How to Fix Audible Not Syncing with iOS/Audible/Alexa

audible not syncing

Hi, I need help! I have 2 devices with the latest versions of the Audible app. But Audible will not sync audiobooks properly between the two devices.

Almost every time I play Audible books through the browser, the Audible app doesn't sync it to the time I stopped in the browser. Does anyone also have this problem?

Some Audible users prefer to listen to Audible books on multiple devices. When they are outside, they may use their phone to play audiobooks while using a speaker when they are at home. However, there is a problem happening to many of them - Audible not syncing across devices. But do not worry, you can try to fix this problem with the solutions we suggest.

Part 1. How to Fix Audible Online and Mobile Not Syncing

Audible primarily relies on automatic syncing to keep your Audible library to date across devices. However, if you want to force a manual sync to ensure that your Audible library is synced between the Audible website and the Audible app, you can try the following steps:

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Step 1Refresh your Audible library

Start by checking your Audible library on the Audible website (audible.com). Log in to your Audible account on the Audible website. Go to Library > Audiobooks. Check your online library to make sure that the audiobooks you want to sync are visible there.

audible library audiobooks

Open the Audible app on your mobile device. Go to Profile > Settings > Library under APP SETTINGS > Refresh Library. Tapping this option should trigger a manual sync and update your library.

Step 2Sign out and Sign back in

Sometimes, signing out and signing back in can trigger a manual refresh of your library, if the "Refresh" option won't address the syncing issue. Go to Profile > Settings > Sign out. Tapping this option should sign out of your Audible account.

Step 3Reinstall the Audible app

As a last resort, if none of the above methods work, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling the Audible app on your mobile device.

Part 2. How to Fix Audible and Kindle Not Syncing

Whispersync for Voice is an Amazon technology that allows you to switch between reading an eBook and listening to the corresponding audiobook, keeping your place synchronized between the two formats. It's particular useful for Kindle eBooks and Audible audiobooks that have a Whispersync-compatible feature.

To use Whispersync for Voice and potentially resolve any syncing issues between your Kindle eBook and Audible audiobook, you can follow these general steps:

Step 1Ensure Whispersync is enabled

You can also check if the Whispersync feature is enabled to sync your content. Make sure your device is connected to the internet. Open a web browser and go to Manage Your Content and Device. Select the "Preferences" tab at the top menu, and select "Device Synchronization" (Whispersync Settings), there you can turn on or off this feature. Confirm that the feature is turned ON.

audible device synchronization on off

Step 2Check the Kindle app Sync option

Verify that both the Audible audiobook and Kindle eBook you're trying to sync are Whispersync-compatible. Not all titles support this feature.

On your Kindle device or in the Kindle app, open the eBook that corresponds to your Audible audiobook. Access the Kindle settings or reading options and make sure that Whispersync is enabled.

You can reveal the toolbar or tap the center of the screen to bring up the reding menu, there you can find the "Sync" or "Whispersync" option. Tap the "Sync" or "Whispersync" option to manually trigger synchronization between your Kindle eBook and Audible audiobook. This helps ensure that your reading process is kept in sync across both formats.

Step 3Download or update the eBook and audiobook

Ensure that both the Kindle eBook and Audible audiobook are downloaded to your device. If you've recently made changes to your library on Audible.com, ensure that the latest version of the audiobook is downloaded.

Step 4Restart and Reconnect

Close both the Kindle and Audible apps and restart your device. After restarting, reopen both the Kindle and Audible apps and try syncing again.

Part 3. How to Fix Audible and iOS Not Syncing

If you're using iOS devices and encountering issues with Audible not syncing properly, you can manually sync Audible audiobooks to your iOS device. This method also allows you to select which audiobooks to sync, which can be particularly useful if you want to save storage space on your device, as audiobooks are often large files.

Note

In our experience, the Audible not syncing to Apple Watch issue comes up when the content to syn has a large file size. If a redownload is possible with an active Audible membership, please redownload the books into small chapters or in parts from audible.com to sync one file/content at a time.

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Step 1Enable Manual Management

Use a USB cable to connect your iOS device to your computer. Open the iTunes application on your computer. In iTunes, locate your connected iOS device. In the device summary screen, check the "Manually manage music and videos" option. This allows you to manually control the content on your iOS device.

itunes iphone summary manually manage music and videos

Step 2Disable Sync Only Checked Songs and Videos

Uncheck the "Sync only checked songs and videos" option to enable manual management without restrictions. After making these changes, click the "Apply" button in iTunes to save your settings.

itunes iphone summary sync only checked songs and videos

Step 3Select and transfer Audiobooks

Choose the audiobooks you want to sync from your Audiobooks library. You can do this by dragging the audiobook cover or title to "Audiobooks" in the iTunes sidebar.

itunes devices audiobooks

Allow iTunes to transfer the selected audiobooks to your iOS device. Once the transfer is complete, click the device icon in iTunes again and then click the "Eject" button to safely disconnect your iOS device from the computer.

Part 4. How to Fix Audible and Alexa Not Syncing

If you're experiencing synchronization issues between your Audible audiobooks and Amazon Alexa, here are some suggestions to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the problem:

Step 1Check Alexa device

Make sure your Alexa-enabled device is powered on and is properly set up and connected to the internet. You may also need to update your Alexa-enabled device's firmware and software, which can improve compatibility with Audible.

Step 2Verify Amazon account link

Confirm that your Alexa-enabled device is connected to your Amazon account. Make sure the username you use for Audible matches the one associated with your Amazon account. If they differ, consider merging your accounts to enable smooth integration between Audible and Alexa.

Step 3Inspect Alexa companion app

Use the Alexa companion app on your smartphone or tablet to troubleshoot. If you encounter an error message, it may signal a connectivity issue. Check if your Alexa device is securely plugged in and connected to your Wi-Fi network. Then, issue voice commands to Alexa to play your desired audiobook.

Step 4Check Amazon Household settings

Amazon Household settings can affect your access to specific Audible titles. To resolve this, visit Amazon's "Manage My Household" page on their website. Ensure your Amazon Household settings are correctly configured to grant access to your audiobooks.

Part 5. Troubleshooting Steps to Fix Audible Not Syncing

If you're facing synchronization problems with your Audible audiobooks, follow these steps to troubleshoot and resolve the issue:

1. Check Internet Connection

Ensure that your device that is running the Audible app is connected to a stable and active internet connection, as Audible requires an internet connection to sync your audiobooks.

On Android:

On the Android device, go to Settings.
Tap Network & internet > Internet.
Tap a listed network. If required, enter the correct password to connect a network that has a Lock.

On iOS:

On the iOS device, open the Settings app > Wi-Fi.
Turn on Wi-Fi, selecta stable Wi-Fi network to join. If required, enter the correct password or agreed to terms and conditions.

2. Check Your Audible Library

Open the Audible app or visit the Audible.com on your device and verify that the audiobooks you want to sync are present in your Audible library.

On the Web:

Visit the audible.com on a web browser and make sure to sign in to your Audible account.
Click the "Library."
Click the "Audiobooks," and verify that the audiobooks you want to sync are added to your Audiobook library. If not, you may want to search for those titles in the Audible catalog and add them to your library again.

3. Refresh Your Audible Library

In some cases, audiobooks may not appear due to a sync delay. To force a refresh, find the "Refresh Library" option in the Audible app's settings.

ios audible settings library refresh library

Open the Audible app on your device.
Go to "Profile."
Tap the Gear icon (Settings).
Go to "APP SETTINGS" and select "Library" under it.
Select "Refresh Library."

4. Sign out and Sign Back in

Sometimes, signing out of your Audible account and then signing back in can resolve synchronization issues.

ios audible settings sign out

Open the Audible app.
Go to Settings.
Scroll down the "Settings" page to the "Sign out" option and tap on it.
Sign back in with your Audible account credentials.

5. Check Sync Listening Position

Ensure that you're syncing the correct listening position between devices. When switching between reading and listening, leave off in one format and pick up in the other at the same location. Audible should automatically sync your progress if the "Sync Listening Position" setting is turned on.

ios audible settings player sync listening position

Open the Audible app.
Go to Settings.
Go to "APP SETTINGS" and select "Player" under it.
Scroll to "Sync listening position" and toggle it on.

6. Update Audible App

Ensure that you have the latest version of the Audible app installed on your device. Outdated apps may have bugs or compatibility issues.

7. Reinstall Audible App

If updating the app doesn't resolve the issue, consider reinstalling the Audible app.

Part 6. How to Sync Audible across Devices without Restrictions

If you've tried various solutions to fix Audible synchronization issues across devices and are still facing problems, there's an alternative method that involves converting your Audible audiobooks into MP3 format. By doing this, you can transfer and play your audiobooks on various devices, including phones, speakers, tablets, and MP3 players. Here's how to do it:

Use the Audible app or website on your computer to download the audiobooks you want to sync and convert. To convert Audible books from the proprietary AA/AAX format to a common format like MP3, consider using the ViWizard Audible Audiobook Converter. This tool is designed to input Audible audiobooks and output audio files in various formats (MP3, AAC, FLAC, etc.) with lossless quality while preserving your ID3 tags.