You can control your book’s launch date by scheduling the release date. When you schedule your book’s release date, the Amazon detail page will remain hidden, and your book will become available for purchase on the selected released date. While your book’s detail page is hidden, you can start ordering author copies of your book and promoting it on your own site or social media channels. Note that to order author copies, the book must have completed our review process.

Check the Release Date Options that KDP offers and the differences between them.

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How it works

A release date can be set up to 90 days in advance. Once you schedule a date:

• The Amazon detail page (where your book can be purchased) will remain hidden until that date.
• Your book will become available for purchase at 12:00 AM GMT on the release date.
• Changes can be made to your book or release date before the publication deadline. This deadline will appear in a countdown timer on your book’s setup pages.

An important note: KDP does not offer pre-orders for print books (i.e. paperbacks and hardcover books). If you plan to use a different publication service to create a pre-order, do not use the Release Date option on KDP. If you do, Amazon will hide your product detail page until the release date.

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Eligibility and requirements

• Eligibility. Only new KDP print books are eligible to schedule a release date. The following book types are not eligible for scheduled release:
  • Public domain books
  • Low-content books
  • eBooks
  • Previously-published books
  • Books that are scheduled for release with another publisher
• Submission and manuscript deadline. You are required to upload your book’s manuscript to schedule a release date. After the submission deadline, you won't be able to make changes to your book until after the title is released. To keep track of the deadline, use the timer at the top of your book's setup pages (details, content, pricing).
• Updates to manuscript and book details. You cannot update your manuscript file or book details after the submission deadline (within five days of the release). You can make updates before the submission deadline and after the release.
• Review process. After you set up your book, it will go through our review process. We review your book to ensure it meets our guidelines. Learn more about our review process.
  • If a scheduled release book doesn't meet our guidelines, you won't be able to resubmit the same book. Instead, you need to update the manuscript to meet our guidelines and publish it as a new submission.
  • If a scheduled release book meets our guidelines, but we find that information is missing or that updates are required, we will notify you about this, and after you submit the required changes, we will review your updates.

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Schedule your release

While scheduling your book’s release, you’ll also need to choose your publication date. In here, you’ll have to choose between two different options Publication date and release date are the same, or My book was previously published.

Your book’s publication date may not always be the same as your book’s release date.

The publication date will let customers know when the book was originally published, while the release date is the date when your book will be available for sale on Amazon. A previously published book means that your book was published in the past. If, for example, your book is already available as an eBook and you wish to publish a print edition, or you purchased the rights for your book from another publisher who also published the book, you are publishing a previously published book.

When choosing your publication date keep in mind that:

• Publication date and release date are the same: This option is available only for new KDP print books and will let customers know when the book was originally published.
• My book was previously published: This option is available for books that are not new publications. Books that are previously published are not eligible for scheduling a release. Learn more about eligibility requirements for scheduling a release.

To schedule the release date for your book:

1. Go to your Bookshelf.
2. Click the + Create button.
3. Click Create paperback or Create hardcover, depending on the format you’d like to create.
4. Under the Details page, enter your book’s information.
5. At the end of the page, under Release Date section, click Schedule my book’s release.
6. Enter your book's release date.
7. Click Save and continue. This will take you to the next page.
8. Finish setting up your book, including your manuscript, cover, rights and pricing information.
9. After all the information is entered, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Publish your Book.

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Update your scheduled release

After scheduling your book’s release, your book will be locked for editing until we complete our review process. After the review, you’ll be able to update your book details, however, certain details can’t be changed after your book is reviewed and scheduled for release. Learn more about what information you can change.

To update your book details:

1. Go to your Bookshelf.
2. Under the Actions menu next to the book you want to update, click on the ellipsis button ("...").
3. Choose Edit Paperback Details, or Edit Hardcover Details, depending on the format you need to edit.
4. Make the necessary updates to your book.
5. Click Save and continue. This takes you to the next page, if needed click Save and continue again.
6. Scroll to the button of the page and click Publish your Book.

Note: If you don't click Publish your Book, the changes, including the file you upload, won't be saved.

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Check scheduled release status

To see the current status of your scheduled released:

1. Go to your Bookshelf.
2. Click Continue setup. You'll see a timer across the top of the page informing you of the time remaining in which to make changes.
3. Next to the book you want to check, you'll see your scheduled release with one of the statuses below.

Status	What it means
Scheduled Release - Draft	Information for your title has been entered, but the Publish your Book button has not been selected. If you have made updates to a title, submit them for publication. Learn more about how to submit changes.
Scheduled Release - In Review	Your title has been scheduled for release and is currently in review, you won't be able to make changes to your book until it finishes our review process. Review times may vary and may take longer if publishing rights need to be verified. Learn more about our review timelines.
Scheduled Release – Preparing your files	We're preparing your title for publishing. A confirmation email will be sent to you when your title status changes to Release Scheduled.
Release Scheduled	Your title's release has been scheduled. Your title’s Amazon detail page will remain hidden until 12:00 AM GMT on the book's scheduled release date.
Release Scheduled - With unpublished changes	You've entered new information for this title, but the updates haven't been published. A previous version of your title is scheduled for release. Learn more about how to submit changes.
Release Scheduled - Updates In Review	KDP is reviewing the recent changes for your title, you won't be able to make changes to your book until it finishes our review process. Review times might vary and may take longer if publishing rights need to be verified. Learn more about our review timelines.
Release Scheduled - Preparing your files	Your recent changes are being prepared for publishing. A confirmation email will be sent to you when your title status changes to Release Scheduled. You won't be able to make changes to your book until it finishes our review process.
Release Scheduled - Ready for Release	Your title is ready for release on your scheduled date. You won’t be able to make changes to the book content/details, order author copies and/or unpublish your book as we prepare to make the detail page available to customers. You can publish updates after the book is released.

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Change a scheduled release date

You can move up, delay, release now or unpublish the scheduled release for your book.

Five days prior to your book release, your book status will change to Release Scheduled – Ready for Release, this means that we will start preparing to deliver your book to customers worldwide. During this time, you will not be able to change (move up, delay, release now, or unpublish) a scheduled release date.

Also, you will not be able to change (move up, delay, release now, or unpublish) a schedule release while your book in Scheduled Release - In Review, Release Scheduled - Preparing your files and/or Release Scheduled - Updates In Review. You will be able to change the schedule release date of your book after our review process is complete.

To move up or delay a scheduled release:

1. Go to your Bookshelf.
2. Under the Actions menu next to the book you want to update, click the ellipsis button ("...").
3. Choose Edit Paperback Details, or Edit Hardcover Details, depending on the format you need to edit.
4. In the Release Date section, under Schedule my book’s release, choose your new date.
5. Click Save and continue. This takes you to the next page, if needed click Save and continue again.
6. Scroll to the button of the page and click Publish your Book.

Move up a scheduled release

Follow the instructions listed on the change a scheduled release section to move up your scheduled release date. You can move up your scheduled release at any time, up to 5 days before the current date.

Delay a scheduled release

Follow the instructions listed on the change a scheduled release section to delay your scheduled release date. Note that if you need more time to finalize your file, you can delay your scheduled release date up to 90 days. Any update to your scheduled release date must be made before your submission deadline.

Release now a scheduled release

If you don’t want to wait until your book’s scheduled release, you can release your title immediately.

To release your book now:

1. Go to your Bookshelf.
2. Under the Actions menu next to the book you want to update, click the ellipsis button ("...").
3. Choose Edit Paperback Details, or Edit Hardcover Details, depending on the format you need to edit.
4. In the Release Date section, click Release my book for sale now.
5. Click Save and continue. This takes you to the next page, if needed click Save and continue again.
6. Scroll to the button of the page and click Publish your Book.

Unpublish a scheduled release

You can unpublish your scheduled release if you no longer want to publish your book. Note that if your book status is Release Scheduled and you unpublish your scheduled release, your book’s detail page will become visible to customers on the selected day, however, your book will not be available for purchase.

To unpublish your scheduled release:

1. Go to your Bookshelf.
2. Under the Actions menu next to the book you want to update, click the ellipsis button ("...").
3. Choose Unpublish.
4. A message will display to confirm you want to unpublish your scheduled release.
5. If you would like to continue, click Unpublish.

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Manuscript submission and deadlines

When you schedule a release, you will have a submission deadline to make changes to your book. This deadline is shown to you while scheduling your release date, however, you can also go back to your book’s set up page (this page is where you add your book details, content, pricing, etc.) to see a timer at the top of this page that will indicate you how much time you have left for making updates.

Five days prior to your book release, we will start preparing to deliver your book to customers worldwide. During this time, you will not be able to make updates to your manuscript file or your book’s details. You will be able make updates to your book again after the scheduled release date.

Note: Our Customer Service team is also unable to make changes to your book after the submission deadline. We won’t be able to unlock your book to make additional edits.

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Order author copies

You’ll be able to place author copies for your book while the detail page remains hidden. After your book status changes to Release Scheduled – Ready for Release, allow an additional day to order author copies.

Note: If you’ve scheduled a release with another publisher, you won’t be able to order author copies until your title is in Live status. Learn more about book status. You can still order proof copies in the meantime.

Five days prior to your book release, we will start preparing to deliver your book to customers worldwide. During this time, you will not be able to order author copies. Learn more about placing an order for author copies.

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Time zones

Your book will become available for purchase on the selected day at 12:00 AM GMT.

If you are located in a different time zone, you may want to use a time zone converter to determine the time your book will become available in your region. After your schedule a release, you'll see a timer on top of your book's setup pages that keeps track of the deadline to make changes to your book.

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