# How do I turn-off/get rid of KF's Carousel? It's annoying.



## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

I have done a bunch of searches on the forum and cannot find information on how to turn-off or delete KF's annoying Carousel.  So, is there a way to do this that isn't too complicated?

I'm new to the Kindle Fire.  I appreciate your help.


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## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

One other question: if there is not a way to turn-off the Carousel or remove it, is there a way to prevent every book, app, website, game, etc. that I have opened from showing up on the carousel?  This is also very annoying to me.

I can't be the only one who is bothered by this feature.

Thanks!


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## kindlegrl81 (Jan 19, 2010)

Amazon doesn't have a way to get rid of the carousel unfortunately.  

You can download Go Launcher from an outside source and this will make you Fire look like it is running the normal Android system.  I did this at first but I didn't really like how it worked so I went back to dealing with the carousel.


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## Vicki G. (Feb 18, 2010)

Not really a solution but you can delete each item as it is added to the carousel.


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## greyparrot (Dec 17, 2008)

I agree with Zell. I find the carousel very very annoying. I delete all apps from the carousel as needed, but I wish Amazon would add an option to 1) hide the carousel or 2) not display apps.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I quite like the carousel.  It's fun to spin when you're just looking for something new.  When they first allowed removal from it, I went through and removed all the books I'd already read.  That was time consuming, but now I do it as I read them.  I generally don't leave apps there either. . . I remove them after I've used them. The ones I use frequently are in my favorites anyway.  

So the only improvement I'd really like is if you could set it to not drop apps and web pages and stuff on their automatically in the first place.  I'd like it to be only for books. . . .OR to be switchable between 'show books', 'show other', 'show all' or something like that. Though I'd not object to an option to turn it off for those who'd prefer that. For me, though, the Carousel sets the Fire apart from a typical android device and I quite like that.  

But, as others have said, there are alternate 'launchers' available that will work on the Fire.  Some are available at Amazon and others can be side-loaded as long as you enable installation from 'unknown sources'.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Note that though there are other launchers available through Amazon, none that I could find in a brief browse were compatible with the Fire. If you "purchase" one of those, you'll be warned that the app isn't compatible, and, unless you have another Android device registered to your Amazon account, there's no way to put an incompatible app on the Fire even if you purchase it. I tried awhile ago on another incompatible app.

I also kind of like the Carousel. I tried Go Launcher. Maybe if I'd come to the Fire from another Android device, Go Launcher would appeal to me more.

My main preference would be for me to be able to put My Favorites on top and the Carousel underneath.

*I recommend that everyone with preferences for changes provide Feedback. You can provide feedback directly from your fire by going to the gear in the top right corner > More > Help & Feedback > Feedback.
*
Then select the correct option from the dropdown menu that says "select a feature" and provide your feedback.

Betsy


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## krm0789 (Dec 21, 2010)

For those of you who didn't like Go Launcher, they seem to have updated it so it may be worth trying again. I liked the idea but not the presentation the first time I tried it, but recently downloaded it again & am much more pleased with the look, feel, & functionality of it.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I tried Go Launcher again not long ago.  They did improve it greatly from the first time I tried it not long after getting my Fire. It's definitely revisiting if you tried it before because you wanted something different from the Fire's luancher.  But I still like the simplicity of the stock Fire launcher.  I only tried Go Launcher to see what it was like.

Betsy


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I acutally like the carousel. Like Ann, I think it sets it apart from the sameness look of other devices and I like to see what I call my little time machine  

But, I do think since many don't seem to like it, they could have maybe different schemes. Default for as it is with the carousel and then maybe others that look different, like other android devices, or just icons and such. 

But for me the carousel was one of the selling points on the Fire. Well that beside the fact that it is a Kindle and from Amazon.


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## kindlegrl81 (Jan 19, 2010)

I don't mind the looks of the carousel but I don't like that it adds all the books purchased on the account to it.  If it only added the books sent to the fire to it then I would be happy.


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## GeckoFriend (May 8, 2012)

kindlegrl81 said:


> I don't mind the looks of the carousel but I don't like that it adds all the books purchased on the account to it. If it only added the books sent to the fire to it then I would be happy.


I totally agree with you. If I leave books in the cloud instead of sending them to the Fire it's because I don't want them on the Fire. When I do, I'll send them there. How hard is that?


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

See, I like that. Most of my reading is done on my K3, so when I pick up my Fire in bed at night, I want to know what samples and books I have. So I don't have to get up, find my K3 and figure out what I need to put on the fire. Its all there. 
But then I don't share my Fire with anyone, or my K3. Its all mine.  . So I think they should implement options, but not take it away. I would not be pleased if they did that. But options to turn off the carousel might be good for those that want it.


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## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

Thanks everyone.

At the very least the KF should give users the option to turn it off.


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## jsh1120 (Jun 1, 2012)

Definitely not a fan of the Carousel but I don't see it going away anytime soon simply because Amazon, I believe, considers it a "branding" feature. With that in mind you can either replace the launcher, altogether, as suggested above, or use it as it was intended. The following is one approach. 

() Keep it clean. Get rid of items on a regular basis and limit its contents to apps and other content you use very frequently. Each time you return to the launcher ask yourself if you're going to go back to a particular item very soon. If not, delete it from the Carousel. 

() Put other frequently used items on the Favorites shelves below the Carousel. Rearrange as necessary to put the items you want to see without scrolling on the top shelf.

() Keep all other apps, books, music, videos, docs, etc in their respective repositories. 

() Be ruthless in moving content from your KF from the device to the cloud. If you're not going to need it when you don't have wifi access, delete it from the device and download it when/if you need it.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

jsh1120 said:


> () Be ruthless in moving content from your KF from the device to the cloud. If you're not going to need it when you don't have wifi access, delete it from the device and download it when/if you need it.


For apps, just be clear on whether data you've input into the app will still be there if you remove it. Some will, some won't.

Betsy


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## jsh1120 (Jun 1, 2012)

Betsy,

Very good point. My bad for not mentioning it.


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## Tristan Higbee (Jun 16, 2012)

For those of you who would like to get rid of the carousel, what would you like to have in its place?


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## Hoosiermama (Dec 28, 2009)

I have Go Launcher installed on mine. I like the Android interface. When I need to get back to the Kindle Launcher, I have that as one of the icons on the dock in Go Launcher. The only time I use the Kindle interface is to get to a video, magazine or book. I like being able to customize and tinker with it...so it works for me. My grandson's Fire has Go on it, too (he's very young), and I've customized it to be easy for him to get to his apps.



> For those of you who would like to get rid of the carousel, what would you like to have in its place?


If the carousel was customizable, I would consider using it. I don't WANT to see every book I purchase on it. I have a Touch, and send all of my books to the Touch, but they show up in the Carousel anyway. I find that annoying, since I don't use the Fire when reading very often.


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

Ditto Mary. I use Go Launcher and have it quite customized, with 5 or 6 'pages' set up for different kinds of apps that I use frequently. For instance, one page is solely for games, one is for multimedia apps, one is for utilities, etc.  And like Mary, one of the 'locked' icons that is available from any page is the Kindle Launcher.  The carousel seems clunky and unusable for my tastes.

But to each their own.


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## kb7uen Gene (Mar 13, 2009)

I would be more OK with the Carousel if it wasn't so blasted huge, and thats saying a lot coming from a person who is visually impaired.  I just don't like the in your face quality of it.  If Amazon brought it down in size to match the favorites app icons, I would be happier. - Gene


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## kb7uen Gene (Mar 13, 2009)

What would I want instead of the Carousel?  I'd like to see tabs across the top like it has now, and then have the option of a list or grid view.  Also have the option to resize and reflow the text on the bookshelf.  Finally, have the ability to change the color of the bookcase.  I personally think cherry would be very nice.  Grey is so stark and in-personal. - Gene


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I'm seeing a lot of good suggestions!

Send 'em to Amazon via the Fire's built in system:

Gear > More > Help & Feedback > Feedback [Tab] > Select a feature > "Using the Kindle Device"

Easiest way to provide feedback on the Fire. 

I just asked for the Launcher to be more customizable, especially what appears in the Carousel.

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I second Betsy's suggestion. . . . . .complaining or offering ideas here doesn't really do a lot of good. . . gotta tell the folks that can fix it. 

(Mind you, I'm pretty sure they hang around here anonymously, but still. . . . . )


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

We do like the conversation here, of course, because it's what we do.    But we need to tell Amazon, too!

Betsy


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## kindlegrl81 (Jan 19, 2010)

Trust me, it is not just here that I complain about the carousel...I have used the feedback link on my Fire more than once. Hopefully they will listen at some point but I'm not going to hold my breath on it.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

They do seem to listen.  On their own time.  

Betsy


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