An Investigative Look into the Invisible Gatekeepers of Indie Publishing
By: Fidelis Achu
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Introduction: The Promise of Easy Publishing
When Amazon introduced Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), it promised a revolution. No more rejection slips, no more agents—just an open road from the writer’s desk to the reader’s screen. But behind the curtain of democratized publishing lies a surprisingly rigid system. One of the most overlooked hurdles? The file formats.
You may have a great manuscript, a bold cover, and a marketing strategy mapped out. But if your file format doesn’t play by Amazon’s rules, your literary dreams might not make it past the upload button.
So, what file formats are actually accepted by Amazon KDP? Why does it matter? And are certain authors being unintentionally left out of the indie gold rush because of technical barriers?
Let’s dig in.
The Official Formats: What Amazon Says vs. What Authors Experience
According to Amazon's official KDP Help Center, the following file formats are accepted:
For eBooks (Kindle):
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DOC/DOCX (Microsoft Word)
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EPUB
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KPF (Kindle Package Format via Kindle Create)
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HTML/ZIP
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MOBI (no longer supported for upload, but still often misunderstood as acceptable)
For Paperbacks and Hardcovers:
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PDF (Print Ready)
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DOC/DOCX
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RTF
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HTML
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KPF (through Kindle Create)
Sounds flexible enough, right?
Yet, hundreds of authors across forums like Reddit, KBoards, and even Facebook KDP groups tell a more complicated story. Authors report rejected uploads, strange formatting issues, and even delayed publishing—all traced back to “accepted” file types that behave inconsistently once uploaded.
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The DOC/DOCX Dilemma: Convenience vs. Chaos
Let’s start with Word documents, the format most new authors rely on.
Amazon encourages DOC/DOCX uploads, especially for first-time users. But here’s the twist: Word files are notoriously unpredictable when it comes to layout. What looks perfectly spaced and stylish on your screen might turn into a jumbled mess in Kindle Previewer.
Case Study:
Emma L., a children’s book author from Ohio, spent weeks fine-tuning her storybook’s layout in Word. “When I uploaded it to KDP, everything shifted—images were overlapping with text, and fonts were replaced. I had no idea what went wrong.”
She eventually learned from a self-publishing coach that DOCX is best used only as a starting point. The final formatting should be done in Kindle Create or converted into EPUB for more control.
EPUB: The New King, with Caveats
In 2020, KDP quietly started encouraging EPUB over the once-standard MOBI format. EPUB is more universally accepted and flexible for digital formatting. But here's where it gets tricky: KDP still applies its own formatting engine to EPUB uploads.
That means your beautifully styled EPUB might still suffer layout changes after upload.
Expert Insight:
Robert Jones, a formatting specialist who’s worked with hundreds of indie authors, warns that "KDP’s backend engine doesn't always render EPUBs as intended. You think you’re uploading a polished eBook, but Amazon still overrides certain styles."
Even more shocking—authors aren’t notified when this happens. You only notice when your preview looks nothing like your draft.
The Rise (and Restrictions) of Kindle Create’s KPF Format
To regain some control, Amazon introduced Kindle Create, a tool that exports files in KPF format. KPF is essentially Amazon’s custom Kindle-ready format and gives users a bit more certainty about how their book will appear on devices.
But there’s a catch.
Kindle Create only supports limited layout customization. It’s great for text-heavy novels, but not ideal for complex non-fiction, photo books, or low-content journals.
Reality Check:
Authors hoping to publish detailed cookbooks, interactive planners, or poetry compilations often find Kindle Create stifling. Formatting elements like sidebars, tables, or fancy headers often break or disappear entirely.
The Forgotten Formats: PDF and HTML
For print books, PDF is king. It ensures that your layout stays exactly as designed.
But even here, there’s fine print. Amazon wants PDFs in CMYK color (not RGB), sized correctly with bleed and margin settings. Miss a single technical spec, and your book will be rejected or printed incorrectly.
And HTML? While technically supported, it’s rarely used by authors today due to its complexity. "It’s for people who know what they’re doing," says Jake D., a former Amazon tech support rep. "We’ve seen people try HTML who end up in formatting hell."
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The Myth of MOBI
There’s a widespread myth that MOBI is still an acceptable format. That’s outdated.
As of late 2022, Amazon stopped accepting MOBI files for upload. They only allow MOBI for personal reading on older Kindle devices.
Yet, countless formatting services still deliver MOBI as a final product. Authors unknowingly upload MOBI files, only to be rejected.
Why This Matters: The Silent Barrier to Publishing
On the surface, KDP’s file format policy seems inclusive. But when you dig deeper, it reveals a harsh truth: accessibility to publishing still has gatekeepers—only now, they’re technical.
If you’re a seasoned author with a design team, you’ll navigate these file formats easily. But for a teacher self-publishing her first guidebook? Or a non-English speaker using free tools? The formatting requirements can feel like a minefield.
Quote:
"Amazon doesn’t reject you based on content—but they will absolutely stop you at the format gate," says Lucia Navarro, an indie author and publishing consultant. "And for many, that gate is invisible until it's too late."
Conclusion: More Than Just Uploading a Book
Amazon KDP was designed to democratize publishing. And in many ways, it has. But as we’ve seen, the seemingly simple question—what file formats does Amazon accept?—has a much more complex answer.
To publish successfully, authors need to become part-writer, part-technician. And until Amazon improves transparency around its formatting engine and upload process, that gap will only widen.
So the next time you hear someone say “Just upload your book to KDP”—remember, that’s only the beginning of the story.
Call to Action:
If you’re planning to publish on KDP, take time to test your files using Amazon’s Kindle Previewer and Print Preview tools. And if you’re stuck, consider hiring a professional formatter or exploring EPUB creation tools like Atticus, Vellum, or Reedsy. If you have not written any book, let our KDP WIZARD write a book for you.
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