Many users are confused about "Does Apple Music have audiobooks ?" The quick answer is no. But don't worry - this guide will walk you through everything. In fact, Apple's true audiobook offerings are in Apple Books. Nevertheless, it is still possible to enjoy audiobooks through Apple Music in certain ways. Additionally, this article also shares useful tips for audiobook listening, such as how to download iTunes audiobooks for offline listening, convert Audible AA/AAX audiobooks to MP3, and more.
If you've been wondering whether Apple Music includes audiobooks, the short answer is no. Apple Music is a subscription-based streaming service focused on songs, albums, playlists, and music videos - it doesn't provide audiobooks in its library.
The confusion often comes from the fact that Apple has other apps and services under the same ecosystem: Apple Books (where you can buy and download audiobooks) and the iTunes Store (which used to sell and manage audiobooks as well). Because all of these live inside Apple's world, it's easy to mix them up with Apple Music.
Here's a quick comparison so you can see the differences more clearly:
| Service | What You Get | How It Works | Audiobooks? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Music | Songs, albums, playlists, music videos | Subscription (monthly/annual) | ❌ No |
| Apple Books | Audiobooks & eBooks | Buy individually, download to devices | ✅ Yes |
| iTunes Store | Legacy music & audiobook purchases | One-time purchase, manage in iTunes | ✅ Yes |
| Audible (Amazon) | Huge audiobook library | Subscription or credits | ✅ Yes |
So, while Apple Music doesn't offer audiobooks, you can still get them through Apple Books, the iTunes Store, or services like Audible. In the next part, we'll walk through exactly where to find Apple audiobooks and how to get them on your devices.
So, we know Apple Music isn't for audiobooks. That leaves the question: where can you find them within Apple's ecosystem or outside of it? There are three main places worth checking out. Each comes with different perks depending on what device you use and how you like to listen.
Apple Books is Apple's official store for both e-books and audiobooks, built right into the Apple Books app. You can browse, buy, and listen without needing any third-party tools, and everything stays neatly synced across your Apple devices.
Before Apple fully moved media into separate apps, iTunes was the all-in-one hub for music, movies, and yes, audiobooks. The iTunes Store is still around today, especially handy for Windows users or those on older Mac systems. You can buy audiobooks on iTunes and manage them directly in your library. This is especially helpful if you're planning to back them up or later convert iTunes audiobooks to MP3 for compatibility with other devices.
🚀 Want to download iTunes audiobooks for offline listening? Make it easy with NoteBurner!
Outside of Apple's apps, Audible (by Amazon) remains one of the largest platforms for audiobooks. It offers an unmatched library, from bestsellers to exclusives, and works on almost every device you can think of. With a subscription, you gain access to a massive library covering every genre.
Once you know where to get your audiobooks, the next step is making sure they're saved on your device for offline listening. Depending on whether you purchased from Apple Books, iTunes, or Audible, the process can be a bit different. Let's walk through the methods, starting with Apple Books.
Understanding what "download" means:
In Apple Books, "download" doesn't mean exporting an MP3 file. Instead, it refers to saving your purchased audiobooks from iCloud to your device (iPhone or Mac) so you can listen offline. As long as you're signed in with the same Apple ID, your purchases are synced and available across devices.
📘 Note: Apple Books audiobooks are saved in DRM-protected M4B format, which means you can't just copy or play them on non-Apple devices. To make them more flexible, you'll need to convert audiobooks to MP3 - we'll show you how in Part 3.2 using NoteBurner.
As we mentioned earlier, Apple audiobooks are locked in the M4B format with DRM protection, which means they can't be played freely outside the Apple ecosystem. If you'd like to listen to your audiobooks on any device, whether it's an MP3 player, Android phone, or car stereo, you'll need a reliable converter. That's where NoteBurner iTunes Audio Converter comes in.
NoteBurner iTunes Audio Converter (available for Windows | Mac) is a powerful tool that removes DRM from iTunes audiobooks. It allows you to convert audiobooks to MP3, AAC, FLAC, AIFF, WAV, or ALAC. You can also use it to convert Apple Music songs and iTunes purchases at 10X faster speed, while keeping ID3 tags and original audio quality.
Tutorial: Steps to Convert iTunes Audiobooks to MP3:
Open NoteBurner iTunes Audio Converter on your computer and log in with your iTunes/Apple Music account.
Click the "+ Add" button. A pop-up will show your iTunes library, then select the audiobooks you want to convert.
Go to "Settings", set the output format as MP3, and choose an output folder to save the converted files.
Click the "Convert" button to start. NoteBurner will convert the audiobooks at high speed while keeping lossless quality.
Once completed, head to the "History" tab. Your MP3 audiobooks are now ready to play on any device without restrictions.
Audible audiobooks usually come in ".AA" or ".AAX" formats, which are also DRM-protected and limited to the Audible app. If you want to listen to them on other devices, you'll need to convert them to a more universal format like MP3. Luckily, NoteBurner iTunes Audio Converter includes a handy tool called AA/AAX Converter to help you do this easily.
Tutorial: Steps to Convert Audible AA/AAX Audiobooks to MP3:
Step 1 Launch NoteBurner iTunes Audio Converter, go to the "Toolbox", and select "AA/AAX Converter".
Step 2 Drag and drop your Audible ".AA" or ".AAX" files directly into the converter window, or use the "Add" button to import them.
Step 3 At the bottom, set the "Output Format" as MP3, adjust quality preferences (e.g., 128kbps, 256kbps), and choose the output folder to save the files.
Step 4 Click the "Convert" button to start. The tool will quickly convert your AA/AAX audiobooks into MP3 format.
Step 5 When the conversion finishes, click "Complete" to view all your converted audiobooks. Now they're ready to play on any MP3-compatible device.
Yes, you can! Apple Music (or the Music app on Mac) supports importing your own audio files, including audiobooks in MP3, M4A, or AAC format. Once imported, you can organize them in your library, create playlists, and sync them across devices with iCloud if enabled.
This way, your imported audiobooks won't mix with music tracks and will show up under the Audiobooks section in your library. You can also sync them to iPhone or iPad via Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows).
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A: Not really. Apple Music mainly focuses on songs and playlists. Audiobooks can be added as files, but they may appear under "Songs" unless metadata is edited.
A: No, most of them are DRM-protected M4B files. You need a converter to make them playable outside the Apple Books app.
A: Not directly. Most audiobooks you buy from Apple Books are delivered as DRM-protected M4B files and can be played inside the Apple Books app only. The Music (Apple Music) app does not natively support playing those protected M4B files from Apple Books.
However, if you'd like to manage and play your audiobooks in Apple Music just like regular songs, you can first convert them to MP3 or M4A with NoteBurner.
A: Converting for personal use is generally fine, but sharing or redistributing DRM-removed files may be illegal. Always check local copyright laws.
So, while the answer to "Does Apple Music have audiobooks?" is technically no, you're far from out of options. Between Apple Books, iTunes, and Audible, there are plenty of ways to build up your audiobook library. And with tools like NoteBurner iTunes Audio Converter, you can even convert and keep your audiobooks in MP3 format for offline listening or importing into Apple Music.
Note: The free trial version of NoteBurner Apple Music Converter converts 1 minute of each audio file only. If you want to unlock the time limitation, please purchase the full version of NoteBurner Apple Music Converter.
