If I Cancel Audible Do I Lose My Books? A Complete Guide

The thought of canceling your Audible membership often comes with a moment of panic: "If I cancel Audible, do I lose my books?" It's a valid concern. You've invested time and money building a library of audiobooks, and the idea of them vanishing is unsettling.

Let's put that fear to rest right away. This comprehensive guide will give you a clear answer, explain the important details you need to know, and provide a step-by-step plan so you can make your decision with total confidence.

Part 1. The Short Answer: Your Purchased Audiobooks Are Safe

No, you do not lose the books you purchased with Audible credits or cash. Any audiobook that you have bought is yours to keep forever.

These purchased titles are permanently part of your library, and you can access them anytime by logging into your account on the Audible website or through the app, even without an active membership. Your cancellation only affects the benefits of the premium membership, not the content you have already acquired.

However, the complete story is a bit more nuanced. It's crucial to understand the difference between the books you own and the titles you were borrowing.

Part 2. Understanding Your Audible Library: The Critical Difference

Your Audible library consists of two distinct types of content. Knowing the difference is the single most important part of canceling your membership without any unpleasant surprises.

Books You Own Forever (Purchased with Credits or Cash)

This is the core of your library. Any audiobook you acquired using one of your monthly credits or by paying for it directly with a credit card is considered a purchase.

Think of it like buying a physical book from a bookstore. Once you've paid for it, it's yours. You can put it on your shelf and read it whenever you want, regardless of whether you ever visit that bookstore again. The same principle applies here. These books will remain in your Audible cloud library, tied to your Amazon account, indefinitely.

The Audible Plus Catalog: The Titles You'll Lose Access To

This is where the confusion often arises. The Audible Plus Catalog is a large, rotating collection of thousands of audiobooks, podcasts, and Audible Originals that you can stream or download for free as a benefit of your premium membership.

Think of this as a library card. As long as you're a paying member, you can "check out" and enjoy as many of these titles as you like. However, the moment you cancel your membership, your library card becomes invalid. You will immediately lose access to any titles from the Plus Catalog that you have downloaded or saved. They will appear with a "lock" icon in your library and you will be unable to play them.

Part 3. What Happens to Your Unused Credits When You Cancel?

This is a critical point that can have a direct financial impact. When you cancel your Audible Premium Plus membership, you will forfeit any and all unused credits remaining on your account.

Audible does not refund them or save them for you. They simply disappear. Because of this, it is extremely unwise to cancel your membership while you still have credits in your account.

Part 4. Your Pre-Cancellation Checklist: 3 Things You Must Do First

Before you click that final "Cancel Membership" button, follow these three simple steps to ensure you get the maximum value from your account and protect your library.

1: Spend Every Last Credit

Since your credits will vanish upon cancellation, the most important thing to do is use them. Browse the store, check your wishlist, or look for new bestsellers. Don't let your paid-for credits go to waste. Turn them into permanent audiobooks that you will own forever.

2: Review and Finish Plus Catalog Titles

Take a look at your library. Are there any audiobooks you're in the middle of listening to that are from the Plus Catalog? Make a plan to finish them before you cancel, because you will lose access the moment your membership ends.

3: Download Your Core Library for Peace of Mind

While your purchased books are safe in your Audible cloud library, creating a physical backup provides an extra layer of security. You can download your purchased titles to your computer for offline storage.

Part 5. How to Cancel Your Audible Membership: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

If you've spent your credits and are ready to cancel, the process is straightforward. Note that you must do this on the Audible desktop website, as the option is often hidden in the mobile app. The following is the how-to:

Step 1. Go to Audible.com and sign in.
Step 2. Hover over your name in the top navigation and click on Account Details.
Step 3. In the "View membership details" box, click on Cancel membership.

Audible will present you with several offers, including the option to pause. To proceed, continue to follow the on-screen instructions for cancellation. You will receive an email confirmation once your membership has been successfully canceled.

Bonus Tip: How to Keep Free Audiobooks via TunesKit Audio Capture

TunesKit Audio Capture is a powerful audio recorder that lets you capture and record any sound on your computer—including streaming audio from Audible—with lossless quality and save files in MP3, AAC, FLAC, WAV, and other formats; it also features a simple editor for merging or trimming audio files. To download Audible books to MP3 after canceling your subscription, you can use TunesKit Audio Capture to record the audiobooks as you play them from Audible, then save the recordings as MP3 files for playback on any device, ensuring you can still listen even after your subscription ends.

Conclusion

So, if you cancel Audible, do you lose your books? The answer is a reassuring no—with a few key conditions. You keep every book you've paid for with credits or cash, forever. Just be sure to use up your credits before you leave and understand that the Plus Catalog titles will disappear.

By following the checklist and understanding the policies, you can cancel your membership without losing any of the valuable content you've rightfully purchased. Your library is safe.