You download books on Audible through the app by finding the title, tapping the download button, and waiting for it to save to your device
The Audible app works differently than many other apps you might use. When you own or have a subscription to an audiobook, you don't buy it separately a second time — you just download what you already own. The download button appears next to any title in your library, and the file saves directly to your phone or tablet so you can listen without an internet connection.
The process takes a few minutes depending on the book's length and your connection speed. A typical audiobook is 8 to 12 hours long and takes 15 to 45 minutes to download on a standard home internet connection. Once it's on your device, you can listen anytime, even on an airplane or in a place with no signal.
Key Takeaways
- Open the Audible app, go to your library, find the book you want, and tap the download icon (usually a downward arrow or cloud symbol).
- Downloaded books stay on your device until you manually delete them, so they take up storage space — check how much room your phone or tablet has before downloading many books.
- You can download the same book to multiple devices using the same Audible account, but each device stores its own copy.
- If you delete a book from your device, you can download it again later without losing your place in the story or your bookmark notes.
Finding the Download Button in the Audible App
Open the Audible app and tap the Library tab at the bottom of the screen (on iPhone) or the menu icon at the top left (on Android). Your library shows every audiobook you own or have through your subscription. Scroll to find the book you want to download.
Tap the book's cover or title to open its details page. You'll see a large play button in the center and, just below or beside it, a download icon. On most phones this looks like a cloud with a downward arrow. Tap that icon once. The app will show a progress bar as the file downloads — this usually takes anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on how long the book is and how fast your internet is.
Once the download finishes, the icon changes to show a checkmark or a filled-in cloud, meaning the book is now stored on your device. You can now play it without an internet connection.
How Much Storage Space Downloads Use
Audiobooks are large files. A typical 10-hour book takes up 300 to 500 megabytes of storage on your phone or tablet. If you download five books, you're using 1.5 to 2.5 gigabytes. Before downloading many books, check how much free space your device has.
On iPhone, go to Settings, tap General, then iPhone Storage. You'll see how much space is free. On Android, go to Settings, tap Storage, and look at the available space. If you're running low, delete books you've already finished listening to, or delete other apps or photos to make room.
If storage becomes a problem, you don't have to download everything. You can stream books over Wi-Fi or cellular data instead, which uses no storage but requires an internet connection. Switch between streaming and downloading by tapping the same icon — if a book is downloaded, tapping the icon will remove it from your device.
Downloading Books to Multiple Devices
You can download the same audiobook to your phone, tablet, and other devices as long as they're all signed into the same Audible account. Each device stores its own copy of the file, so each one uses its own storage space.
Your listening progress syncs across devices automatically. If you listen to a book on your phone for 30 minutes, then switch to your tablet, the app will remember where you stopped and start from that point. This sync happens when you close the app and open it again on the other device, so there's usually a delay of a few seconds to a few minutes.
If you want to stop syncing progress between devices, you can turn off the sync feature in the app's settings, but most people leave it on because it's convenient.
Deleting Downloaded Books and Freeing Up Space
To delete a book from your device, open your library, find the book, and tap and hold on its cover (iPhone) or tap the three-dot menu next to the title (Android). Select "Remove Download" or "Delete." The book disappears from your device immediately, and you get that storage space back.
Deleting a downloaded book does not delete it from your Audible account or your library. You can download it again anytime, and your bookmarks and notes stay with the book in your account. Only the file on that specific device is removed.
If you want to delete a book from your account entirely — not just from one device — you have to do that through the Audible website, not the app. Go to audible.com, sign in, go to your library, find the book, and look for a "Return" or "Delete" option. This is different from just removing the download.
Troubleshooting Downloads That Stall or Fail
If a download starts but doesn't finish, first check your internet connection. Switch to Wi-Fi if you're on cellular data, or move closer to your router. Then try the download again by tapping the download icon.
If the download still fails, force-close the Audible app and reopen it. On iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to close the app. On Android, go to Settings, tap Apps, find Audible, and tap "Force Stop." Then reopen the app and try downloading again.
If you're still having trouble, delete the book from your device (using the method above) and download it fresh. If the problem continues, check that you have enough free storage space and that your Audible subscription or book ownership is still active. You can also try uninstalling and reinstalling the Audible app, though this is rarely necessary.
Downloading Over Wi-Fi vs. Cellular Data
The Audible app lets you choose whether to download over Wi-Fi only or over any connection. By default, most phones are set to download over Wi-Fi only to save your cellular data. If you want to download a book while you're out and only have cellular service, you can change this in the app's settings.
Go to the app's Settings menu (usually a gear icon), look for "Downloads" or "Network," and toggle the option to allow downloads over cellular. Keep in mind that downloading a 10-hour book over cellular can use 300 to 500 megabytes of your data plan, so check your limits before doing this regularly.
Most people leave the Wi-Fi-only setting on and download books at home or at a coffee shop with free Wi-Fi. This avoids unexpected data charges and is usually faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I download a book if I'm borrowing it from a library through Audible?
Yes. Borrowed books download the same way as books you own. When your library loan expires, the book automatically stops playing, and you can't listen to it anymore. The file stays on your device, but the app won't let you play it. Once the loan expires, you can delete the file to free up space.
What happens if I download a book and then cancel my Audible subscription?
If you own the book outright (you bought it), the download stays on your device and you can keep listening. If you have a subscription and the book came with your subscription, you lose access when your subscription ends. The file stays on your device but won't play.
How long does it take to download an audiobook?
Most audiobooks take 15 to 45 minutes on a standard home Wi-Fi connection. Very long books (20+ hours) can take an hour or more. Speed depends on your internet connection and how busy your network is. Cellular downloads are usually slower than Wi-Fi.
Can I download books to my computer or laptop?
The Audible app for Windows and Mac works differently than the phone app. You can download books to your computer, but the process and storage location are different. Check Audible's help section for computer-specific instructions, as they vary by operating system.
What if my phone runs out of storage while downloading a book?
The download will pause or fail. Delete other files or apps to free up space, then try the download again. The app will resume from where it left off rather than starting over.