Kindle Direct Publishing: Login, Royalties and the 2026 AI Rules

If you only came here to sign in, the address is kdp.amazon.com — use your existing Amazon account, or create one specifically for publishing. That takes about ten seconds.

The more useful question is what to do once you are in, because KDP changed meaningfully during 2026. Royalty bands widened, publishing limits appeared, and the AI disclosure rules caught out a lot of authors who assumed they did not apply to them.

Signing in, and the problems people hit

KDP uses your regular Amazon credentials. A few recurring snags:

• Use a separate account for publishing. Mixing your shopping account with your publishing business creates confusion at tax time and when multiple people need access.
• Two-factor authentication locks people out more often than any other cause — usually after changing phone numbers. Keep your recovery details current.
• The account is region-linked. Signing in from a different marketplace can show an unfamiliar dashboard. Check which Amazon domain you are on.
• Tax interview and bank details must be complete before anything publishes. Indian authors need a PAN, and completing the tax interview properly reduces US withholding under the India–US treaty.

What changed in 2026

The 70% royalty band widened

This is the most consequential change for anyone already publishing. The 70% royalty band on Amazon.com now runs from $2.99 to $12.99, reported as effective 7 July 2026 — previously it capped at $9.99.

Below $2.99 you still take 35%.

What this means practically: if you priced a book at $9.99 purely to stay inside the old band, that constraint is gone. A non-fiction title that could reasonably sell at $12.99 now earns 70% of $12.99 rather than 70% of $9.99 — roughly a 30% increase in revenue per sale for no additional work.

Worth reviewing your backlist pricing with this in mind.

Weekly publishing limits

Reporting indicates a limit of two new titles per format per week, introduced around September–October 2026. This is aimed at high-volume operations flooding the store rather than ordinary authors.

One caveat: this comes from a single source in the material available, so confirm it on KDP’s own help pages before planning a launch schedule around it.

Longer pre-order window

Pre-orders created from 2 September 2026 can be set up to 18 months ahead. Useful for series authors building anticipation, and for anyone coordinating a launch with something outside the book.

Kindle Translate

Amazon’s own AI translation tool is reportedly free, covering English to and from Spanish, German, French, Italian and Portuguese. eBooks only, and access is by invitation through your Bookshelf.

The AI disclosure rule, stated precisely

This is where authors get into trouble, and the distinction is narrower than most people assume.

Amazon separates two things:

• AI-assisted — you wrote it, and used AI for brainstorming, editing or refining. No disclosure required.
• AI-generated — an AI tool created the actual text, image or translation. Disclosure required.

The part that catches people: if an AI produced the text, Amazon treats it as AI-generated even if you substantially edited it afterward. Heavy editing does not convert generated content into assisted content.

Amazon does not ban AI-generated books. It bans undisclosed ones — and undisclosed AI content violates the terms of service, with account termination as a possible consequence. Disclosure is made during upload and is not displayed publicly on your book’s page.

The arithmetic here is straightforward. Disclosing costs you nothing visible. Not disclosing risks the account holding your entire catalogue and royalty history.

Before you publish anything

1. Complete the tax interview. Indian authors: have your PAN ready. Doing this properly reduces US withholding.
2. Add bank details in a currency you can actually receive.
3. Decide on KDP Select. It gives Kindle Unlimited access and promotional tools in exchange for 90-day digital exclusivity. Good for fiction and discovery; bad if you want to sell elsewhere.
4. Price inside the 70% band unless you have a specific reason not to. The gap between 70% and 35% is the single largest lever on your income.
5. Answer the AI question honestly.

Frequently asked questions

How do I log in to Kindle Direct Publishing?

Go to kdp.amazon.com and sign in with your Amazon credentials, or create a new account. Most lockouts come from outdated two-factor phone numbers, so keep recovery details current.

What royalty does KDP pay in 2026?

70% for eBooks priced $2.99–$12.99 on Amazon.com, with the upper limit having risen from $9.99 as of July 2026. Outside that band the rate is 35%. Delivery costs are deducted from 70% royalties.

Can I publish AI-written books on Amazon?

Yes, provided you disclose it during upload. AI-generated means the tool produced the text or images — and that still counts even if you edited heavily afterwards. AI-assisted work needs no disclosure. Undisclosed AI content breaches the terms of service.

How many books can I publish per week?

Reporting indicates two new titles per format per week, introduced around September–October 2026. This comes from limited sourcing, so verify on KDP’s help pages before scheduling a launch.

Do Indian authors pay US tax on KDP royalties?

Completing the KDP tax interview with a valid PAN allows treaty benefits that reduce US withholding. Skipping it means withholding at the default rate. The royalties remain taxable in India — speak to a CA.

One thing worth doing this week

If you have books priced at $9.99 because that was the old ceiling, review them. The band now reaches $12.99, and for most non-fiction that is free money you are currently leaving on the table.

2026 KDP changes are compiled from self-publishing industry reporting rather than Amazon’s own announcements; the weekly title limit in particular rests on limited sourcing. Verify current terms on KDP’s official help pages before making publishing decisions. Tax information is general and not advice. Last reviewed: October 2026.