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Amazon plans to end technical support for older Kindle devices starting on May 20, but that doesn't mean users must get rid of them. Kindles and Fire tablets released before 2013 will no longer receive software support from Amazon, leaving many users looking for alternative ways to continue using them as e-readers.

One of the most popular ways to extend your Kindle's lifespan is to jailbreak it. Doing so lets you bypass some of Amazon's biggest restrictions, offering greater UI customizations, access to untapped settings, and even the ability to install alternative reading software.

Most people looking to jailbreak an older Kindle today install KOReader, KUAL Launcher, and maybe some custom fonts and screensavers, all of which I recently tested on my aging Paperwhite. Here's how I jailbroke my old Kindle to unlock greater access to features, and what I learned in the process.