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Device Compatibility

github-actions[bot] edited this page Nov 12, 2026 · 5 revisions

GZreader runs on the Kindles KOReader supports and on two Nooks. Each kind of device has its own package.

Tested devices

"Real device" means GZreader has been run on that model itself; "emulator" means GZreader's emulator (the real KOReader programs for that Kindle or Nook, under qemu, with that model's screen, keys and touch), which every change to GZreader is checked in before it's released.

Device Package How you use it Tested
Kindle 2 (2009) kindle-legacy keyboard, 5-way emulator
Kindle Keyboard (3) (2010) kindle-legacy keyboard, 5-way real device, emulator
Kindle DX, DX Graphite kindle-legacy keyboard, 5-way real device (DX), emulator (both)
Kindle 4 (2011) kindle 5-way and Menu real device, emulator
Kindle Touch (2011) kindle touch real device, emulator
Paperwhite 3 (2015) kindlepw2 or kindlehf (by firmware) touch real device, emulator
Nook 1st Edition (2009) — test build nook-1st-edition the colour touchscreen real device (firmware 1.0.0, Softroot 2.5.1), emulator
Nook Simple Touch, with GlowLight (2011–2012) — test build nook touch emulator only

Untested Kindles

These run the touch packages with the same KOReader device support as the Paperwhite 3, so they should work, but their screens and buttons haven't been tried. Reports are welcome (open an issue).

Kindle Package
Paperwhite 1 (2012) kindle
Paperwhite 2 (2013), Voyage, Oasis 1–3, Kindle 2014, 2016 kindlepw2 (firmware 5.16.2.x or older)
Paperwhite 4 (2018), Paperwhite 5 and Signature Edition (2021), Kindle 2019, 2022 kindlepw2 (firmware ≤ 5.16.2.x) or kindlehf (5.16.3 or newer)
Paperwhite 6 and Signature Edition (2024), Kindle 2024, Scribe (2022, 2024), Colorsoft (in greys) kindlehf

The firmware version is in the Kindle's Settings → Device Options → Device Info. Packages for another Kindle or firmware don't start (the Kindle flashes and goes back to its home screen; koreader/crash.log says why).

What each device does

Kindle 2, 3, DX Kindle 4 Kindle Touch Paperwhite 3 Nook 1st Edition (test) Nook Simple Touch (test)
Use keyboard, 5-way 5-way, Menu touch touch the colour touchscreen's buttons and keyboard touch
Wi‑Fi Kindle 3; the Kindle 2 and DX have none: sync with a computer yes yes yes yes yes
Screen 600 × 800 (DX 824 × 1200), 16 greys 600 × 800, 16 greys 600 × 800 1072 × 1448, 300 dpi 600 × 800 + a 480 × 144 colour touchscreen 600 × 800 (GlowLight: frontlight)
Faster drawing (shadow screen) yes yes (not needed) (not needed) (not needed) (not needed)
Audiobooks, music yes — (no audio) yes (player buttons) — (no audio) — (not yet) — (no audio)
Read aloud (Kindle voice) yes (Shift + Sym) — yes (Listen in the quick panel) — — —
Volume buttons yes — — — — —
Clock UTC: set Settings → General → Time and date → Time zone same the Kindle's own the Kindle's own the Nook's own the Nook's own
Flash on every page turn (default) on on off off off off
Start from KUAL, Shift G G KUAL KUAL or the home screen item the home screen item its app icon adb or a terminal app

Ghosting (a grey trace of the last pages): the Kindle 2, 3, DX and 4 have no REAGL, so a page turn without a flash leaves a trace that adds up. Settings → General → Screen → E-ink settings → Flash on every page turn flashes the screen clean at every turn, as the Kindle's own reader does; it's on by default on those Kindles and can be turned on on any device. Off: a flash every 6 pages (quicker turns).

On the same Kindles, Settings → General → Screen → E-ink settings → Flash when the screen changes flashes when most of the screen changes because of something you did (a key or a tap: a tab, a menu, a list's next page). What changes by itself doesn't flash: a book finishing its download and appearing in Downloads, covers arriving, the download status in the status bar.

Every setting about when the screen flashes is in Settings → General → Screen → E-ink settings: KOReader's Full refresh rate (with Always flash on pages with images, which covers comics too: every CBZ page flashes while it's ticked), then GZreader's Flash on every page turn, Flash when the screen changes (the Kindle 2, 3, DX and 4 only) and Partial pages refresh (a flash when a page of Downloads isn't full of books), then KOReader's other e-ink settings. Whichever of Full refresh rate and Flash on every page turn you set last counts. KOReader's Avoid mandatory black flashes in UI works against Flash when the screen changes: leave it off on those Kindles.

KOReader's own device code decides the model from the serial number (the DX runs as KOReader's Kindle 2 class, with its bigger screen); GZreader adapts each screen to keys, the 5-way or touch. More on each: Using GZreader, Nook 1st Edition, Nook Simple Touch.

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