Audible is an incredible service for audiobook lovers, but sometimes your listening queue can't keep up with your credit supply, or you just need to tighten your budget for a few months. Before you rush to get rid of your subscription, there's a much better option you should know about. Pausing your Audible membership is a flexible feature that lets you take a break without losing your hard-earned credits or access to your library.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about how to pause Audible membership, from understanding the benefits of pausing over canceling to the exact steps required. We will cover eligibility, what happens to your benefits, and how you can solve common issues.
Part 1. The Big Decision: Canceling vs. Pausing Audible Membership
Understanding the difference between pausing and canceling your Audible account is crucial. One choice preserves your assets, while the other can result in losing valuable credits.
Pausing Audible Membership
Pausing is a temporary hold on your account. Think of it as hitting a pause button on your payments and new credit deliveries for a short period. During this time, you pay nothing, but you keep your core benefits. It's the ideal choice if you anticipate returning to the service after a short break.
The key benefit is that you keep all of your existing, unused credits. You can even still spend them on new audiobooks during the pause.
Canceling Your Membership
Cancellation is a permanent termination of your subscription. While you will always keep access to the audiobooks you've already purchased, the consequences are significant. Upon cancellation, you will immediately lose all of your unused credits. Given that a single credit can be worth up to $14.95, this can be a substantial loss. You also lose access to member-only sales and the Audible Plus Catalog.
Part 2. Check if You Can Pause Your Membership
The ability to pause your Audible membership is a fantastic feature, but it's not available to everyone. Your eligibility primarily depends on your plan type and how you pay for it.
You are likely eligible to pause if:
- You have a monthly membership plan.
- You are billed directly by Audible and not through a third party.
- You have been an active, paying member for at least one month after any free trial period.
You will likely not be able to pause if you have an Annual Membership plan or if your subscription is billed through the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. In those cases, you will only have the option to cancel.
Part 3. How to Pause Audible Membership
As for now, you can't pause Audible membership in app, you can only do this from Audible's website. Here is how to do it.
Through Web Browser
Step 1. Navigate to Audible website and log in to your account.
Step 2. Click on 'Hi, [Your username]!' from the top bar and then choose 'Account Details'.
Step 3. On the membership page, click on 'Pause membership' at the bottom.
Step 4. Click on 'Continue' to complete the pause process.
Contact Audible Support
Alternatively, you can contact Audible's customer service and ask for pausing your membership.
Step 1. Navigate to Audible's 'Contact us' page.
Step 2. Click on the 'Membership' button.
Step 3. Choose the 'Switch, Pause, or Cancel Membership' option.
Step 4. Contact Audible by 'Chat, Phone, or Email'. You can choose which method to pause your Audible membership.
What Happens After Pausing Audible Membership
Once your membership is paused, your experience changes slightly. Here is what you can and cannot do:
- Listen to Your Library: You retain full, uninterrupted access to every audiobook you have ever purchased.
- Use Your Credits: You can still browse the store and spend any existing credits you had before the pause.
- Access the Plus Catalog: Your access to the free-to-stream Audible Plus Catalog is suspended. Any titles you downloaded from it will be locked until your membership resumes.
- Receive New Credits: You will not be charged the monthly fee, and you will not receive any new credits during the pause.
Part 4. How to Resume Audible Membership
You can choose to resume your Audible membership at any time before your pause ends.
Step 1. Navigate to Audible's 'Reactivate' page.
Step 2. Click on the 'Yes' button on the screen.
Step 3. You will receive a confirmation that your membership is activated again.
Part 5. How to Keep Audible Books Before Pausing Membership
If you decide to pause Audible membership or cancel Audible, you may want to delete the Audible app. Do you want to still play your downloaded Audible audiobooks without the Audible app?
If yes, then go with DRmare Audible Converter. It allows you to download and convert Audible AA/AAX audiobooks to MP3 and other plain formats. Once converted, you can listen to them with another audio player. You can even transfer them to other devices for listening. Best of all, you can keep the downloaded Audible books for as long as you want.
This powerful Audible downloader saves 100% lossless audio with original ID3 tags kept. Moreover, it batch converts Audible audiobooks at 30X faster speed.
Now, follow the below step-by-step guide to download and keep Audible audiobooks before you pause Audible membership.
- Step 1Add Audible books to DRmare Audible Converter
Open the DRmare Audible Converter on your computer and add Audible audiobooks to it by clicking the 'add files' button. (Please make sure you have downloaded audiobooks from Audible in advance.)
- Step 2Set output format for Audible books
You are allowed to change the output parameters of Audible audiobooks. Simply click on the 'Format' icon and you can change the output format, codec, sample rate, and so on. Then click on 'OK' to confirm the settings.
- Step 3Download and keep Audible books before pausing
Simply click on the 'Convert' button and all your added Audible audiobooks will be downloaded at a 30X speed. Once completed, they will be saved on your computer and you can listen to Audible offline with other music players. You can also transfer them to other portable devices for better playback. Then you can keep them forever before you cancel your Audible membership.
Part 6. FAQs about Pausing Audible Membership
Q1. How long can I pause my Audible membership for?
A1. You can pause your membership for a period of up to 90 days. When you go through the process, Audible will typically offer you the choice of a 30, 60, or 90-day hold.
Q2. What happens to my credits when I pause?
A2. You keep all of your existing credits. They will remain safely in your account, and you are free to spend them on audiobooks at any time during the pause. You will not accumulate any new credits until your membership resumes.
Q3. Can I still listen to my books while my membership is paused?
A3. Absolutely. You retain full access to your entire library of audiobooks that you have purchased. These are yours to keep and listen to, regardless of your membership status.
Q4. How many times can I pause my Audible account?
A4. Eligible members can pause their account once every 12 months. This 12-month cooldown period begins on the date your membership automatically resumes after a pause, not on the date you initiated it.
Q6. Is it possible to pause my Audible membership from the mobile app?
A6. No, the option to pause is not available within the Audible app on either iOS or Android. You must log in to your account on the official Audible website using a desktop or mobile web browser to access the pause feature.
Q7. What happens when the pause period is over?
A7. Your membership will automatically reactivate on the scheduled end date. Your normal monthly billing cycle will restart, and you will be charged and receive your next credit at that time.
Part 7. Conclusion
Ultimately, managing your Audible subscription should be as flexible as your listening habits. Pausing your membership is the most powerful tool at your disposal for taking a temporary break without sacrificing the value you've built in your account. It offers a simple, stress-free way to control your spending while keeping your credits and entire library intact.
By following the steps outlined here, you can confidently put your plan on hold whenever you need to. And for those who want to take that control a step further, creating a permanent, personal backup of your audiobooks with DRmare Audible Converter provides complete and lasting ownership of your collection. You now have all the information needed to make the best choice for your budget and your listening journey.
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