Bookend Support

Bookend for Audiobookshelf · iPhone, iPad and Mac

Contact

Questions, problems or ideas? Write to [email protected]. Please include your device, system version, Bookend version (shown in the App Store) and your Audiobookshelf server version.

Requirements

• iOS 26, iPadOS 26 or macOS 26
• Access to an Audiobookshelf server, version 2.22 or later, and a user account on it. Bookend contains no content of its own.

Signing in

Enter the address you use for the Audiobookshelf web app, for example https://abs.example.com or http://192.168.1.20:13378, then your username and password. Without http:// or https:// Bookend assumes https.

Frequently asked questions

The server cannot be reached.

Open the same address in Safari on the device. If it does not load there either, the server is not reachable from this network (for example a home server while you are on mobile data). On iPhone and iPad, Bookend also needs permission for the local network: Settings › Apps › Bookend › Local Network. Servers with self-signed certificates are not supported – use a certificate from a public authority (such as Let's Encrypt) or plain http on your home network.

Why does Bookend warn about http?

With http, your password and everything you listen to are sent unencrypted. That is fine inside your own home network, but over the internet please use https.

Downloading fails.

“Your account isn’t allowed to download from this server”: an administrator can allow downloads for your account under Settings › Users in the web app. “The server can’t find the audio files”: the files were moved or deleted on the server; scan the library again in the web app. “The download couldn’t be saved”: check the free storage on your device.

Does my progress sync?

Yes. Listening and reading positions, bookmarks and listening time go to your server and appear in the web app and other apps. Progress made offline is sent automatically once the server is reachable again.

Where do my favorites come from?

Audiobookshelf has no favorites, so Bookend keeps them as a playlist named “Favorites” in each library. You can see it in the web app as well.

How do I subscribe to a podcast?

In the Audiobookshelf web app. Subscribing, searching for new episodes and downloading them to the server are done there; Bookend plays what is on your server.

Which formats are supported?

Audio: everything your server offers – formats the system cannot play directly (such as Ogg or Opus) are converted by the server while streaming. E-books: EPUB, PDF and CBZ comics. CBR, MOBI and AZW3 are not supported.

What happens when I sign out?

Bookend signs you out on the server as well. Downloads stay on the device and are available again when you sign in with the same account; you can remove them under Downloads.

Can I use several servers?

One account at a time. To switch, sign out and sign in to the other server.