E-mail is reliable to use for file transfer. The Send to Kindle application on the Kindle Paperwhite is a fairly recent development for the Kindle Paperwhite and makes converting and transferring documents quick and easy, but e-mail is always sturdy.
You can use e-mail also when you don't want to sideload content onto your Kindle Paperwhite with the USB cable.
File types that can be transferred through e-mail
You can send the following types of files to your Kindle Paperwhite using the unique e-mail address for your device. Note that these files must be unprotected (that is, not protected by DRM) to be readable on your Kindle Paperwhite:
Microsoft Word (DOC or DOCX)
PDF (PDF)
HyperText Markup Language (HTML, HTM)
Plain text (TXT)
Rich text (RTF)
Kindle format (MOBI, AZW)
Graphics (JPG, GIF, PNG, or BMP)
Utilize the Kindle Paperwhite e-mail address
To convert your personal documents so you can read them on your Kindle Paperwhite, send them to the e-mail address associated with your Kindle Paperwhite: yourname@kindle.com, where yourname is the unique name identified with your Kindle Paperwhite. This e-mail address was created automatically when you registered your Kindle Paperwhite. You can change the e-mail address, if you want; the steps to do so are described shortly.
How to find your Paperwhite's e-mail address
To find out what your Kindle Paperwhite's e-mail address is, follow these steps:
Tap Menu→Settings.
Tap Device Options→Personalize Your Kindle.
The Send-to-Kindle E-Mail screen appears.
Tap the Send-to-Kindle E-mail option, which is the last item on the list.
The e-mail address associated with your Kindle Paperwhite is displayed.
How to change your Paperwhite's e-mail address
To change your Kindle Paperwhite's e-mail address, you must do so from your Amazon account on your computer. Follow these steps:
Go to Amazon.
If prompted, enter your e-mail address and password.
Click the Sign In Using Our Secure Server button.
From the left-hand menu, under Your Kindle Account, choose Personal Document Settings.
Your Kindle Paperwhite and its associated e-mail address appear.
Click Edit and input a new address.
If you create an e-mail address that is already in use, you'll be prompted to modify it or create another.
Click the Update button to save.
To send an e-mail to your Kindle Paperwhite, you need to approve your own e-mail address and any others that might send content to your device. This can be done only through your Amazon account, not from the Kindle Paperwhite.
How to approve an e-mail address
Amazon adds a level of security to the e-mail transfer process by limiting which e-mail addresses can be used to send documents to your @kindle.com e-mail address. This prevents unauthorized users from sending documents to your Kindle Paperwhite and potentially running up document transfer charges.
You manage this approved e-mail list from the Manage Your Kindle page. To approve an e-mail address so it can send content to your Kindle Paperwhite, follow these steps:
Go to Amazon.
If prompted, enter your e-mail address and password.
Click the Sign In Using Our Secure Server button.
From the left menu, under Your Kindle Account, choose Personal Document Settings.
The list of approved e-mail addresses is in the center of the screen under the heading, Approved Personal Document E-Mail List. If you have not previously approved any e-mail addresses, the list will be blank.
Click Add a New Approved E-Mail Address.
Enter the e-mail address you want to approve, and then click Add Address.
To add and approve additional e-mail addresses, repeat Step 6.
The approved addresses are listed in the table in the center of the screen, with the option to delete them on the right (if you later choose to do so).
Make sure to include your own e-mail address (or addresses, if you have multiple e-mail accounts from which you might be sending documents to your Kindle Paperwhite) so that you can send documents to your device.
Many e-book retailers allow you to set up your account so that purchases you make are e-mailed automatically to your Kindle Paperwhite. In essence, this mimics the wireless delivery service that Amazon offers. If you want to take advantage of this, make sure to add the e-mail address of the e-bookseller to your approved list of e-mail addresses.