How to Fix Audible Playback Error on Android/iPhone [9 Ways]

Part 1. Why Is My Audible Not Playing on iPhone/Android

Before diving into the fixes, it's essential to understand the potential reasons for an Audible playback error. Knowing the cause can help you exclude some problems and choose the most appropriate solution.

Based on my experience and others' sharing on forums, most users may encounter the following playback error on Audible:

• You cannot play downloaded Audible books.
• The Audible app shows a playback error warning "Sorry an error was encountered" or "Try again in a few minutes".
• Audible plays no sound or Audible not playing through Bluetooth.
• The audio is playing at low quality.
• The Audible stops playing after your phone screen is locked or at a certain point.

Here I summarized 5 possible reasons that may cause these Audible playback errors for your reference.

1. Outdated App or Software: If you haven't updated the Audible app or your device's operating system, this may cause bugs and glitches.

2. Corrupted or Incomplete Downloads: Download errors can occur due to unstable internet connections, resulting in corrupted audio files.

3. App Cache Overload: Audible's cache stores temporary files to help the app run smoothly. However, an overloaded cache can cause performance issues.

4. Network Connectivity Issues: If you're streaming instead of listening offline, poor network strength could result in playback issues.

5. Device-Specific Bugs: Certain devices, like some Pixel or Samsung models, may have compatibility issues with the Audible app, leading to frequent playback errors.

Part 2. How to Fix Audible Playback Error

Based on this analysis, we can fix such Audible not playing correctly issues from two aspects, solving possible errors on the Audible app or your device. You can click each fix to check the detailed steps.

Fix 1. Update or Reinstall the Audible App

Keeping your Audible app up to date is crucial for avoiding bugs and performance issues as Audible will fix some common bugs on its updated version. Android and iOS users can head to your device's app store and ensure you're running the latest version of Audible.

If the error persists or you've updated to the latest version, uninstalling and reinstalling the app can remove corrupted files or settings, giving it a fresh start.

Android users can also search for the com.audible.application folder on your File Manager and delete the full folder to take a deeper clearing.

Fix 2. Refresh and Relaunch the Audible App

Sometimes, simply closing and reopening the Audible app can resolve minor glitches causing Audible book not playing on iPhone or Android. Ensure the app isn't running in the background, then relaunch it and try playing your audiobook again.

On iOS device: Swipe the screen from the bottom and swipe away the Audible app.

On Android device: Go to Settings, find Audible under Apps section, and tap Force stop.

Fix 3. Reset Audible Download Settings and Redownload

If your downloaded audiobook stops midway or won't play at all, it could be a corrupted file. Besides, if your audiobooks are of low sound quality with harsh noise, you can also go to Audible's settings, reset your download preferences, and download the audiobooks again.

Operation Path: Audible app > Profile > Settings > Data & Storage > Download Quality

Afterward, delete the problematic audiobook and redownload it. This often resolves playback issues caused by incomplete or corrupted files.

Operation Path: Audible app > My Library > Delete > Library > search for the same audiobooks and download them.

Fix 4. Clear Cache on Audible

Cache accumulation can slow down or even disrupt Audible's performance. Clearing the app cache will remove temporary files that may be causing playback issues.

On Android device: Go to Settings > Apps > More Apps > Audible > Storage > Clear data.

On iOS device: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Audible > Offload app.

Fix 5. Check Your Network Status

Audible playback errors often occur due to unstable network connections, especially if you're streaming audiobooks rather than playing downloaded files. To rule out network issues, switch to a more reliable Wi-Fi connection or use mobile data if Wi-Fi is weak. Alternatively, download your audiobooks for offline playback. 

Fix 6. Check Your Bluetooth Settings

If you're using Bluetooth headphones or speakers, check if the Audible not playing through Bluetooth issue stems from a poor Bluetooth connection. Additionally, you can connect to other Bluetooth devices and check if Audible plays as normal to exclude the issues on your Bluetooth device. Sometimes, turning Bluetooth off, force-stopping the Audible app, and then back on may solve connectivity issues. Otherwise, it may be an Audible bug waiting for a fix.

On Android: Go to Settings > Bluetooth > Turn off Bluetooth > Turn on Bluetooth > Click your Bluetooth device > Enable Media audio > Launch Audible and play.

On iOS: Go to Settings > Bluetooth > Disconnect Bluetooth and re-connect > Launch Audible and play.

Fix 7. Update or Reboot Your Device

An outdated operating system can interfere with the functioning of the Audible app. Ensure your device is running the latest OS version. If your device is in the latest operating system, reboot your device to refresh system processes and eliminate minor glitches that may be causing the Audible playback error.

On Android: Go to Settings > Software Update > Download and install.

On iOS: Go to Settings > General > Software Update.

Fix 8. Use Another Device

If none of the above solutions work, the issue may lie with your device. Some users have reported frequent playback issues on specific devices like Pixel and Samsung models. If this is the case, try playing Audible on another device such as a tablet, computer, or even another phone until the issue is resolved through an app or system update.

Part 3. How to Avoid Audible Playback Error Forever [Top Way]

The most straightforward way to fix Audible not playing is to play audiobooks on a local media player. As the essential cause of such an issue is the Audible app, you can fix most issues by replacing a media player. The question is, Audible books are in DRM-protected AA/AAX formats that can only be played on the Audible app, web player, or other authorized devices and applications. That's where AudFree Audible Converter comes in.

As a powerful tool designed to transfer encrypted Audible book formats into MP3, WAV, and other plain formats, the AudFree Auditior can easily solve the biggest barriers to playing Audible books on other players and avoid Audible playback errors forever. With its help, you can save all your favorite Audible books, including the originals. Worry about a device storage shortage? You can freely move Audible books to SD card, USB, mp3 players, and any other devices.

How to Fix Audible Playback Error via AudFree Auditior

Step 1Import Audible Downloads to AudFree Auditior

Download Audible books to your computer and install AudFree Auditior on your computer first. Then, click the second Add button in the bottom left or drag and drop audiobooks to AudFree Auditior. You can also add Audible books to iTunes from your phone and sync them to your computer; then click the first Add button to import your downloads.

View also: How to Download Audible Books to Mac

Step 2Customize Audible Book Output Preference

Click the button with a Speaker icon at the bottom right to open the Format Setting window. You can select the MP3 output format for wider device compatibility to play on other players. Additionally, you can customize the output quality with the codec, channel, and sample rate options.

View also: How to Convert Audible to MP3

Step 3Download Audible Books to Play on Other Players

Finally, click the Convert button at the bottom right to start processing at a faster speed of 30X. Once it is done, tap the history icon to find the downloads. And now you are able to solve Audible errors forever by listening to Audible offline. Or, you can upload to other Audible alternatives for syncing across devices.

Part 4. FAQs about Playback Error on Audible

Q1: Why Audible Book Won't Play on iPod?

A1: Audible books are in AA/AAX formats with DRM protection, which can only be played on your Audible app, website, and other authorized device. In this case, you can't play them on your iPod even though you move Audible books to the iPod. If you want to listen to Audible book on your iPod, you should use AudFree Auditior to convert audiobooks into MP3 or other plain formats first.

Q2: How to Fix Audible Won't Play When iPhone Is Locked?

A2: If your network functions properly, you can change the following settings to fix Audible not playing when phone locked issue.

Fix 1. Toggle on the Turn off auto-lock option on Audible > Settings > Player section.

Fix 2. Turn on Unrestricted battery on Battery settings on Audible app. It will lead you to the system settings to give Audible background operating permission.

Fix 3. Close iOS and Android battery saver mode on the Battery settings; and choose Normal Mode on Android Battery settings.

Q3: Why Audible Won't Play Past A Certain Point?

A3: If your Audible keeps stopping at a certain point, it may caused by the following reasons:

Reason 1. A poor network connection limited the further loading of this audiobook. You can change the network and download the Audible books to fix it.

Reason 2. Your Audible is stuck with some glitches. You can wait for some time to let Audible fix itself or reinstall the Audible app.

Reason 3. If Audible doesn't play your downloads past a certain point, it may caused by corrupted download files or incomplete downloads previously.

Reason 4. You may set a Timer to close Audible after a certain minutes.

Part 5. Conclusion

Audible playback errors can be frustrating, but most can be resolved with simple fixes like updating the app, clearing the cache, or switching devices. For a permanent solution, consider using tools like AudFree Audible Converter to listen on any device, free from playback errors.