If you are asking where are the old CreateSpace tools in KDP, here is the short answer. They did not move over under the same names. CreateSpace and Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) became one service, and the work you did on CreateSpace now happens in KDP.
Your books and account details moved. The tools for formatting, previewing, and pricing a book now sit in the KDP Bookshelf and in the KDP help pages. Some work much like the old ones. Some are different.
This guide shows where to look. It also covers old books, old sales reports, and what to do when something is missing. Everything here follows Amazon’s own help pages, and the article says so when a point is unclear.
What Happened to CreateSpace?
CreateSpace was Amazon’s service for self-publishing print books. As of December 18, 2018, CreateSpace and KDP became one service. Amazon says it moved all CreateSpace books to KDP.
Later, on March 30, 2020, Amazon replaced the CreateSpace Member Agreement with the KDP Terms and Conditions. If you still publish print books, those terms now apply to you.
Today KDP is where you manage Kindle eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers. Amazon says the basic process is the same as before. You still make a cover, format the inside pages, pick print and distribution choices, and order copies. The screens and some rules are different, so old tutorials can lead you the wrong way.
Where to Find the Old CreateSpace Tools in KDP
Think of KDP as one workspace with a few key rooms. Here is where each kind of tool lives.
KDP Bookshelf
The KDP Bookshelf is the home page for your titles. You see each book and its status there. You also upload and update your manuscript and cover files from the Bookshelf.
KDP Tools and Resources
The KDP Tools and Resources page is the best starting point for formatting help. It groups tools by job: manuscript formatting, cover formatting, calculators, previewers, and file uploads. It also splits advice for eBooks and for paperbacks and hardcovers.
Cover Creator and cover templates
KDP has its own Cover Creator for basic covers. For paperbacks and hardcovers, you can also use the cover calculator and template generator. The templates work with any program that opens a PNG or PDF file and saves a PDF.
Paperback and hardcover setup
For the inside pages, KDP offers manuscript templates and step-by-step guides for Word on Windows, Word on Mac, and Pages. There is also a file setup calculator for paperbacks only. It gives margin, bleed, and spine measurements. Popular Japanese trim sizes are not in that calculator.
Previewer tools
After you upload files, you check them in the Print Previewer on your Bookshelf. It flags errors you must fix before you can submit the book. For eBooks, KDP offers the free Kindle Previewer for your desktop and an Online Previewer on the Bookshelf. You can read more in the upload and preview guide.
Printing cost and royalty calculators
The printing cost and royalty calculator helps you estimate print costs and paperback royalties. Amazon says these numbers are estimates. Your real royalty is set when you set up the paperback on KDP.
Reports
KDP Reports holds your sales and royalty data. The next section covers how to find older numbers.
A word of caution. Some of these tools do a job like an old CreateSpace tool, but Amazon does not say that every old feature has a twin. If you cannot find a tool you remember, it may be gone, renamed, or built into another step.
How to Find Your Old CreateSpace Books
This is the CreateSpace to KDP migration step that trips people up. Amazon moved your books and account details, but you still link them to a KDP account. Here are the steps from the official CreateSpace Account help page:
- Open the CreateSpace Account help page and follow its link to the CreateSpace page.
- Enter your CreateSpace email address and select Submit.
- Amazon sends an email with a link to that address. Open the email and follow the link.
- Sign in to KDP to link your account, or create a new KDP account.
- Enter the token from the email. It works for 15 minutes.
- Check that you picked the right KDP account, then select Take me to my books.
- When Amazon finishes preparing your account, you land on your KDP Bookshelf.
Already have a KDP account? Sign in to that one. Amazon says you do not need a new KDP account just because you had a CreateSpace login.
Keep your token and password to yourself. No helper needs them. Amazon explains how to spot scams on its account security page.
What your old book status looks like now
Book statuses changed when the books moved. Your CreateSpace book files moved too, but the labels are different.
So a retired book now shows as unpublished. A book you never finished shows as a draft.
How to Find Old CreateSpace Sales Reports
Many authors want to know how to find old CreateSpace reports. Amazon says that after your books move, new sales show up in your KDP reports. It also says your historical CreateSpace data is in KDP reports once the move is done.
Here is how to look, based on the official help page:
- Go to your KDP reports.
- For sales in the last 90 days, open the Sales Dashboard tab. The default is 30 days, so change it to 90 days.
- For sales older than 90 days, open the Historical tab.
- In both views, use the All Marketplace menu to filter by marketplace.
- Use the Life to Date menu to see all sales, or pick a time range.
So the Sales Dashboard is for recent sales, and the Historical tab is for older ones. For more detail on each report type, see the KDP Reports help topic.
One more difference matters when you read your payments. CreateSpace paid royalties about 30 days after the end of the month you earned them. KDP pays about 60 days after the end of that month. For example, royalties you earn in November are paid in January, as long as they pass the minimum threshold.
What Replaced the Old CreateSpace Formatting Tools?
Here is a useful way to think about it. A replacement tool is meant to take over the exact job of an old tool. A tool with a similar function helps with the same goal but works in its own way.
The Amazon pages reviewed for this article do not call any KDP tool an exact copy of an old CreateSpace tool. What they do show is a set of KDP formatting tools that cover the same jobs.
Kindle Create is a free tool for PC and Mac. It can turn a finished manuscript into a reflowable eBook, a print replica eBook, or a comic eBook. You can also see other KDP formatting tools in the Tools and Resources page above.
Need extra help? Amazon lists publishing service providers for people who want formatting done for them.
One more item for former CreateSpace users: Amazon says it moved your CreateSpace files and can still print your book with your existing Cover Creator cover. You only need a new cover if you want to change it.
Can You Still Use the Old CreateSpace Website?
Nobody can promise that the old dashboard or each old tool still works. Amazon’s help page says it moved your CreateSpace books and account details to KDP, and it tells you to continue your work there.
The page still sends you to a CreateSpace page for the linking steps above. That is the only old-site step Amazon describes there. Amazon does not describe a way to use old CreateSpace screens, orders, or reports on that site.
The safe plan is simple. Use KDP for new work. For the latest instructions, check the KDP Help Center.
Common Problems and How to Solve Them
Books missing from the KDP Bookshelf
Start with the account. Make sure you signed in to the KDP account you linked. Then check the status. A retired CreateSpace book appears as unpublished, and an unfinished book appears as a draft. You can read more about statuses in the book status help topic.
If the books are still not there, run the linking steps again. If that fails, contact KDP Support.
Two other notes from Amazon may explain what you see. Books in languages KDP does not support stay on sale if they were already published, but you cannot update them or publish new ones. And on KDP, Expanded Distribution needs the book to be on sale on Amazon.com.
Trouble linking an old account
The token in the email works for 15 minutes. If it expires, start the steps again and ask for a new email. Make sure you enter the CreateSpace email address, since that is where the link goes. If it still fails, use the Contact Us page.
Forgotten login email
The linking email goes to your CreateSpace account email address. Check that inbox first. For KDP sign-in trouble, Amazon has a Sign in Issues help topic. I could not confirm a separate way to recover a lost CreateSpace email, so contact KDP Support if you are stuck.
Missing historical reports
First, check that your books finished moving to KDP. Then look at the right tab. Recent sales are on the Sales Dashboard. Sales older than 90 days are on the Historical tab. Set the menus to All Marketplace and Life to Date to see everything. If numbers are still missing, contact KDP Support.
Trouble finding formatting or cover tools
Open the KDP Tools and Resources page and pick your book type. Paperback and hardcover have their own list. eBooks have another. You can also search the KDP Help Center for the task you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the old CreateSpace tools in KDP?
Most of the jobs moved to KDP, but not always under the old names. Use the Bookshelf for your titles, the Tools and Resources page for formatting help, and KDP Reports for sales data. Some old features may not exist anymore.
Did Amazon move CreateSpace books to KDP?
Yes. Amazon says it moved all CreateSpace books to KDP. You link them to your KDP account with the steps on the official help page.
Can I access my old CreateSpace sales reports?
Yes, in KDP Reports. Amazon says historical CreateSpace data is available there once the move is complete. Use the Sales Dashboard for the last 90 days and the Historical tab for older sales.
What replaced CreateSpace Cover Creator?
KDP has its own Cover Creator. Amazon says your existing Cover Creator cover still works for printing, and you can design a new one in KDP’s Cover Creator or with templates.
Where can I find KDP formatting tools?
Start at the KDP Tools and Resources page. It lists manuscript guides, templates, cover tools, calculators, and previewers for eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers.
What should I do if my old books are missing?
Check that you are signed in to the right KDP account. Look at the status labels, since retired books show as unpublished. Then repeat the linking steps. If they still do not appear, contact KDP Support.
Final Thoughts
Look first at the KDP Bookshelf, then at the Tools and Resources page, then at KDP Reports. That covers most of what former CreateSpace users want to find.
Do not count on every old tool being there. Check the current Amazon help pages before you follow an older tutorial. If a step does not match what you see, trust the official page and reach out to KDP Support.
