Quick answer
Set the timer in the player; choose a preset or save a custom length.
Audible's timer is a player control, not a Library setting. Start the title first, select Timer from the player, and select the length you want. When the selected time expires, Audible says playback stops. If the title needs to continue, use the end-of-timer alert to extend it or choose a new length.
Audible app steps
Start playback, select Timer, and choose the stopping point.
- Open a title's player while it is playing. Audible places the timer inside the player, so begin with the audiobook you want to stop.
- Select the Timer icon. This opens Audible's current timer choices for the playing title.
- Choose a preset or create a custom length. Audible says you can create and save a custom length when its presets do not fit your listening session.
- Let the timer end or adjust it deliberately. Audible says playback stops when time is up. If you are not ready to stop, use the alert that appears at the end rather than assuming the setting changed your saved listening position.
A sleep timer controls when audio stops; it does not download a title or change where it is stored. If you need a title for a no-connection listen, follow the separate steps in our Audible download guide before relying on it away from Wi-Fi or mobile data.
When the timer ends
Extend once, reset the length, or turn off motion-based extension.
At the end of a timer
Use the alert to continue
Audible says the end-of-timer alert lets you extend for the same amount of time or reset the timer with a new length. That is the clearest option when you are already looking at the phone.
Motion shortcut
Decide whether Shake to extend suits you
Audible says shaking the phone within 30 seconds of audio beginning to fade extends the timer by the same amount. If accidental movement is a concern, turn it off in Profile, Settings, then Player.
Turning off Shake to extend does not remove the timer itself. It removes the motion shortcut, leaving the player's Timer control and the end-of-timer choices available. This distinction matters if you want predictable stopping behavior without a shake restarting the countdown.
iPhone controls
On supported iPhones, check the remaining time from the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island.
Audible says that, on iPhones running iOS 17 or later, setting a timer displays a Timer Live Activity so you can see the remaining time without reopening the app. It says you can select the Live Activity from the Lock Screen to access the timer, and that iPhone 14 Pro models can show it in Dynamic Island. Device support and controls can change, so use the interface shown on your own phone.
If the Live Activity is not visible, Audible says you can allow Audible Live Activities in device settings. Apple's current iPhone guidance says app-specific Live Activities settings are managed in Settings, then Apps, then the app. This is separate from Audible's own Timer and Player controls. For general playback pace, see how to change Audible narration speed.
Common questions
Timer details worth checking before you fall asleep.
Can I make a custom Audible sleep timer?
Yes. Audible says that after opening the Timer control in a playing title, you can choose a preset time or create and save a custom length. The exact choices are controlled by the current app, so confirm the options it shows.
Does Audible save my place when the timer stops?
Audible describes the timer as a way to stop playback at a selected time. Its separate app-listening guidance says listening position syncs across devices; use the title's saved position when you resume, and do not treat a timer as a download or account-access setting.
Why did my Audible timer keep going?
Check whether you extended it through the end-of-timer alert or by shaking the phone as the audio began to fade. Audible says the shake shortcut can extend the timer for the same amount within 30 seconds; disable Shake to extend in Player settings if you do not want that behavior.
Sources
Official references
Audible controls its player interface, timer behavior, device support, title access, and offers. Apple controls iPhone Live Activities settings. Confirm the controls visible in your own app and device before relying on a timer.
- Audible Help: Use timer ↗Audible's current timer setup, custom-length, extension, Shake to extend, and iOS Live Activity guidance. Accessed July 28, 2026.
- Audible Help: Listening ↗Audible's current Listening Help index, which groups the timer with its other playback features. Accessed July 28, 2026.
- Apple Support: Access features from the iPhone Lock Screen ↗Apple's current Lock Screen guidance for viewing and controlling supported Live Activities and changing an app's Live Activities setting. Accessed July 28, 2026.
Keep exploring
Set up a calmer listening routine.
For a downloaded listen before bed or travel, read how to download Audible books for offline listening. To change the spoken pace instead of the stopping point, use our Audible narration-speed guide.