Listening to audiobooks from Apple on iPhone and iPad

Audiobooks are available from Apple through the Books app. Apple doesn't offer a subscription service similar to that from Audible, but often has attractive offer prices on selected books. Books may be discovered, purchased and played using the Books app.

The Books app has 5 tabs at the bottom of the screen on iPhone. On iPad, these appear as a sidebar. If the sidebar is hidden on your iPad, tap the show sidebar button near top left of the screen.

The iPhone tabs or iPad sidebar options are Home, Library, Book Store, Audiobooks and Search.

The Home tab displays print books and audiobooks under several headings which may include items like special offers and book recommendations. The Library tab displays the books you have purchased, both print and audiobooks. The Book Store tab displays featured print books and offers. The Audiobooks tab displays featured audiobooks and offers and the Search tab allows you to search Apple's stores of print and audio books and will indicate results you have already purchased. Prices will be shown for items available for purchase and tapping a book will display a page of book information, including a short preview, reviews and a purchase button.

Once purchased, books can be played from the Library tab. The player screen offers book navigation controls, narration speed settings and a sleep timer.

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last updated 12 March 2026