Slow Paperwhite

ashort · 05-19-2026, 08:18 PM

Will a Factory Reset speed up my Paperwhite 11th Generation?
I just updated to ver 5.1.9.2. and haven't tested it yet. But before the update it was sluggish.

Deskisamess · 05-19-2026, 08:36 PM

I have that model with the same version, and just reset mine to factory last week, to see if it would help the sluggish behavior. I saw no improvement. I can't say when I started noticing the sluggishness, it must have come on gradually. The device is a little over 4 years old.

I'm not sure what the issue is, but the lag for pretty much all taps is frustrating. The only thing that seems normal are page turns. It's working perfectly otherwise, just very laggy.

ashort · 05-19-2026, 09:12 PM

My very same situation. It was working fine not long ago. Seems the sluggishness came out of nowhere cause I had not made any changes till today when I updated it.

I'll see how it does with the update. I won't do the Factory Reset then. Thanks.

Timboli · 05-22-2026, 02:55 PM

I have a much older Paperwhite, and the only time it gets sluggish, is when the device gets too full, or perhaps with a large ebook file with large file size images.

That may or may not be relevant to what you folk are experiencing.

P.S. An average ebook file size used to be less than 1 MB, but many are now over that, and I have several graphic based ebooks that are a few hundred MB's now, and quite a range between. I generally use my tablet for them, not my e-ink readers.

Deskisamess · 05-22-2026, 08:10 PM

I've only downloaded about 10 books to mine since I reset it to factory. It's not a huge deal, but it is something that makes me wonder if the device is going to fail. I have an earlier Paperwhite, but love the larger screen of the newer one, and the screen temp options.

Josieb1 · 05-22-2026, 10:44 PM

I sold our 11th Gen Paperwhites because of the lag.

cellaris · 05-23-2026, 12:19 AM

It works fine for me. I’ve had version 5.19.2 installed since it was released and have downloaded 50 books (49 via Send to Kindle and 1 from Amazon). Generally speaking, all my Kindle devices are still the fastest of all the ones I own. I haven’t noticed any slowness on any of them, regardless of which firmware version is installed (which is always the latest). In any case, the Paperwhites (11th and 12th generation) are the ones I use the least. I prefer to use the Scribe and the Basic model.

JSWolf · 05-23-2026, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I sold our 11th Gen Paperwhites because of the lag.

There is no lag that I know of.

John F · 05-23-2026, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

There is no lag that I know if.

See posts 1 and 2.

JSWolf · 05-23-2026, 08:34 AM

I know someone with a PW5 and there is no lag. It's not on the latest firmware.

Frogm4n · 05-23-2026, 09:49 AM

Anecdotes don't refute direct experience.

ashort · 05-23-2026, 10:20 PM

After the update it's got more or less normal. Thanks for the replies.

05-19-2026, 08:18 PM	#1
ashort Connoisseur Posts: 73 Karma: 1997310 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA Device: PaperWhite 10th Gen	Slow Paperwhite Will a Factory Reset speed up my Paperwhite 11th Generation? I just updated to ver 5.1.9.2. and haven't tested it yet. But before the update it was sluggish.

05-19-2026, 09:12 PM	#3
ashort Connoisseur Posts: 73 Karma: 1997310 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA Device: PaperWhite 10th Gen	My very same situation. It was working fine not long ago. Seems the sluggishness came out of nowhere cause I had not made any changes till today when I updated it. I'll see how it does with the update. I won't do the Factory Reset then. Thanks. Last edited by ashort; 05-19-2026 at 09:15 PM.

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05-19-2026, 08:36 PM	#2
Deskisamess Wizard Posts: 2,813 Karma: 46117477 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ohio Device: iPhone 13 Pro, iPad mini, iPad Pro 12.9",Paperwhite 6.8", Scribe 2022	I have that model with the same version, and just reset mine to factory last week, to see if it would help the sluggish behavior. I saw no improvement. I can't say when I started noticing the sluggishness, it must have come on gradually. The device is a little over 4 years old. I'm not sure what the issue is, but the lag for pretty much all taps is frustrating. The only thing that seems normal are page turns. It's working perfectly otherwise, just very laggy.

05-22-2026, 02:55 PM	#4
Timboli Sharpest Tool On Shelf Posts: 682 Karma: 2700000 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Downunda Device: Kindles, Kobo & Samsung Tablet	I have a much older Paperwhite, and the only time it gets sluggish, is when the device gets too full, or perhaps with a large ebook file with large file size images. That may or may not be relevant to what you folk are experiencing. P.S. An average ebook file size used to be less than 1 MB, but many are now over that, and I have several graphic based ebooks that are a few hundred MB's now, and quite a range between. I generally use my tablet for them, not my e-ink readers.

05-22-2026, 08:10 PM	#5
Deskisamess Wizard Posts: 2,813 Karma: 46117477 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ohio Device: iPhone 13 Pro, iPad mini, iPad Pro 12.9",Paperwhite 6.8", Scribe 2022	I've only downloaded about 10 books to mine since I reset it to factory. It's not a huge deal, but it is something that makes me wonder if the device is going to fail. I have an earlier Paperwhite, but love the larger screen of the newer one, and the screen temp options.

05-22-2026, 10:44 PM	#6
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,249 Karma: 20000000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Scribe, Colorsoft, PW, Kobo Elipsa2e, Libra Colour/2, Clara Colour/BW	I sold our 11th Gen Paperwhites because of the lag.

05-23-2026, 12:19 AM	#7
cellaris Fanatic Posts: 508 Karma: 5999999 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Spain Device: Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, Tolino, Onyx Boox, Bigme, Viwoods.	It works fine for me. I’ve had version 5.19.2 installed since it was released and have downloaded 50 books (49 via Send to Kindle and 1 from Amazon). Generally speaking, all my Kindle devices are still the fastest of all the ones I own. I haven’t noticed any slowness on any of them, regardless of which firmware version is installed (which is always the latest). In any case, the Paperwhites (11th and 12th generation) are the ones I use the least. I prefer to use the Scribe and the Basic model.

05-23-2026, 08:34 AM	#10
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 83,504 Karma: 153646249 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I know someone with a PW5 and there is no lag. It's not on the latest firmware.

05-23-2026, 09:49 AM	#11
Frogm4n Guru Posts: 627 Karma: 4500001 Join Date: Jul 2023 Device: Scribe 2022, OA2, PRS-350	Anecdotes don't refute direct experience.

05-23-2026, 10:20 PM	#12
ashort Connoisseur Posts: 73 Karma: 1997310 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA Device: PaperWhite 10th Gen	After the update it's got more or less normal. Thanks for the replies.