openaudible-py

Sync, de-DRM, convert, and play your own Audible library — from the terminal.

Most Python Audible tools are command-line only. This one is a full-screen TUI — cover art, live progress, search, sort, one-key downloads — with a scriptable CLI underneath. An open-source take on OpenAudible.

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Features

Library Searchable, sortable list (author · title · recently bought), cover art, and a status bar. Info panel with metadata, rating, and description.	Get Download → strip DRM → M4B with chapters, cover & tags. Companion PDFs, a background queue, cancel, and resumable downloads.	Play Built-in audio player — pause, chapter skip, speed, seek — without leaving the keyboard.
Manage Read status, edit metadata, auto-fill from Audible, and import your own local audiobooks.	Account Browser login (auto-captured), logout, and any marketplace (us · uk · de · fr · …).	Terminal-native Keyboard-first, SSH-able, crisp covers on graphics terminals, purple/mint theme, CSV/JSON export.

Warning

For personal use with your own purchased audiobooks and credentials. DRM removal runs locally, on books you own.

Removing DRM and the legality of doing so vary by country (e.g. the US DMCA §1201 anti-circumvention provisions, and equivalent laws elsewhere). You are solely responsible for ensuring your use complies with the laws of your jurisdiction and with Audible's terms of service. This software is provided for lawful personal use only; the authors accept no liability for misuse. If DRM circumvention is restricted where you live, do not use it.

Important

Anti-piracy notice. This project does not crack or break DRM. It uses your own decryption key — fetched from Audible's servers with your own credentials — to decrypt audiobooks you have purchased, exactly as the official Audible app does on your behalf.

Use it only to gain full access to your own library: archiving, format conversion, convenience. De-DRMed audiobooks must never be uploaded to public servers, torrents, or any form of mass distribution. No help will be given to anyone doing this.

SUPPORT AUTHORS. BUY BOOKS. Writers, narrators, retailers, and publishers all need to make a living so they can keep producing the audiobooks we love.

DON'T BE A PARASITE.

Install

git clone https://github.com/hjbarraza/openaudible-py.git
cd openaudible-py
./setup.sh        # installs deps, builds the venv, links commands onto PATH
openaudible-tui

setup.sh is idempotent and fully automatic on macOS and Linux:

Step	macOS	Linux (Arch)	Linux (apt/dnf)
Package manager	Homebrew (auto-installed)	pacman	apt-get / dnf
ffmpeg + mpv	brew install	pacman -S	apt-get install
Python 3.12	uv (auto-downloaded)	uv (auto-downloaded)	uv (auto-downloaded)
Browser login	Playwright webkit	System chromium	Playwright webkit

On first run, the app opens a browser to sign in and automatically syncs your library once authenticated. Crisp covers need a graphics terminal (Ghostty · Kitty · WezTerm · iTerm2).

Manual install

# macOS
brew install ffmpeg mpv
# Linux (Arch)
sudo pacman -S ffmpeg mpv chromium
# Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)
sudo apt install ffmpeg mpv libmpv2

uv venv .venv --python 3.12 && . .venv/bin/activate
uv pip install -e .
playwright install webkit        # macOS / Debian; not needed on Arch
openaudible-tui

Keys

Enter get / play	g get	a get all	c cancel
p play	o folder	m read status	n notes
e edit	F auto-fill	T transcribe *	t sort
/ search	s sync	l / L log in / out	r refresh
? help	q quit

* T transcribes with local Whisper, downloading + converting the book first if it isn't local yet — so g is no longer needed before it.

Movement: j k, arrows, PgUp/PgDn, Home/End, Ctrl+U / Ctrl+D. Player: space pause · x stop · [ ] chapter · - = speed · f b ±30s.

CLI

openaudible login                       # browser login (auto-captures)
openaudible sync                        # pull your library
openaudible ls [query]                  # list / search
openaudible get <ASIN>                  # download + de-DRM + convert (+ PDF)
openaudible get <ASIN> --transcribe     # ...and transcribe with local Whisper
openaudible transcribe <ASIN>           # transcribe a converted book (local Whisper)
openaudible play <ASIN>                 # open in your OS player
openaudible read <ASIN> finished        # set read status
openaudible edit <ASIN> --title "..."   # edit metadata
openaudible autofill <ASIN>             # re-fetch metadata from Audible
openaudible import <path>               # import local audiobooks
openaudible export library.json         # export catalog (.json / .csv)
openaudible logout                      # deregister + clear credentials

OPENAUDIBLE_NO_PDF=1 skips companion PDFs · OPENAUDIBLE_DELETE_AAX=1 deletes the encrypted source after converting · OPENAUDIBLE_COVER=blocks forces pixelated block covers (auto-used on Warp / Apple Terminal, which can't draw real images).

Files

What	Where
Converted books	~/Documents/audiobooks/<Author>/<Title>.m4b (OPENAUDIBLE_BOOKS)
App state (login, catalog, sources)	~/Library/Application Support/openaudible-py/ (OPENAUDIBLE_HOME)

How de-DRM works

Authenticates with your Audible account, requests each book's content license, and uses the returned voucher (AAXC key/iv) or your account activation bytes (legacy AAX) so ffmpeg can strip DRM and remux to M4B — lossless, no re-encode. Chapters and cover art are preserved.

Develop

pip install -e ".[dev]"
pytest

License

MIT