Do Kindles emit blue light?

With so many screens taking up space in our lives these days, it’s easy to feel like we’re bombarded with light. We recently learned from experts that the blue light from your phone actually affects your sleep. So this is clearly an important topic and one that makes Kindle devices particularly interesting to discuss. Many Kindles feature eInk displays instead of traditional IPS or OLED displays. So that begs the question: Do Kindles emit the same sleep-affecting blue light as other devices that may grace your bedside table?

The answer isn’t really a simple “yes” or “no”, as it depends on the type of Kindle you have. An Amazon Fire tablet is a great thing with tons of features, but this version of the Kindle emits blue light because it has a standard tablet screen. The eInk screens of traditional Kindles, on the other hand, use technology that inherently has no lighting. Of course, this requires a light source to shine on the device to see it, but non-lit Kindle models don’t produce blue light. However, if you own a new generation Kindle or a more premium Kindle Paperwhite, Oasis, or Scribe, there’s some blue light to contend with.

There are several Kindle models, including the popular Kindle Paperwhite, that feature a backlight panel next to the eInk display. So while an eInk display doesn’t distribute any light itself, Amazon aims to provide a convenient nighttime reading experience by integrating a light source into the eInk experience. This light source, however, has certain parts of the blue light spectrum that seem to affect sleep. Luckily, there is a “heat” feature that reduces the amount of blue light, and it’s built into the latest models.

To access this feature, simply swipe up and toggle the “Heat” slider to the desired level. This, along with the brightness setting, can help limit the amount of blue light coming from your Kindle’s screen. By making these adjustments, you still get the easy-on-the-eye benefits of an eInk display as well as the convenience of reading in a dark room. It’s important to note that the heat setting feature is not available on pre-2015 backlit Kindles, so be sure to check the model you’re purchasing to verify that it’s available.

One more thing to consider: If you go with the new Kindle Colorsoft, the backlight and warmth effects are a bit more nuanced. The setting still exists to mitigate blue light on these devices, but because Colorsoft has unique colored eInk technology, managing this blue light will have an effect on the appearance of these colors. This may not be an issue for many, but if you’re hoping to use a Colorsoft for visual content such as comics or graphic novels, a warm setting will affect your experience.