How Does the Audible App Work [A Beginner’s Guide]

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Audible has a great app that combines simplicity and functionality to bring you the best listening Experience.

The app has over 100 million downloads on Google’s Play Store and is the number 1 Books app on Apple’s App Store with over 5 million ratings.

This article shows you how the Audible app works and walks you through the process of getting started with your Audible journey.

How Does the Audible App Work

Once you have downloaded the Audible app on your device, you need an Amazon account to use the Audible app like any other Amazon product or service.

You can check the detailed article on how to create an Amazon account for free.

When you open the Audible app for the first time, sign in using your Amazon account.

sign in to Audible app

The app has 4 main sections that are accessible from the bottom navigation bar including Home, Library, Discover, and Profile.

Audible app sections

Let us understand each section of the app.

1. Home

This section highlights the best tiles from different categories, recommendations based on your interests and past listening history, sales and deals, and new releases

Audible app home

You will also find trending titles, bestsellers, and curated listens from Audible editors here.

Audible also features popular authors, Goodreads trends, and upcoming titles on the Home page.

2. Library

This section contains all of your Audible content in one place, including audiobooks and podcasts. Any audiobook you purchase on Audible or Amazon is visible in the Library section.

Audible's library section

You can download and listen to a title in the Library section with a single tap. Tapping on 3 dots in front of a title gives you access to more options, including title details, author details, sharing options, rate and review.

Audible book options

You can add a title to collections, favorites, or archives from here or delete a downloaded title from your device.

As shown below, you also have additional features and filters in the Library section across the top navigation bar.

Audible library filters

To listen to an audiobook, simply tap on the title and it will start playing in the Audible Player. The Audible App Player has a simple user interface with the following controls

audible player controls

Tapping on the Ellipses Menu gives you more options including title details, sharing options, clips and bookmarks, rate and review, and listening logs.

3. Discover

This section helps you find your next listen. You can browse content by different categories and series and explore the best-selling titles.

Discover section

You can access the Plus Catalog from here (included in all membership plans), see curated lists by editors, and explore current sales.

If you are looking for a specific title, tap on the Search option (top right) and search the audiobook you are looking for.

discover option in Audible app

I searched for Hell Yeah Or No. On the title’s details page, I have the option to buy the audiobook with cash or credit.

Hell yeah or no audible book

Note: You get credits with Audible membership. One credit can be redeemed for one Audible book, regardless of its price. Know more about Audible credits

Once you have purchased the audiobook, you can access it from the Library section where you can download and listen by tapping on the book cover.

audiobooks in audible library

You can use the Audible app to listen to audiobooks offline once they are downloaded to your device. It is also possible to listen to Audible books without the Audible app

If you are subscribed to any of the Audible membership plans, you get unlimited streaming access to the Plus Catalog with over 70,000 titles.

You do not need to purchase any of the Plus Catalog titles as they are already included in your membership plan, and you can add them to the library from the title’s details page.

Plus Catalog titles

You can also use the Audible app without a subscription plan and purchase audiobooks without a membership.

4. Profile

This section has your account settings, app settings, membership details, badge collection, listening history, and more.

the Profile section

In the Profile section, you have the following options

Profile section options

Tapping on the Settings option (top right of the screen) gives you access to more options

Audible app settings

In short, the Profile section gives you access to

  • Audible badges collection
  • Plus Catalog
  • Manage membership (switch/ cancel subscription)
  • Listening history and levels
  • App settings
  • Audible Player settings
  • Notifications settings
  • Help and support

To sign out of the Audible app, go to Profile > Settings and scroll down to tap on the Sign Out option.

Although it is possible to listen to your Audible content without the app, the Audible app is best and recommended way to listen to your audiobooks as you have more control and options as compared to all other ways.

Note: You can only return an Audible title through Audible’s website. The Audible app currently has no option to return the purchased titles.

5 Important Features of the Audible App

Here are 5 important features of Audible that you can use through Audible app.

1. Collections

Collections allow you to create personalize folders and manage your Audible library. You can create a workout folder for gym time, a relaxing folder for bedtime, or a separate folder for your kids.

You can access Collections from the Library section (in the top navigation bar)

To create collections in the Audible app

  • Tap on the Library option from the bottom navigation bar
  • Next, tap on All and Collections > New Collection
create collections on Audible app

  • Write the Collection Name and Description and tap on Create
collection name and description

To add a title to a newly created collection, go to the Library section and find the title you want to add. Tap on the 3 dots in front of the title and tap on Add To Collection.

Add to collections

To remove a title from a collection, go to the collection you have just created. Tap 3 dots in front of the title you want to remove and tap on the Remove from Collection option.

remove a title from collection

You can also create and manage collections from Audible’s website. Know more about Collections from Audible.

2. Wish List

If you add a title to your Wish List, you will get a notification when the title goes on sale. If an audiobook intrigued you and you already have loads of titles to listen to in your library, add it to your Wish List and purchase it when it is available at a discount.

You can access your account’s Wish List from the Library section (in the top navigation bar)

To add a book to your Wish List in the Audible App, go to the book’s details page and tap on More Options > Add to Wish List

add a title to wish list
add to wish list

On Audible’s website, you can also add a title to the Wish List directly from the search results

add title to wish list

or go to book details page and click More Options > Add to Wish List

more options

The Wish List option is the best feature to keep track of audiobooks that you want to listen to in the future and get them on discounts.

3. Archive

The Archive folder acts as a box of books in your basement. You always have these books if you need them, but they do not take up space on your library shelf and you do not see them every day.

Archiving an Audible book removes it from your account’s Library section and relegates it to the ‘Archive’ folder, helping you with decluttering your library.

You can access the Archive folder from Library > Collections > Archive

audible app archive section

To archive an audiobook in the Audible app, tap on the 3 dots in front of a title in the Library section

Audible book ellipses menu

Tap on Archive this title from the list of option

Archive audible title

You can explore more about the Archive features and how to unarchive an archived book.

I have also made a short video explaining the archive function.

4. The Plus Catalog

Audible has a catalog of over 70,000 audiobooks that is included in all Audible membership plans.

The Plus catalog has titles from all categories and gets frequent updates with new content added to it on weekly basis.

You can consider it as Netflix of audiobooks where Audible members have unlimited streaming access to the Plus Catalog.

Know more about the Plus Catalog from the following articles

You can access the Audible Plus Catalog in the Profile section under the Included with Membership section

access plus catalog in audible app

Audible members can add any title from the Plus Catalog to their library and listen to it as long as they have an active membership.

5. Audible Badges

Audible badges can be considered as trophies that you earn on completing certain milestones.

Although you can listen to Audible without the app and on other compatible devices, the badges collection is only available in the Audible app.

You can access your account’s badge collection from Profile > Badges.

Audible's badges collection

The unlocked badges have colorful icons with rings around them, highlighting the level of badge including Basic, Silver, or Gold.

I hope you have a clear understanding of how the Amazon Audible app works. If you have any questions, ask in the comments.

Sohail Ahmed

I love Audiobooks and this blog features my first-hand experience with all major audiobook apps and services … Know More


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