How to Add/Play Audible Audiobooks on Plex Media Server

Part 1. Can I Stream Audible Audiobooks on Plex?

Yes, you can stream Audible books on Plex, but it requires a conversion and setup. This is because Audible audiobooks have their own special way of storing the sound, called AA/AAX format. This unique format can cause problems because it doesn't work smoothly with Plex and other streaming services. Even if you manage to put your Audible audiobooks on your media server, Plex won't detect or recognize them, so you won't be able to listen to your Audible books on Plex. This format also means you can't enjoy your Audible audiobooks on devices that don't support Audible.

To make your Audible audiobooks work with Plex Media Server, you just need to do two important things. First, you have to remove the special protection (called DRM) that Audible uses. Second, you need to change the Audible format into one that Plex supports, like MP3, AAC, or others that work with Plex.

Now, you might be wondering which tool is the best for this job and if it will affect the quality or speed of your audiobooks. Don't worry, there's an easy solution: the ViWizard Audible AA/AAX Converter. This tool makes it simple to change your Audible audiobooks into formats that work on many different devices and streaming services, and it won't mess up the quality or take forever to do it.

Key Features of ViWizard Audible Audiobook Converter

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• Convert Audible audiobook to unprotected audio formats like MP3
• Split Audible book into several smaller segments by chapter or by time
• Support playing Audible audiobooks on any device or media player
• Handle the conversion of Audible audiobooks up to 100× faster speed

Part 2. How to Convert Audible AA/AAX Files to Plex-Supported Formats

To play Audible-format books on Plex, you should first convert the original Audible AA/AAX files to a format compatible with the Plex server. ViWizard Audible AA/AAX Converter is a great pick. Besides conversion, ViWizard Audible Converter preserves the metadata of the audiobook and allows you to edit the tags if necessary. This way, you don't need to use a Plex Audible agent to fetch information about your audiobooks. Without further ado, let's get started!

Step 1Load Audible AA/AAX Files

First, download your Audible audiobooks to your computer. Next, launch the ViWizard Audible AA/AAX Converter. Click the Add Files icon or drag and drop the Audible files into the Audible Converter interface.

Step 2 Set Output Settings

Click the Format panel at the bottom left corner. Choose a Plex-compatible format you prefer. It is best to choose M4B for audiobooks to better support chapter information and metadata embedding. Next, click the Edit button next to each title. From there, split the audiobooks by chapters, edit the narration, or edit the Audible book metadata.  

Step 3Convert Audible Audiobooks to Plex

Click the Convert button and ViWizard will start to convert the book into the format you selected. Thankfully, ViWizard supports batch conversion, which is up to 100x faster, so even if you have hundreds of files, it will only take a few minutes to complete. Once the conversion is complete, you can upload your audiobook directly to Plex.

Part 3. How to Add Audible Audiobooks to Plex Media Server

Once you've successfully converted your Audible audiobooks into a Plex-compatible format like MP3 or M4B, it's time to add them to your Plex Media Player.

How Plex Works

Here are the steps to setup Plex Media Server and add Audible files to a Music Library:

Step 1 Set Up Plex Media Server

If you don't have a Plex account, you'll need to create one during the setup process. Simply follow the prompts to sign in with your Plex account or sign up for a free Plex account.

1. Visit the Plex website at https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/ and sign in. Download the Plex Media Server that matches your computer's operating system (e.g., Windows, macOS, Linux).
2. After the download is complete, run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to install Plex Media Server on your computer.
3. Once Plex Media Server is installed, you'll be asked to name your server. Choose a name that's easy to remember, as this is how you'll identify your server within Plex.



4. Plex may offer the option to sync your data across multiple Plex Media Servers, Plex Movies & TV, and Discover. You can choose to enable or disable this feature based on your preferences.

Step 2 Add an Audible Audiobooks Library

1. To organize your Audible audiobooks, you need to create a Music Library in Plex. Click Libraries in the left-hand sidebar and click "ADD LIBRARY."



2. From the available library types, select "Music."



3. Name your Music Library (e.g., "Audible Audiobooks") and choose your preferred language for gathering information from the internet. Click "Next" to continue.
4. To add the folders containing your converted Audible audiobooks, click "Browse for Media Folder."



5. Select the folder where your converted Audible audiobooks are stored, and then click "Add Library" or "Add" to include all the source folders for this Music Library." You can add multiple folders if your audiobooks are in different locations.

Step 3 Manage Your Audible Audiobooks Library

Once you've completed the setup, Plex will automatically scan and organize your Audible audiobooks. To access your Audible audiobooks library:

1. In the Plex Media Server interface, go to Settings (represented by the wrench icon) in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. In the sidebar, go to "Libraries" and select the Music library you created for your Audible audiobooks (e.g., "Audible Audiobooks").



3. Within your Audible audiobooks library, Plex will beautifully display your files, complete with cover art and metadata. You can now easily play, edit, and manage your Audible audiobooks right within Plex.

Step 4 Optimize Audiobook Library

1. Click on the three-dot icon next the Music library in the left sidebar. Navigate to "Manage Library" and click "Edit."



2. Click "Advanced."
3. Next to Agent, open the drop-down menu and select "Personal Media Artist." Considering that ViWizard preserves ID3 tags in Audible files, Plex can solely rely on tags embedded in audiobook files.
4. Check the checkbox to the left of "Store track progress". This is perfect for audiobooks, as it allows Plex to remember where you left off listening to the book.
5. Click "Save Changes" to apply the settings to your audiobook library.

Part 4. How to Play the Added Plex Audiobooks

Once you Audible audiobooks have been added to the Plex server, you can start playing Audible books on Plex.

Step 1. Go to your Audiobook library.

Step 2. Browse and select the book you want to listen to.

Step 3. Hit the play button to start listening.

Step 4. The Plex app allows basic playback features, such as play, pause, skip forward, and skip backward.

It's important to note, the Plex's built-in music player may disappoint some listeners, because it lacks more advanced playback features, such as variable narration speed control. But if you use ViWizard Audible AA/AAX Converter to convert Audible audiobooks to M4B format, you can technically browse through different chapters in the Plex music player.

To give you more options for listening to Plex audiobooks, here's a list of third-party audiobook players that integrate with Plex. Let's take a look below:

Part 5. How to Access Audible Books Anywhere with Plex

Sometimes, when you're away from home, you may want to listen to these Audible audiobooks on Plex. While Plex allows you to access all of the content in your media library from anywhere, you first need to allow remote access to the Plex server.

Steps to Enable Remote Access on the Plex Media Server

Step 1. Open the Plex desktop app or the web version and go to "Settings" (appears as a wrench icon in the top right corner).

Step 2. In the left-hand sidebar, scroll down to the "Remote Access" and click on it.

Step 3. If the remote access is disabled, click the "Enable Remote Access" button.

Step 4. If Plex auto-configuration fails, you will need to manually set up port forwarding on your router. For more detailed troubleshooting steps, visit the official Plex tutorial on how to set up remote access.

Step 5. If it says "Fully accessible outside you network", you are all set. This means you can use the Plex app on your phone or other device to browse and stream your audiobook library as long as you have an internet connection.

Once remote access is enabled, you can install the Plex app on any supported device, such as Xbox, Playstation, Apple TV, iPhone, Android, and more. Then, sign in using the same Plex account you used to set up your Plex audiobook library. Navigate to the library and you can access audiobooks and play them through Plex without an Audible account.

Summary

So the answer to the question can you stream audiobook on Plex Media Server is a big 'Yes' if you can remove the protection and change the Audible book format to a Plex-supportive one. While it can be a dilemma a to add audiobook to Plex Media Server at first, the ViWizard Audible AA/AAX Converter makes the process simpler and easier for you. After that, access to the Audible audiobooks anywhere outside your home will be a single step. All you need to do is to enable the remote access and then install the Plex client app on your devices.