# Is there a way to see how many licenses I've used on a Kindle book



## Ephany (Mar 9, 2009)

Between my husband, daughter and I we've acquired quite the collection of devices to read our Kindle books. Is there an easy way of seeing how many on devices each book is downloaded? For instance, if I'm getting a message saying that I've used all 6 downloads, do I have to look at every phone, tablet, Kindle, iPad etc we own for that book or is there a link that'll tell me without all that searching?

I've tried googling and searching Amazon, but must not be typing the right key words and tricky phrases.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Good question.

I don't believe there is a way.  You can deliver via Manage Your Content & Devices, and you can permanently delete a book from your library, but not tell which devices the book is on.

If you deregister devices you aren't using, that should free up licenses.  Or return to factory settings which will delete all content from a device not being used much, and that should free up licenses.  But otherwise, yes, if you want to put it on a device that doesn't have it, you'll have to find at least one that has the book on it.

As far as I know.

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I think Betsy's right.  In fact, this would be a good thing to suggest to Amazon for an improvement to the 'Manage your content and devices' page: A way to see, for any given book, how many and/or which devices have it downloaded.  Or, similarly, a way to see from that page, what books are on each device and, possibly, be able to delete them.  Sort of like a reverse 'send to'.


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## SusanCassidy (Nov 9, 2008)

I think that if you just reset to factory defaults, there would be no way for Amazon to know that that Kindle had been reset, because it hasn't "phoned home" with the information.  You would be better off just deleting the book(s) that you want to free the license up for, then sync'ing with Amazon.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

SusanCassidy said:


> I think that if you just reset to factory defaults, there would be no way for Amazon to know that that Kindle had been reset, because it hasn't "phoned home" with the information. You would be better off just deleting the book(s) that you want to free the license up for, then sync'ing with Amazon.


Early on that might have been true. But I'm fairly certain that in the last couple of years they've changed the way factory reset works. And when you do it, since everything is removed, any licenses do, in fact get released in the process. When you re-connect with the Zon, the info that a factory reset happened gets sent at that time.

It also used to be that if you removed books manually -- by connecting the kindle and treating at as drive and using your computer to delete files -- those titles wouldn't show up as removed and the licenses, again were not released. But I think this has been fixed as well.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

We discussed this awhile ago, too.
http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,167465.0.html

Note that reset to factory defaults deregisters the device as part of the reset. The device will no longer appear in your list of devices unless you re-register the device. So the de-registration is sent to Amazon at some point in the reset process. And yes, I've tested this.

But yes, deleting the book, if it's only one book, is the simplest way. However, if you're encountering this a lot, a reset of a little used device might be the way to go.

EDIT: The device can always be re-registered the account and you can start over using it.

Betsy


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## SusanCassidy (Nov 9, 2008)

Unless you had the wireless on at the time of a reset to factory defaults, it would have no way to communicate the fact that it was deregistered to Amazon.  Best to deregister via the Manage Your Content and Devices page, I would think.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Yes, that's true.   I always have wireless on, but I know not everyone does.

If it was me, and WiFi was available I would turn wireless on before I did the reset or deregistration, that way, it's a one step move; the deregistration is instantaneous.  *shrug*

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

if wifi isn't on , the process won't complete until you connect . . .even if you do it from the website. Once it is complete, the licenses are released.


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## SusanCassidy (Nov 9, 2008)

How can the process complete once you have reset to factory defaults?  It will no longer know what your account is.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

SusanCassidy said:


> How can the process complete once you have reset to factory defaults? It will no longer know what your account is.


As I mentioned earlier, at some point in the "reset to factory defaults" process, the Kindle _does_ contact Amazon to deregister your device. It can't do this if WiFi isn't on.



Betsy the Quilter said:


> *Note that reset to factory defaults deregisters the device as part of the reset. The device will no longer appear in your list of devices unless you re-register the device. So the de-registration is sent to Amazon at some point in the reset process. And yes, I've tested this.
> *


Betsy


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

As I've never tested resetting the device with airplane mode on, I'm trying that now to see what happens.  There's definitely an issue, as once the reset is complete, the WiFi connection information is no longer available.  My only question would be if there is a prompt.

EDIT:  If you start the process with WiFi off (airplane mode), you will have to deregister the device from your Manage Your Content & Devices, which would free up the licenses.

Betsy


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## Ephany (Mar 9, 2009)

Thanks everyone, guess I'll have to track down all of our devices after all.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

It was an interesting question, I think we all learned stuff.  I know I did!

Betsy


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## Toby (Nov 25, 2008)

A lot of times on expensive books, I find that I only have 4 licences. Not very happy with that. Then, I have to check all devices to see which 1 to delete the book from.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Toby said:


> A lot of times on expensive books, I find that I only have 4 licences. Not very happy with that. Then, I have to check all devices to see which 1 to delete the book from.


Of course, a lot of independent authors, small publishers, set it at 'unlimited'.

I don't know if it's true in all cases, but I think in most cases, "unlimited" indicates that there is no DRM on the file, which means that one can copy it directly from device to device and not need to download it directly from Amazon to the device. Or one can convert it freely to other formats.

Betsy


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