Key takeaways
- Yes. Audible Read & Listen highlights the Kindle text word by word while the narrator reads, and you can switch between listening and reading along at any time.
- You need both editions on the same Amazon account: the audiobook in your Audible library and the Kindle ebook in your Kindle library. The title must be marked Read & Listen, formerly Whispersync for Voice-ready.
- In the Audible app, filter your Library by Read & Listen, start the book, and use the toggle above the cover to switch modes.
- Audible announced the current version in February 2026, starting in the US with the UK, Australia and Germany planned next. Check your country before buying.
- For audiobooks that did not come from Audible, such as MP3 or M4B files you can legally import, HushBook transcribes the audio on your phone and highlights each word. It cannot open protected Audible downloads or Kindle ebooks.
Yes, for many books. Audible calls the feature Read & Listen. The Kindle text sits on screen and each word lights up as the narrator reads it. You can switch between plain listening and reading along at any point.
There's a catch, and it's the reason most people searching this end up confused. You need both editions of the book: the Audible audiobook and the Kindle ebook. Owning one isn't enough.
I build a read-along app, so I have an obvious interest here. But if your books are already on Audible and Kindle, Audible's own feature is the first thing to try. Here's how it works and what to do when it doesn't cover your book.
What you need
Audible's help page puts it plainly: you need the audiobook in your Audible library and the Kindle ebook in your Kindle library, on the same Amazon account.
The title also has to support it. On the store page, look for "Read & Listen" in the product details. Older listings may still say "Whispersync for Voice-ready", which is the old name for the same thing.
Audible announced the current version in February 2026 with hundreds of thousands of titles. At launch it supported English, German, Spanish, Italian and French books. The US came first, with the UK, Australia and Germany planned over the following months. If you're elsewhere, check your country's Audible help pages before you buy anything.
How to turn it on
- Open the Audible app and go to your Library.
- Use the Read & Listen filter, or look for the Read & Listen badge next to a cover.
- Start playing the book.
- Use the toggle above the cover to switch from Listen to Read & Listen.
The text and the narration stay in sync when you switch back and forth. Audible lists its iPhone, iPad, Android and Android tablet apps, Fire tablets (Fire OS 8 and later) and its macOS app as supported. A Kindle e-reader isn't on that list.
If the toggle doesn't appear, the usual reason is that one of the two editions is missing from your account, or that the title isn't eligible.
If you only own one edition
Most people have the audiobook and not the ebook, or the other way round.
If you own the Kindle ebook, Amazon often offers the matching audiobook at a lower price. The Kindle page shows it as an option to add Audible narration. One detail from Audible's help page is worth knowing: that offer is a 1-Click credit card purchase, so you can't pay with an Audible credit. And if you later return the Kindle ebook, Audible refunds the discounted audiobook and removes it from your library.
If you own the audiobook, you'll need to buy the Kindle edition. Audible doesn't bundle the two.
Some Kindle Unlimited titles come with narration included. The product page says so when they do. That's worth checking before you buy a second copy.
When Read & Listen won't cover your book
There are three situations where Audible's feature can't help:
- The book isn't sold as both an Audible audiobook and a Kindle ebook.
- The feature isn't live in your country yet.
- Your audiobook didn't come from Audible. It might be a LibriVox recording, a file from a store like Libro.fm that sells audiobooks without DRM, or an old CD you ripped.
That third one is the reason I made HushBook. It works from audio files you can legally import, such as MP3 and M4B. The app transcribes the recording on your phone and highlights each word as the narrator says it. You don't need the ebook for that. If you do have a DRM-free EPUB, PDF or TXT of the same book, you can pair it with the audio so the real book text is highlighted. That pairing is labelled beta in the app.
I won't oversell it. HushBook can't open protected Audible downloads, and it can't pair a Kindle ebook either, because both are locked to Amazon's apps. A transcript made by speech recognition also isn't the publisher's proofread text. Names and noisy recordings can come out wrong. If your books live in Audible and Kindle, use Read & Listen.
There's more on how HushBook compares to Whispersync, and on getting text for an audiobook.
Is reading along worth it?
It depends on the reader. For me, seeing the words was what kept me inside a chapter when my attention drifted. Others find two streams at once distracting. Try a chapter both ways before you pay for a second edition.
If you're new to the idea, I wrote a longer piece on what immersive reading is and how to start.
Sources and further reading
Frequently asked questions
Can you read along with Audible?
Yes, for eligible titles. Audible Read & Listen shows the Kindle ebook text and highlights each word as the narrator reads it. You need both the Audible audiobook and the Kindle ebook of the same title on your Amazon account.
How do I turn on Read & Listen in the Audible app?
Open your Library, use the Read & Listen filter or look for the badge next to a cover, start playing the book, and use the toggle above the cover image to switch from Listen to Read & Listen.
Do I have to buy the Kindle ebook to read along on Audible?
Yes. Audible does not bundle the two formats. If you already own the Kindle ebook, Amazon often offers the matching audiobook at a discount as an option to add Audible narration.
Does Read & Listen work on a Kindle e-reader?
Audible lists its iPhone, iPad, Android and Android tablet apps, Fire tablets running Fire OS 8 or later, and its macOS app as supported. Kindle e-readers are not on that list.
Is Audible Read & Listen available in my country?
At its February 2026 launch it started in the US, with the UK, Australia and Germany planned over the following months. Check the Audible help pages for your country.
Can I read along with an audiobook that is not from Audible?
Audible Read & Listen only covers titles in your Audible and Kindle libraries. For MP3 or M4B files you can legally import, such as LibriVox recordings, HushBook transcribes the audio on your phone and highlights each word as the narrator reads.
Can HushBook open Audible audiobooks or Kindle ebooks?
No. Protected Audible downloads and Kindle ebooks are locked to Amazon apps, so HushBook cannot import them. If your books are in Audible and Kindle, use Read & Listen.
Try read-along on a recording you own
Import an MP3 or M4B audiobook, let HushBook create the transcript on your phone, and follow every word with the narrator. Free to download, with optional Pro.