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New Kindle Fire Update Adds Parental Controls

Amazon is pushing out another update for their Android tablet today, and it’s a good one.

A common complaint among tablet owners is the lack of safety measures to block unauthorized users from buying content. Nevemind thieves; it turns out that kids and meddling coworkers are a bigger issue. There have been any number of stories of kids running up bills for hundred of dollars in in-game content on their parents' account, and the froth in the blogosphere got so loud that even Apple realized that adding password protects was a good idea.

And today Amazon adds a feature that really should have shipped on the KF.  This update brings additional parental controls to Kindle Fire, including the ability to password-protect purchases, disable access to specific content libraries, and block access to the Silk web browser.

You can simply wait for the update to be pushed out to your Kindle Fire, but if you want it now you can download it here.

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Comments


Judi Delgado May 5, 2012 um 3:44 pm

How can I disable parental controls on Kindle Fire without a password? One day I used it fine and now it is password protected. I did not set it so I have no password. I don’t want to reset to factory settings because I will lose all downloaded and personal info. Any ideas? Can books and apps be saved to the Cloud and reinstalled after resetting?

Bill Stone May 11, 2012 um 4:17 am

I and thousands of others have the exact same problem. Amazon needs a network-wide software fix! I am not willing to reset to factory settings and lose all my data on the device. Is anyone at Amazon listening? There are many other chats going on with everyone saying they have the same problem. Let’s hear from Amazon please!!


Dana May 5, 2012 um 5:27 pm

I am having the same issue. I talked to customer support, but couldn’t get any help other than that my problem was forwarded to tech support. They are aware of the problem but not how to fix it other than to reset to factory defaults. I am refusing to do that at this point, going to give it a few days and hope they figure out a fix before I resort to resetting.

jan rick May 5, 2012 um 6:47 pm

I was just checking to see if you had any results yet. The same thing happened to me. I never set parental controls and all of a sudden, it is password protected. I do’t want to reset ot factory setting either.


Kerin May 5, 2012 um 9:52 pm

Same thing happened to me. Hope to find a fix to this problem soon or I will be one very unhappy camper. Keep me posted!!

joseph mcgarrigle October 28, 2014 um 5:58 am

It’s the last four digits of your siblings name I only have a son I tried it and it worked hope this is helpful


Warning: Latest Kindle Fire Update Turns on Passwords by Default – The Digital Reader May 5, 2012 um 10:37 pm

[…] that, upon receiving the new update, they are locked out of their devices. I have now gotten 4 comments on my blog and found a couple dozen concurring complaints over on Amazon’s Kindle Forums.  All are […]


Andrys May 5, 2012 um 10:39 pm

I just sent the following info in an email but will also include the info here.

On my blog post on the new parental controls, at http://bit.ly/kwkf631 , I included advice I saw on the Kindle forums, which was to

… enable a short parental controls password yourself but with NO restrictions to protect yourself against an inadvertent key combo that suddenly makes a password for parental controls that really restricts you.

(And of course Amazon needs to prevent this from happening with a "Are you sure?" type of thing. And, clearly they need to do that ASAP.)

I was asked: "Can books and apps be saved to the Cloud and reinstalled after resetting?

Yes.
Amazon gives you 5 gigs of free space to send up and have backed up there ANY kind of data file as long as it isn’t rights-protected (an Adobe DRM’d Nook is rights-protected but we can read Nook app on the Kindle Fire because Amazon allows non-Amazon apps if you install them yourself).

You can use the Cloud Drive for Windows released yesterday to move those up to the Cloud (blog post on that was yesterday).

I used the old-fashioned Cloud Drive computer desktop method which I felt was easy also and sent things there .
You can use this more flexible Amazon Cloud Drive for non-docs and books first (mp3’s shorter mp4 videoclips etc) because Amazon gives another 5 gigs that you can put into Kindle personal docs area.

This moving of current Kindle perosnal docs would have to be done by computer if the Kindle isn’t making contact with the web because of the accidental password. That would be at http://amazon.com/manageyourkindle

BUT MAINLY:
Yes, just transfer the personal docs to your computer ! Any DRM locks will *still work* when you transfer them back to the SAME Kindle once you have set the Kindle Fire back to factory default. But these personal docs normally will have no DRM at all, so it’s easy to back them up to the computer and just copy them back.

It’s time consuming but ALL of the above work, and the latter is easiest, but I prefer to have the Cloud have the info too in case something goes wrong with my computer.

– Andrys


Andrys May 5, 2012 um 10:48 pm

I should also have pointed out that your Kindle books and Kindle Fire apps are always saved on the server in the Kindle-purchases management area, so there’s no reason to worry about those.

You can always get those back, but sometimes it takes a lot of time if you have a lot of books and apps. I think the normal amount doesn’t take that much. I have only 250 books so it’s not been a prob for me.

They’ll show up in your apps and Carousel area with the download arrow showing so you can get them to your device (after a factory-defaults reset).


Luke Franze May 5, 2012 um 10:58 pm

I hate this update because now silk doesn’t work. Hell, I couldn’t even use my kindle for my apps that I’ve installed. Smart move, Amazon. Tell me my password or else. I’ve got a parental control that I didn’t even set up.


Kiki May 6, 2012 um 6:35 am

Having the same issue and furious with Amazon for sending out this update and not trouble shooting this problem. Just wanted to post to keep the noise out there. They need to fix this. I have better things to do with my time than to set up my Kindle again.


Carla M May 8, 2012 um 12:30 am

I was all set to resume watching my Amazon Prime movie from yesterday, but was stopped dead in my tracks by the Parental Controls added without my request or permission. I will not reset my Kindle Fire. Amazon is responsible for correcting this error. I am one more unhappy customer keeping this angry fire burning.


Tracie May 8, 2012 um 1:37 pm

I also have the same problem with parental controls that I did not set up. I called Amazon and they said I was the first to call and complain about this problem. He said I have to reset, when I asked if gaming levels will be lost he said he didn’t think so. I am afraid to do this until someone says they are sure I will not loose progress on the games.


Julie May 8, 2012 um 9:35 pm

Same thing happened to me. I did not set a password and I refuse to do a factory reset. That solution is unacceptable!

marybeth November 29, 2012 um 10:45 pm

I recently discovered that my Kindle Fire is locked asking me for my Parental control password, which I do not believe I even set up. I randomly tried some passwords that I used for other sites, but no luck. Has anyone found a solution to this issue?


TS May 8, 2012 um 10:01 pm

Has anyone found another solution besides resetting to factory default.

Nate Hoffelder May 8, 2012 um 10:14 pm

Try this and tell me if it works:
https://the-digital-reader.com/2012/05/05/warning-latest-kindle-fire-update-turns-on-passwords-by-default/#comment-43703

jessy May 9, 2012 um 1:57 pm

I had the same issue with the parental control . I use my amazon password and it worked.
Good luck to everyone.


Still Having Issues With The Kindle Fire Update? Here’s How to Fix it – The Digital Reader May 11, 2012 um 2:12 pm

[…] tips and tricksTweet EmailTweet EmailLast Saturday night I posted a warning note about the recent Kindle Fire firmware update. A fair number of users were reporting that the new update had enabled the new parental controls […]


Karla May 13, 2012 um 1:19 pm

I too had this problem with my daughters Kindle. I didn’t think i had put a parental control on it, since she had no problem accessing the internet, etc before one night. I tried all the known parental control codes i had and no luck. Then reading this forum, i see it may have been the update.

This is what i did to clear it. I logged into my Amazon account and deregistered the kindle. then I reregistered it, and she is now able to get on the internet with no parental control set.

Hope this works for all of you!!


Victoria May 15, 2012 um 8:19 pm

Hey guys: Same problem here and after several calls to Amazon we were told to reset to factory settings as well and to get the apps back from the Cloud.

However we tried Karla’s method (deregister/reregister) and it worked like a charm. The apps are still there and the parental control prompt is gone. 🙂

Thank you Karla!!!!

Osi August 29, 2012 um 1:23 am

in order to de-register i need my password in order to connect to wifi..so this does not work


Steve May 16, 2012 um 5:16 pm

De-registering and re-registering did NOT work for me.. Anything else like de-registering for a few hours before reregistering? or perhaps having the Kindle fire off while reregistering or anything I am missing??.. HELP!!… very frustrating dealing with this caused by a force update…


Gary May 28, 2012 um 9:02 am

For the parental control problem….First we tried all the passwords we used (worked for some people)…and nothing
Next tried to deregister and then register the device (worked for some)…..and nothing

I tried lowercase first name of registered user……BINGO….try first name of registered user!!!


Vicki July 29, 2012 um 6:26 am

No, none of the above have worked for me! It won’t let me log on the wi-fi that is set and working. So I can’t download books from my Kindle. Pants! So frustrating!


Monique October 16, 2012 um 10:13 pm

So ilost my password for my kindle fire . Idont wanna reset it . What do ido.?


Angela Kaiser October 21, 2012 um 8:49 am

My Kindle Fire is asking for a password immediately. I can’t even get in to reset factory settings. HELP!!!!!


eddie November 9, 2012 um 1:36 pm

My kid keeps clicking reset to factory settings from the parental controls password page. He’s only 4 and the factory settings link is highlighted on the parental controls password page, so his eye is naturally drawn to it… I wish the reset function was kept somewhere else in the settings menu to avoid it. I’m constantly re-downloading everything.

Denise November 18, 2012 um 6:56 pm

I am having the same issue! My 3 year old keeps resetting. That is a stupid place to have that reset. He just keeps pushing until the screen goes away – because of course I blocked purchases. *sigh*

dreT December 15, 2012 um 11:14 am

Same issue! My 2.5 year old has reset to factory settings a dozen times. WHY would you not need to add the parental control password to factory reset? It’s just bad design. My 6 year old is PO’d because all his progress on games is gone. So frustrating because otherwise it would be fine to let her use it. Now I have to pretty much hide and nobody gets to use it.


Pascale March 28, 2014 um 8:38 am

I found your comments dating from 2012 and am amazed that it is still happening. My son’s kindle just set a parental control password last night and nothing we have tried so far has worked. I will try some of the suggestions on your site. However you would think that by 2014 they would have sorted the problems. My son was so upset as he thought he had done something wrong


JL November 28, 2014 um 8:08 pm

For all you hate Parental controls, you haven’t gotten a bill from Amazon for $$$$$ due to unauthorized purchases. BIG problem is there is a very easy end round for Parental controls that even kids can figure out in a few minutes. just reset to Default setting, that wipes out the controls, then synch with Amazon to get everything back MINUS the parental controls, and buy or view what ever you want. HMMM sounds like the making of a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT to me, anybody want in?


janet waterlow February 3, 2015 um 10:54 am

Please remove parental controls from my kindle. I did not want them. It is so frustrating not to be able to buy books.


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