Audible Won’t Play On My Device? (3 Devices Checked)

In this article, we will cover the most common reasons why Audible isn’t playing on your Google Home, Amazon Echo, or your Apple Homepod Mini.

We will look at what you can do to get back to listening to your favorite Audible audiobooks in no time.

Audible Isn’t Working because your Smart Device Needs a Restart

One of the first things you should always try when you are experiencing playback issues with Audible is to restart the smart device you are using to listen with.

Sometimes, when you are experiencing technical issues with one of your smart devices, the tried and tested method of turning it off and then back on again really does work.

To learn how to restart your Google Home, Amazon Echo, or Apple HomePod Mini, follow the steps below and Audible should start playing again on your smart device.

Here’s How to Reboot your Google Home Speaker or Screen:

There are two ways to reboot your Google Home speaker or screen, either via the Google Home app on your Android or iOS device or by simply unplugging it from the wall.

When unplugging your Google Home from the wall, wait at least a minute with it disconnected from power before you plug it back in again.

To reboot Google home via your mobile or tablet follow these steps instead:

1. Begin by checking if your Android or iOS device is connected to your Google Home.
2. Next, open the Google Home App on your mobile or tablet.
3. Press and hold on your Google Home’s title.
4. Now tap ‘Settings’ in the top right.
5. Select ‘More’ and finish by selecting ‘Reboot’

Here’s How to Reboot Amazon Echo:

1. Always begin by first attempting a restart on your Echo by unplugging it from the wall, then waiting at least a minute before you turn it back on again.
2. If this fails, try resetting your Amazon Echo by holding the action button for at least 20 seconds.
3. Once completed, the ring of light should turn off and then back on again.
4. This indicates your Echo has entered set-up mode and has been reset successfully.

Now all you have to do is set up your Echo, and you should find all playback issues no longer persist when listening to Audible.

Here’s How to Reboot your Apple HomePod Mini:

1. Begin by opening up the Apple Home app on your iOS device. Always ensure you are signed in with the correct Apple ID.
2. Select ‘HomePod’
3. Select the ‘Settings’ icon.
4. Scroll and tap on ‘Restart HomePod’

If you find that your Apple HomePod is still not responding and you cannot listen to any books on Audible, then it may be time to reset your HomePod back to its factory settings.

To do so, follow these steps:

1. Open the Home App.
2. Select ‘HomePod’.
3. Go to ‘Settings’
4. Now choose ‘Reset HomePod’
5. To confirm, select ‘Reset’

Audible Isn’t Playing because your Device Needs Updating

Keeping your devices up to date is crucial when it comes to being able to experience all the latest features and security updates that are available.

If your device isn’t running the latest updates, then you may experience playback issues with apps like Audible.

When Audible isn’t working on your Google Home, Amazon Echo, or your Apple HomePod Mini, then it’s worth checking to see if they need updating.

Updating your devices is incredibly quick and easy; just take a look at the instructions below.

Here’s how to Update your Google Home via the Home App on your Android Device:

1. Begin by opening the Google Play Store.
2. Tap on the Menu and navigate to ‘My Apps and Games’
3. Scroll down until you can see the Google Home App.
4. To finish, simply tap ‘Update’

Here’s How to Update your Google Home via the Home App on your iOS Device:

1. Begin by opening the App Store.
2. Navigate to your account by clicking the profile icon in the top right of your screen.
3. Drag down and refresh the screen.
4. Scroll and find the Google Home App.
5. Select ‘Update’

Here’s How to Update your Amazon Echo:

How to go about updating your Amazon Echo will differ depending on which model you own. For Audio only versions of Amazon Echo, the speaker should automatically update whenever it is connected to the internet.

For Echo Show, you can manually update the software by following these steps:

1. Either say ‘Go to settings’ or swipe downwards on your screen and manually select ‘Settings’
2. Choose ‘Device options’
3. Now choose ‘Check for Software Updates’
4. From here, you can see if there are any updates available and also install them.

Here’s How to Update your Apple HomePod Mini:

To update your Apple HomePod Mini, you can use the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac desktop.

Updates should install automatically, but if for some reason this isn’t the case, then all you need to do is follow these simple steps:

1. Open the Home App on your iOS device or your Mac desktop.
2. Tap the ‘More’ button.
3. Select ‘Home Settings’ or the gear icon.
4. Finally, select ‘Software Update’.

Once your HomePod has been updated, try listening to audiobooks on Audible to see if the problem has been resolved.

Audible Isn’t Playing on your Smart Device because the Audible App Needs Updating

In order for Audible to play properly via your Google Home, Amazon Echo, or your Apple Homepod Mini, the Audible app needs to be running the latest version.

When audio apps, such as Audible or Spotify, are not kept updated, users can experience multiple playback issues.

However, these playback problems can be easily resolved by simply updating the Audible app using the instructions below.

Here’s How to Update Audible on your iOS device:

1. Open the App Store on your iPad, iPhone, or any other iOS device.
2. Tap on your profile icon in the top right of your screen.
3. To refresh all available updates, swipe down on the screen.
4. Search for ‘Audible’
5. To finish, simply tap ‘Update’

Here’s How to Update Audible on your Android Device:

1. Open the Google Play Store on your Android device.
2. Tap on the Menu, and go to ‘My Apps and Games’
3. Scroll until you find Audible.
4. If an update for Audible is available, simply tap ‘Update’

Hopefully, once you have updated the Audible app on your iOS or Android device, you will be able to listen to Audible on your smart device without problems.

Can you Control Audible via Smart Assistants?

Smart assistants such as Alexa, Google Assistant, Cortana, and Siri have enabled us to save time when we want our smart devices to perform certain actions.

Each AI assistant has different abilities, especially when it comes to controlling apps like Audible.

Alexa, for example, has the ability to understand a multitude of voice commands when used with Audible. Alexa is by far the best smart assistant when it comes to controlling Audible. The commands currently range from ‘Alexa read my book’ to ‘Alexa read faster’.

For a full list of how Alexa voice commands can be used, simply visit Audible’s help page and search for ‘Voice commands for listening on Alexa’.

It’s worth noting that you cannot get the Audible app on Google Home natively; the only way to use Audible is to pair it with your phone or cast the app from your Android device.

Therefore, using Google Assistant to voice command Audible isn’t as straightforward as using Alexa.

As for Cortana’s compatibility with Audible, BookSummaryClub.com explains:

“You can control your listening experience with Cortana (Microsoft’s voice-activated personal assistant) commands and button-free mode.” 

These commands are somewhat limited and do not have the variation that Amazon Alexa currently has.

Using Siri is somewhat similar to using Cortana and Google Assistant.

At this time, Siri’s options are limited with Audible. You are able to ask Siri to ‘launch Audible’ and then ask Siri to ‘Tap Play’, which will in turn, resume an Audible book that you have previously paused.

Sources

5 Ways to Listen to Audible on a PC

Voice Commands for Listening on Alexa Devices

Update HomePod

Reset HomePod