Audible launches Read & Listen, allowing you to follow along with your audiobook

Source: Mashable Tech

Audible has added a new Read & Listen feature that lets you follow along with synchronized text while listening to an audiobook. The app highlights the spoken words in real time, allowing you to switch seamlessly between listening‑only and read‑and‑listen modes.

You can swap between Listen and Read & Listen modes on any book. Credit: Audible / Mashable

How Read & Listen works

• One‑tap mode switching between listening and reading.
• Real‑time word‑by‑word highlighting that stays in sync with the audio track.
• Automatic e‑book matching: Audible scans a user’s Kindle library and surfaces eligible titles in a dedicated Library tab.
• Supported languages: English, German, Spanish, Italian, and French.

Quote from Audible

“Read & Listen gives book lovers the best of both worlds. Whether you’re learning a new language, studying for school, or lost in a story’s world, you no longer have to choose one format over the other.”
— Andy Tsao, Chief Product Officer at Audible

Usage statistics

Audible reports that users who enable Read & Listen consume twice as much content per month compared with listeners who use audiobooks alone. The feature builds on the earlier Whispersync for Voice experience that was limited to the Kindle app, now fully integrated into Audible with discounted audiobooks for customers who own the matching e‑book.

Availability

• United States: Available as of Feb 18 2026.
• United Kingdom, Australia, Germany: Rolling out on Mar 18 2026.

Learn more about Audible’s audiobook apps and where to find e‑books for Kindle users.