Do the Kindle Colorsoft and Kindle Paperwhite (12th Gen) use the same screensaver size?

Both the Kindle Colorsoft and the Kindle Paperwhite (12th Gen) use a 1264 x 1680 pixel panel, so one screensaver image fits both without re-cropping.

Which has the sharper screen?

Neither — both panels run at 300 ppi, so fine detail reproduces identically on the two devices. The 7-inch and 7-inch screens differ in physical size, but the density is matched.

Which should I size for if I own both?

One file covers both. Export at 1264 x 1680 and use the same image on each device — there is no reason to keep two versions.

Kindle Colorsoft vs Kindle Paperwhite (12th Gen)

Both devices use a 1264 × 1680 pixel panel, so one screensaver image fits both without re-cropping. Both panels run at 300 ppi.

The Colorsoft is built on the same chassis and the same 7-inch panel as the 12th generation Paperwhite, so the sizing question answers itself. The real question people are asking is what Amazon's colour layer costs in sharpness, and whether an image made for one looks right on the other.

Specifications Side by Side

Screen specifications for the Kindle Colorsoft and the Kindle Paperwhite (12th Gen)
	Kindle Colorsoft	Kindle Paperwhite (12th Gen)
Screensaver size	1264 × 1680 px	1264 × 1680 px
Screen size	7-inch	7-inch
Pixel density	300 ppi	300 ppi
Aspect ratio	1:1.33	1:1.33
Panel	Colour e-ink (Kaleido 3)	Greyscale e-ink
Manufacturer	Amazon	Amazon

The bottom line: One image file covers both. The difference is what happens to it on screen: the Colorsoft puts a colour filter over the same pixel grid, so greyscale still renders at the full 300 ppi while colour resolves at roughly 150. An image built for the Paperwhite displays correctly on a Colorsoft; an image relying on fine coloured detail will look softer there than you expect.

Choosing an Image for Each

Kindle Colorsoft

Amazon's first colour Kindle. Export at the full 1264 x 1680 — the panel is 300 ppi in greyscale — but expect colour itself to render at roughly half that density, so saturated flat areas read better than fine coloured detail.

Kindle Colorsoft screensaver size →

Kindle Paperwhite (12th Gen)

The 12th generation grew to a 7-inch panel, so an image sized for an 11th-generation Paperwhite will not fill it correctly. Check which generation you own before exporting.

Kindle Paperwhite (12th Gen) screensaver size →

Setting a Screensaver on Either Device

Both models use the same procedure, so whichever you own, the steps are identical once the image is the right size.

The procedure

Kindle has no official custom screensaver setting. The standard non-jailbreak workaround is to turn your image into an EPUB whose cover is that image, send it to the device, and let the lock screen show the current book's cover. The cover setting is hidden entirely on ad-supported Kindles, so ads have to be removed from the device first.

Resize the image. Size the image to your Kindle's exact screen resolution using the resizer above, then download it.
Convert it to an EPUB cover. Use Calibre or an image-to-EPUB converter to build an EPUB whose cover image is the file you just downloaded.
Send it to your Kindle. Email the EPUB to your Send to Kindle address, or upload it through the Send to Kindle web page.
Turn on the cover setting. On the Kindle, open Settings > Device Options and enable the setting that shows the current book's cover on the lock screen. Depending on firmware it is labelled Show Cover or Display Cover, and it does not appear at all on ad-supported devices.
Open the book and sleep the device. Sync, open the new EPUB so it becomes the current book, then put the Kindle to sleep. The lock screen shows your image.

Full Kindle screensaver guide →

Kindle Colorsoft vs Kindle PW (12th Gen) FAQ

Do the Kindle Colorsoft and Kindle Paperwhite (12th Gen) use the same screensaver size?: Both the Kindle Colorsoft and the Kindle Paperwhite (12th Gen) use a 1264 x 1680 pixel panel, so one screensaver image fits both without re-cropping.
Which has the sharper screen?: Neither — both panels run at 300 ppi, so fine detail reproduces identically on the two devices. The 7-inch and 7-inch screens differ in physical size, but the density is matched.
Is the setup process different?: No. Both are Amazon devices using the same method. Kindle has no official custom screensaver setting. The standard non-jailbreak workaround is to turn your image into an EPUB whose cover is that image, send it to the device, and let the lock screen show the current book's cover. The cover setting is hidden entirely on ad-supported Kindles, so ads have to be removed from the device first.
Which should I size for if I own both?: One file covers both. Export at 1264 x 1680 and use the same image on each device — there is no reason to keep two versions.

Related Comparisons

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