In short and in plain language
An e-reader is a small device for reading books. You can make the text large. This helps when your eyes do not see well up close.
To set it up, you need your Wi-Fi password and your own email. Then you make an account. Turn on a lock for buying. Then no one buys a book by mistake.
With your library card, you can borrow books. After a while, the book goes back on its own. Very new books are sometimes only there later.
You usually cannot return a book you bought. You also cannot sell it on. So look closely before you buy.
Old books are often free. This is true when the writer died more than 70 years ago. The 70 years count from the end of the year the writer died. You can get such books from libraries at no cost.
An e-reader often weighs no more than a paperback, holds a whole wall of books and shows every page as large as your eyes need it on any given day. Older readers in particular are discovering digital reading: among people aged 65 and over, 42 percent now read e-books at least now and then, up from 33 percent the year before (Bitkom). To enjoy reading from the very first evening, the device needs a short but careful setup: Wi-Fi, an account of your own, the right text size and lighting, access to your library's digital lending and a purchase lock against accidental orders. This guide walks through every step, explains the legal rules for buying and borrowing, and shows where to find free classics legally. If you plan to give an e-reader as a Christmas present, you will also find a checklist for a relaxed handover here.
Key takeaways
- Among people aged 65 and over, 42 percent read e-books at least now and then, up from 33 percent a year earlier (Bitkom). E-readers suit this group because the text can be enlarged in several steps.
- Before switching on, have ready: Wi-Fi name and Wi-Fi password, an email address of your own, a new password for the account and your library card with its number and password.
- Text size, line spacing and light belong in the first setup: from the mid-40s, near vision gets worse, and at 45 most people need reading glasses (IQWiG).
- With a library card, you can borrow e-books digitally. Publishers sometimes offer new titles to libraries only after a waiting period of up to one year (Deutscher Bibliotheksverband).
- Fixed book prices also apply to e-books offered for permanent access (§ 2 BuchPrG). The right of withdrawal ends with the download if you agreed to that (§ 356 BGB): turn on a purchase lock.
- Works enter the public domain seventy years after the author's death (§ 64 UrhG), counted from the end of the year (§ 69 UrhG). That is why many classics are available free of charge and legally.
Why e-books are increasingly popular after 65
The figures come from a representative survey by the digital association Bitkom: 1,006 people in Germany aged 16 and over were interviewed, and the results were published on September 29, 2026, shortly before the Frankfurt Book Fair (Bitkom). Overall, 55 percent of people in Germany read e-books at least now and then, clearly more than half for the first time (Bitkom). Use is growing particularly clearly among older people: among those aged 65 and over, the share rose from 33 to 42 percent within one year (Bitkom). Among 16- to 29-year-olds, the figure is 64 percent, almost twice as many (Bitkom).
Printed books are not disappearing. Only 4 percent read e-books exclusively, while around half of Germans (51 percent) use both formats (Bitkom). For many people, the e-reader is a second bookshelf: for travel, for reading in bed, for the waiting room and for titles that are only available in small print.
"E-books are quickly available, save space and offer extra reading comfort with features such as adjustable font sizes. That is one more reason why digital reading has long ceased to be a question of age." (translated from German)
An e-reader is not a small tablet. German accessibility law describes it as a special device, including hardware and software, used for accessing, navigating, reading and using e-book files (§ 2 BFSG). Typical is a screen with electronic ink that works without a backlight and stays easy to read in sunlight; for reading in the dark, many devices have a light you can switch on. For e-book readers placed on the market after June 28, 2025, the Accessibility Strengthening Act applies explicitly (§ 1 BFSG), and the accompanying ordinance requires that e-book readers be equipped with speech output (§ 8 BFSGV).
Before switching on: what to have ready
The setup itself is done quickly. What slows things down is missing login details: the Wi-Fi password is on a slip of paper nobody can find, the email address actually belongs to the children, and the library did not issue a password for the card. So gather everything the device will ask for beforehand:
- Wi-Fi name and Wi-Fi password, usually on the back or bottom of the router. Germany's Federal Office for Information Security recommends a password of at least 20 characters for Wi-Fi encryption such as WPA2 or WPA3 (BSI). On the small on-screen keyboard, it pays to type slowly.
- An email address you can access yourself. Receipts, loan notifications and password resets all go there.
- A new password for the book shop account that you do not use anywhere else, and a safe place to note it down.
- Your library card with the card number and the matching password or PIN. If there is no password yet, the library will issue one.
- Charging cable and power adapter, since the first start with an update can take a while.
- The glasses you prefer for reading. The text size will be set for exactly these glasses.
If you are giving the e-reader as a present, you can put this list in the envelope. Our article Gifting technology: set up devices before Christmas describes a handover with a login letter. One principle applies: the account belongs to the person who reads, not the person who gives the gift. Otherwise receipts and loan notifications end up in the wrong inbox later, and someone else has to be asked about every little thing.
Step by step: first setup with Wi-Fi and account
The menus are named a little differently depending on the manufacturer, but the order is usually the same. Take your time for the first run, sit somewhere with good Wi-Fi reception and leave the device plugged in.
- Choose language and region. The region determines which book shop and which prices you see.
- Connect to Wi-Fi. The device lists the networks nearby; select your own and enter the password. If it does not work, try again right next to the router.
- Allow updates. On first start, the device often downloads newer software and restarts. Do not interrupt it, even if the screen stays the same for a while.
- Create an account or sign in. According to the BSI, a long, simply structured password made of several words should have at least 25 characters (BSI); a short password at least eight characters using upper- and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters (BSI).
- Turn on the purchase lock. Many devices offer a parental control feature that only allows purchases after entering a PIN. It also protects adults from an accidental tap.
- Name the device and turn on syncing. If you also read on a tablet or smartphone, you will find the same page there.
- Check power saving. Automatic sleep saves battery; whether a book cover or a pattern appears in sleep mode is a matter of taste.
The account follows the same rule as every other account: its own password, long enough and stored safely. If you already manage many logins, a password manager is a good idea; our guide Setting up a password manager explains what matters. If you like, we can set it up for you as part of our password manager setup.
Purchase lock first, browsing second
Text, light and read-aloud: large print without a magnifier
Over the years, small print becomes tiring, and that is not a personal failing but the normal aging of the eyes. The health information portal of the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care sums it up: from the mid-40s, near vision gets worse (IQWiG). For adults, about 35 centimeters is considered the normal reading distance; from the early 40s it gradually increases, and at 45 most people need reading glasses (IQWiG).
A printed book has exactly one font size, an e-reader has many. Instead of hunting for a large-print edition, which by no means exists for every title, you set the text size yourself. Sit in your reading chair with your usual glasses, hold the device at your usual distance and enlarge the text until you can read without effort. Then it is worth looking at the other settings:
Font size
Adjustable in several steps. Start one step larger than necessary; after a few days you will notice whether a smaller size is enough.
Typeface and weight
A bolder font stands out more clearly from the background. Try two or three typefaces and keep the one that looks calmest to you.
Line spacing and margins
More space between lines makes it easier to find the next line. Narrow margins fit more text on the page, wide ones look tidier.
Light and color tone
The built-in light makes reading in the dark possible. Many devices offer a warmer color tone for the evening that can switch on at set times.
Landscape and page turning
In landscape mode, fewer words fit on a line. Page-turn buttons or swipe direction can often be swapped, for example for the left hand.
Read-aloud
New e-book readers must have speech output (§ 8 BFSGV). Depending on the device, it reads menus or book text aloud, often via Bluetooth headphones.
The books themselves have to play along too. Among other things, the ordinance requires e-books to provide flexibility and choice in how their content is displayed (§ 18 BFSGV). The German Library Association gives examples such as technical reading settings for typefaces and font sizes, line and character spacing, or listening and reading at the same time (Deutscher Bibliotheksverband). There is still a limit: PDF files have a fixed page layout. If you enlarge them, you have to scroll back and forth within the page. For large text, formats with reflowable text such as EPUB are much better suited.
If the text is still too small
Borrowing books with your library card
Libraries no longer lend only printed books. According to the German Library Association, they have offered e-books, digital newspapers and magazines, audiobooks and online courses for loan for more than ten years (Deutscher Bibliotheksverband). Across Germany, there are over 8,700 public and academic libraries (Deutscher Bibliotheksverband). For digital lending, you usually only need a valid card from your library and the password for it; your library will tell you whether a fee applies and how much.
Lending works as it does with printed books. The library association describes the process like this: each copy is lent to one person at a time, there are fixed loan periods, and an e-book that is currently on loan can only be used once it has been returned (Deutscher Bibliotheksverband). When the loan period ends, the file can no longer be opened, so late fees like those for a forgotten paper book do not usually arise. Legally, the European Court of Justice strengthened this model in 2016: the lending of electronic books may, under certain conditions, be treated in the same way as the lending of traditional books (EuGH, C-174/15).
There is one catch: not every new book can be borrowed right away. Publishers negotiate licenses for e-book lending, and a condition that has become common in Germany is so-called windowing: new e-books are offered to libraries only after a waiting period of up to one year (Deutscher Bibliotheksverband). Popular titles also have waiting lists. If you want to read the new novel right away, buy it; if you can wait, reserve it.
How to set up digital lending
- Get or renew your library card. Some libraries allow online registration, others ask you to visit with your ID card.
- Ask your library which service it uses for digital lending and whether it works directly with your device. Some e-readers have lending built into the menu, others work via an app on a tablet or smartphone or via the computer.
- Enter your card number and password on the device or in the app and select your own library.
- Borrow a first book and check that it arrives on the e-reader. The loan period is usually shown right next to the title.
- Practice reserving: for titles that are on loan, you join the waiting list and get a message as soon as the book is available.
- Return books early when you are done. That frees the copy for the next person.
Not every loan is free. In the Bitkom survey, 46 percent of e-book readers said they borrow digital books, down from 54 percent the previous year (Bitkom). This group spends an average of 6.80 euros a month on it (Bitkom). So the figure also includes paid lending services, not just the library. The difference matters: according to their association, libraries do not offer a flat rate that gives immediate and unlimited access to all available e-books for a fixed sum (Deutscher Bibliotheksverband). Commercial lending subscriptions, by contrast, usually charge a fixed monthly fee.
Buying e-books without costly surprises
Buying is still more common than borrowing: 89 percent of e-book readers buy digital books, up from 81 percent the year before (Bitkom). Buyers spend an average of 12.40 euros a month on them, compared with 11.10 euros the previous year (Bitkom). Four points help you avoid surprises.
Fixed retail prices apply to e-books too
Anyone who sells books commercially to end customers in Germany must charge the fixed price (§ 3 BuchPrG). This expressly also applies to electronic books offered for permanent access (§ 2 BuchPrG). Comparing prices between shops therefore gets you nowhere for new German-language titles; what matters is which shop your device receives books from directly. Foreign-language books are only covered by the law if they are mainly intended for sale in Germany (§ 2 BuchPrG). E-books are also subject to the reduced VAT rate of 7 percent (§ 12 UStG).
After the download, there is usually no way back
For online purchases, the withdrawal period is 14 days (§ 355 BGB). For digital content such as e-books, however, the right of withdrawal ends as soon as the shop has started delivery, provided you expressly agreed beforehand, confirmed that you will lose your right of withdrawal and the shop has sent you a confirmation (§ 356 BGB). That very consent is built into many purchase buttons. A book bought by mistake therefore often cannot be returned as a matter of law; some shops take it back as a goodwill gesture if you get in touch quickly. That is why the purchase lock from the first setup is a simple and effective safeguard.
Reselling used e-books is not possible
A paperback you have read can be given away or sold at a flea market. E-books are different: in 2019, the European Court of Justice ruled that selling used e-books through a website is a communication to the public that requires the author's permission (EuGH, C-263/18). When you buy an e-book, you therefore usually get a right of use for your own account rather than an item you can pass on. That is no reason not to buy, but it is a reason to look for books you only want to read once at the library first.
Check subscriptions before they renew
Lending subscriptions with a monthly fee are convenient if you read a lot, and expensive if the device sits on the shelf after the holidays. When you sign up, put the end of any trial month in your calendar. For canceling, a provider whose subscription you can take out on its website must offer a clearly legible cancellation button labeled "Verträge hier kündigen" (cancel contracts here) or with similarly unambiguous wording (§ 312k BGB). Our article Streaming costs more in 2026 also shows how to keep track of recurring monthly costs at home.
| Option | What it costs | How long you can read | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buying | fixed retail price, the same everywhere for new German-language titles | permanently in your own account | purchase lock, no withdrawal after download |
| Library | library card, fee depends on the library | until the loan period ends | waiting lists, some new titles only later |
| Lending subscription | fixed monthly fee | as long as the subscription runs | trial month, cancellation button |
| Public domain classics | free | permanently | reputable source, translation may still be protected |
Free and legal: public domain classics
Free e-books are not a niche: 15 percent of e-book readers use free titles (Bitkom). Many great works of literature are in the public domain. Copyright expires seventy years after the author's death (§ 64 UrhG), and the period starts at the end of the calendar year in which the author died (§ 69 UrhG). If an author died in 1955, protection ended at the end of 2025, and her work has been free since January 1, 2026. Libraries, universities and non-profit projects offer such texts as e-books for free download.
Two caveats apply. Translations are protected like independent works (§ 3 UrhG), so an English classic in a recent German translation is not automatically free. And not every site that promises free books is reputable. Download from libraries, universities or well-known non-profit projects, not from sites that offer current bestsellers for free. Our guide Spotting fake shops describes how to recognize dubious offers.
Your own files, such as a downloaded classic in EPUB format, get onto the e-reader via cable from a computer or, depending on the device, by email. The manual explains how this works on your model; during a home visit, we are happy to try it out together once.
When something gets stuck: common stumbling blocks
- The Wi-Fi network does not show up. Some devices only use the 2.4 GHz band. If the e-reader is far from the router, test it right next to it; if there are dead spots in your home, Wi-Fi optimization is worth considering.
- The borrowed book does not appear. Sync the device manually or restart it. If lending runs via the computer, the file still has to be transferred to the device.
- The password is rejected. Check upper and lower case and whether the on-screen keyboard is set to the right language layout. The password for your library card may differ from the one for the online catalog.
- The battery runs down faster than expected. Light and Wi-Fi use battery. Turn Wi-Fi off when you are only reading, and dim the light where it is bright enough.
- The screen no longer responds. Holding down the power button restarts many devices without losing books or settings. If that does not help, the manufacturer's manual describes the next step.
How Technik daheim helps with your e-reader
We visit you at home in the Hildesheim area and the Leine valley and set up the e-reader together with you: connect Wi-Fi, create an account or sign in, set a purchase lock where the device offers one, add access to your library's digital lending and borrow or buy the first book. Then we adjust text, line spacing and light so that you can read comfortably in your reading chair with your own glasses. It matters to us that you can handle the steps on your own afterwards, so you practice every step once yourself. The e-reader setup page lists what the setup includes.
If you are giving an e-reader as a gift, you can give the appointment along with it. If your parents live far away, our article Helping parents with tech from a distance can help. If you prefer to learn at your own pace how tablets and smartphones work, you will find suitable tablet courses and more under tech help for seniors. Our prices are published openly on the website, and whether part of the cost can be claimed for tax purposes is explained in our article Home tech help and your tax return.
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