Adding audiobooks

There are several ways to bring audiobooks in, and they all end the same way: the books join your library, ready to play.

Where to find the add actions

• Narrow window: the + button in the corner opens the add menu. The More menu (⋯) at the top also has Add files…, Add folder… and Create from document….
• Wide window: the Add to library section of the sidebar.
• Empty library: the Add audiobooks button.

Add files

Add files… opens a file picker. Choose one or more audiobook files; each one becomes a book.

The picker also accepts documents (PDF, EPUB, Word, Markdown and text) on devices that can make audiobooks. A document you pick here opens the Make audiobook screen; see Making audiobooks from documents.

Add a folder

Add folder… takes a folder and adds every audio file in it, and in the folders inside it, each as its own book. Use it to bring in a folder full of separate audiobooks.

Import a folder as one audiobook

Import folder as one audiobook… turns a whole folder into a single book:

• each audio file in the folder becomes a chapter, and
• each subfolder becomes a chapter with subchapters: its files.

Use it for an audiobook that comes as one file per chapter, such as a folder of MP3s. The book plays straight through all its files as one. You can later combine them into a single .m4b file; see Sharing audiobooks.

Drag and drop

Desktop: drag files or folders from your file manager onto the Anansi Studio window. The window shows Drop audiobooks to add them while you hover. Audio files are added as books, folders are searched for audio, and documents open the Make audiobook screen. If you drop a single book, it opens in the player and starts playing.

Open a file with Anansi Studio

You can open an audiobook from outside the app:

• Phone and tablet: from a file manager, a download, an email or AirDrop, choose Anansi Studio in the Open with or share options.
• Desktop: right-click an audio file and choose Open with → Anansi Studio.

The book is added to your library and opens in the player, playing. Anansi Studio offers itself for .m4b, .m4a, .mp3, .aac, .opus, .ogg, .flac and .wav files.

An .m4b file shared from Anansi Studio arrives as a complete book, with read-along restored. See Receiving a shared audiobook.

While books are being added

An Importing… window shows how far the import has got: first Scanning…, then N of M, and the file being copied with its percentage. Large audiobooks take a moment to copy.

When it finishes, Import finished sums it up: how many were added, how many restored, how many were already in your library, and how many failed, with the reason for each failure. One bad file never stops the rest from being added. No audio files found. means the files or folder held nothing the app can play.

Added, restored and already in your library

Anansi Studio recognises an audiobook by what is in the file, not by its name or where it was. So:

• Added: a book the library didn't have before.
• Restored: a book whose file had gone missing. It comes back with your place, your edits and your cover.
• Already in your library: nothing to do. The book is already there.

See How a book is recognised.

What happens to your files

Adding a book copies its files into your library folder, so the book stays playable even if the original is moved, renamed or deleted, and so it can be backed up and synced. Your original files are never moved or changed. A file that is already inside the library folder is used where it is, with no second copy.

Copying an audiobook uses disk space. See Where your audiobooks live for where the library folder is and how to move it.

Formats you can add

All the audio formats play and can be edited in the app. Edits can be written back into M4B, M4A, MP4 and MP3 files only. See Supported file formats.

Related pages

• The library
• Making audiobooks from documents
• Where your audiobooks live