren't worried about loosing some sales to library users. Why would they? Most of the libraries that have ebooks only have a limited number of books available and only a few licenses to lend out. You can be put on a waiting list and have only a limited amount of time with the book, just like DTB's.

Because of these things I really don't see allowing Kindle users to download library books as damaging to kindle ebook sales.


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## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

Kathy said:


> What is the PID used for? I've never even heard about it until now.


In trying to buy .mobi ebooks from a different site I was asked for the PID and also couldn't find it. Somehow not even being allowed to discuss a simple topic makes me feel I'm being treated like an errant 5 year old.


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

Amazon is the one who threatened to file suit against blog, forums and websites for having any information available about accessing the PID on the Kindle. KB follows their guidelines so as to not be shut down.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Intinst is 100% correct.  The forum rule, posted earlier by Heather, exists because discussion of how to obtain the Kindle PID is against Amazon ToS -- and they have sent 'cease and desist' orders to other websites who have promulgated the information.  KindleBoards is a thriving, friendly, helpful place for Kindleers both rookie and veteran to get answers and just have good conversation.  We'd like it to stay that way.


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## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

intinst said:


> Amazon is the one who threatened to file suit against blog, forums and websites for having any information available about accessing the PID on the Kindle. KB follows their guidelines so as to not be shut down.





Ann in Arlington said:


> Intinst is 100% correct. The forum rule, posted earlier by Heather, exists because discussion of how to obtain the Kindle PID is against Amazon ToS -- and they have sent 'cease and desist' orders to other websites who have promulgated the information. KindleBoards is a thriving, friendly, helpful place for Kindleers both rookie and veteran to get answers and just have good conversation. We'd like it to stay that way.


Thank you intinst and Ann. Sometimes it's just nice to know *why* something is verboten.


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## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

Trophywife007 said:


> Thank you intinst and Ann. Sometimes it's just nice to know *why* something is verboten.


Agreed.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Amazon doesn't want you to find the PID because it can be used in a specific script that strips the DRM off of ebooks. (They worry that these ebooks would then be shared with the multitudes. A valid concern, but they're all already out there anyway, so I'm not sure if it would really make pirating worse or not... A debate we'll leave for another time, I guess.)

Finding your PID in order to add it to your library's website requires a script, but it's a different script - it just adds the due date to the ebook so it will expire from your device when it is supposed to. You don't strip the DRM, can't keep it forever or share it, etc.

PIDs with asterisks do work for library ebooks. I read library ebooks all the time on my Kindle, and they disappear (or won't open) after the due date.

I have to say that being able to read ebooks from the library has *increased* my spending on ebooks at Amazon. Libraries often don't have every ebook in a series, so if I get one from the library and like it, and the others aren't available, I go to Amazon to purchase the rest. I hope Amazon soon makes it easier for folks to read their library ebooks on their Kindles - it will probably result in greater sales to tide them over while they duke it out with the "Big 5".


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

intinst said:


> Amazon is the one who threatened to file suit against blog, forums and websites for having any information available about accessing the PID on the Kindle. KB follows their guidelines so as to not be shut down.


Yes, so now MobileRead and other forms share as much info as they "legally" can in the forums (telling people to google the topic, etc) and discuss it via private message. It allows them to help others without putting the forum at legal risk.

Even with Amazon's threats, the Amazon discussion forums has a thread (or use to have) explaining how to find PIDs, etc, in a lot of detail, and Amazon never removed it (or hadn't the last time I checked). It made me wonder how against this they really were.


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