How To Listen On Your Apple Device

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These instructions work for iPhones, iPods and iPads.

The Podcast Method

Older versions of iTunes

  • Use the Subscribe in iTunes method to add the titles to your iTunes Podcasts Playlist. If you wish, you may now download the files directly to your computer, mp3 player or other listening device, or see below for Streaming.
  • Check to be sure all chapter titles are listed and all in one file. If not, delete title and try again, i.e., go to Librivox Catalog Page for that title and hit Subscribe in iTunes again. For some reason, it doesn't always take.
  • Now that you have the whole book listed in iTunes, connect your apple device to your computer.
  • When it shows up in the left bar in iTunes, click on its name.
  • Select Podcasts from the bar at the top of the page.
  • If the checkbox next to "Sync Podcasts" is unchecked, click it. You may get a warning message. If you do, click OK.
  • The default sync behaviour for podcasts is to load all unplayed files of all the podcasts you have subscribed to.
    • I prefer to change it to all unplayed files of selected podcasts.
    • This will add checkboxes to the list of podcasts below. You can then select only the ones you want to load to your device.
  • Click Apply at the bottom to begin syncing.

Recent versions of iTunes

In recent versions of itunes you'll have four buttons across the top of the section (Unplayed, My Podcasts, My Stations, List). You have two ways of getting all the files:

If you're in the My Podcasts view, select the title of the book from the list on the left, then click Old Episodes at the top right of the larger frame, and finally, click the Add All button. If you leave it here, you'll be able to stream the remaining files without downloading them. Otherwise, you can click the little cloud with an arrow icon that appears to the far right of each chapter title to download them.

If you're in the List view, you should see a right facing arrow to the left of the title. Click on this, and the list of chapters you already have will appear. In addition, you will see the little cloud with an arrow icon appear to the right of the title. Click this, and you'll get a pop-up warning asking if you really want to download all the files. Click OK.

iPhone Streaming:

You may also stream books to your iPhone without necessity of downloading them. This is feasible in locations where you have a Wi-Fi connection, or if you have an "unlimited data" plan. iTunes will ask you to download the free Podcasts Ap available in the Ap Store, compatible with G4 and above. In such case, simply sync your iPhone in iTunes and the titles in your iTunes Podcast Playlist will show up in your Podcasts Ap. On your iPhone, DO NOT hit the down arrow next to the title, which would download the chapters. Click the title, go to Settings, Subscription ON, Auto-Downloads OFF, Sort Order and Play Order (depends on the year the podcast was recorded, so play with this so the next chapter comes up after the previous one), Mark All As Unplayed/DONE. HIT "Add Old Episodes" at the bottom of the list, select each chapter, hit ADD. DO NOT HIT THE DOWN ARROW OR YOU WILL DOWNLOAD THE CHAPTER TO YOUR DEVICE. Click on the 1st chapter and it will begin streaming, followed automatically by subsequent chapters. You may use the little clock to set a cutoff time (end of chapter, 15 minutes, 1 hour, etc.)

To remove a title from your Podcasts Ap, go back to the My Podcasts/Store page, click EDIT, hit [-] next to the titles you wish to delete, hit DELETE.

The Book Method

  • Use the Zip file method to download the files.
  • Open iTunes. Go to File -> Add folder to library. Browse to the audiobook's unzipped folder. Click Select Folder.
  • This will add the files to your main music library.
  • Click on Music in the left bar, and find the files you just added.
  • Select all the files (click on the first one, scroll down to the last one and shift-click), right-click and select Get Info.
  • Go to the Options tab. Set Media Kind to Audiobook, and Remember position to Yes.
    • If you'd like to change any other tags at this time, you can do so in the Info tab.
  • Click OK when you have finished.
  • When you click OK, the files will disappear from your media library and be moved to the Books section.
  • Now that you have the book in your Books section, connect your apple device to your computer.
  • When it shows up in the left bar in iTunes, click on its name.
  • Select Books from the bar at the top of the page.
  • If the checkbox next to "Sync Books" is unchecked, click it. You may get a warning message. If you do, click OK.
  • The default sync behaviour for books is to load all the books you have in your Books section.
    • I prefer to change it to selected books.
    • Now you can click the checkboxes of the books you like to load onto your device.
  • Click Apply at the bottom to begin syncing.

Audiobooks play in the wrong order on iPod

This relates to earlier recordings in the LibriVox catalogue. Later recordings have been fixed with RSS feeds that generate a different "publication time" for each section so that they play in the correct order.

Here are two solutions, if you encounter this problem:

Generate a playlist

  • Sort them into title order and drag them into a newly-created playlist
  • Change the media type to audiobook for all files using "Get Info" > "Options"

Another neat fix (may not apply to all generations of iPods)

If chapters are in random or reverse order on your iPod:

  • Press 'Now playing' on top right of screen.
  • On top right of new screen you will see 3 short lines with 3 dots to their left. Press this icon and a new screen will appear with chapters in the correct order.
  • Press top right again to see screen showing the progress of your recording and the volume tool.