How to Download Audible Books

Get the titles you want and listen on any device

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Updated on August 2, 2021

If you just discovered Audible, you may be wondering how to buy and download audiobook titles on your device(s). There are several ways you can purchase Audible books, including from the Audible website or app, a direct audiobook purchase on Amazon, or Audible narrations of owned Kindle books on Amazon.

How to Buy Books on the Audible Website

If you're an Audible subscriber, you are notified when you've been charged and have credits available. You can then begin adding the books you want to your Audible Wish List. Like Amazon Wish Lists, there's no limit on the number of items you can gather, although, unlike Amazon, you can have only one list on Audible.

Your Audible Wish List is separate from the Amazon wish lists. You're able to place the same title on both sites. However, Amazon prevents you from purchasing a book you already have in your Audible library.

While browsing a book's details, you'll see the price listed alongside the cost to purchase with credits. Although the cost to purchase books with a credit card can differ, you can get almost any book with one credit.

To buy a book on the Audible website:

When you're browsing a list, select Add to Cart next to one or more books that you want.

Alternatively, if you're looking at a book's detail, you can select Buy Now for $[price], which takes you to the payment for only that book.
Select the cart at the top of the page to see the books you added.
In the cart, if you have credits available, Audible uses them first to cover your purchase. If they aren't enough, you'll see the subtotal required to buy the rest of your items.

You can choose which books use credits and which you'll pay for with cash. Be sure to use your credits on the most expensive books first.
Select Proceed to Checkout to make your purchase.
Review your order on the next page. Make sure everything is correct and select Complete Purchase or select Edit Items to go back and make changes.
After you finish buying your new books, you land on a page confirming your success.

Your new books are available for download in your Library.

How to Buy Books on Audible Using the App

Purchasing books using the Audible app is as easy as using the website, and it follows similar steps.

These steps apply to the Audible app for Windows, Android, and iOS.

Select a book from either the store or your Wish List and tap Buy Now for $[price] to buy the book individually, as there is no cart in the app.

Alternately, tap "x" Credit(s) available to purchase using any credits you have. This option is grayed out if you don't have any credits.
Select Confirm Purchase from the screen that pops up.
When your purchase goes through, you see a confirmation screen.
On the Audible Android and iOS app, tap View in Library to jump to the book in your Library, where you can download it. The Windows version doesn't have this option.

How to Buy Books on Audible From Amazon

Buying books in Audible format through the Amazon website is included as one of the format options, alongside others, such as hardback, paperback, and Kindle.

Audible Is One of Several Formats Available on Amazon

Purchasing this way works the same way as it does for other formats, including the cart process and confirmation. The only difference is the book appears in your Audible Library.

How to Download Your Audible Books

Once your purchase is complete, the items appear in your Library. From the Audible website, you can stream your books, which start playing immediately. However, on mobile devices, it's better to download them.

There are two sections to the Library on Windows, iOS, and Android devices:

Cloud: A collection of the items you purchased in the past.
Device: Contains only the items you downloaded locally.

Make sure you're connected to a Wi-Fi network when downloading books unless you have a high-speed, unlimited data plan. Some books, depending on the length, can be 1 GB in size and can make a big impact on your data cap.

On all platforms, the books you haven't downloaded appear with a download icon in the corner. To download them:

Select the three horizontal dots icon next to your desired book.
Select Download.
The book starts to download. You can start listening to it as it downloads, but don't disconnect from the broadband network yet. Wait until the progress spinner indicates the download is done.

Adding Audible Narration to a Kindle Book You Own

If you already own a book for your Kindle, you can add the audible narration.

From Amazon.com, go to Account & Lists > Your content and devices > Content.
Select the three horizontal dots icon to the left of a book you own.
If the book is also available on Audible, select Add Narration below the book's cover.

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