Skip to main content

FAQ

Quick answers to the questions that come up most. For symptom-based problem solving, see Troubleshooting.

Formats & playback​

What audio formats are supported?​

The server recognizes these file extensions as audiobooks:

.m4b, .m4a, .mp4, .mp3, .flac, .ogg, .opus

.m4b (a single file with embedded chapters) is the audiobook standard and works best, but a folder of .mp3 chapter files is treated just as well - the server presents both the same way, with one continuous timeline and a chapter list.

Audible's DRM formats (.aax/.aaxc) are deliberately not indexed - the server could never play them, since they're locked to your Audible account. The desktop manager's Audible backup converts them to plain .m4b before they enter a library.

Do I need ffmpeg?​

No - but you'll want it. The server uses two companion tools:

  • ffprobe reads durations, embedded chapters, and each file's audio codec. Without it, books still index and play (titles and authors come from tags and folder names), but durations and chapter lists are unavailable.
  • ffmpeg enables on-the-fly conversion of browser-unfriendly codecs to MP3. Without it, that feature is simply off.

In practice you rarely have to think about this: the Docker image includes ffmpeg, and the native binary looks for a copy on your system and - if none is found - downloads one automatically into its data directory on first start.

Is there a web version, or do I need the apps?​

Both exist, and they're the same player. The server ships with the web player built in at https://your-server/web - nothing to install, works in any modern browser, and can be added to your phone's home screen as an app (PWA). The iOS and Android apps add the deepest device integration: lock-screen chapter controls, better background audio, and wider codec support. See Mobile apps.

The admin console at /admin is also built into the server - no separate install for that either.

Does it work offline?​

Yes. Download a book to your device and it plays with no connection - in the mobile apps, and in the web player too (over HTTPS). Listening progress made offline is queued and synced back to the server the next time you're connected. See Offline downloads.

Your library & your data​

Can my books live on a NAS or network share?​

Yes - this is a common setup. Mount the share (SMB/NFS) on the machine running the server first, then point the library at the mounted folder; the server always works with what looks like a local path.

There's a safety net built in for exactly this arrangement: if the mount drops and the folder suddenly looks empty, the server refuses to update its index rather than concluding all your books are gone. Your catalog, progress, and bookmarks stay intact; remount and rescan, and everything is back.

Is my listening progress safe if I reorganize or re-tag my files?​

Yes, by design. AudioSilo identifies a book by where it lives (its folder path), not by a database number or its tags - so re-tagging files changes nothing about your progress, bookmarks, or notes.

If you move or rename a book, the server notices too: it keeps a cheap content fingerprint of each book, and when a path disappears while a new path with the same content appears, your progress and bookmarks follow the book to its new home automatically.

What should I back up?​

Two things:

  • Your audiobook folders - the books themselves. AudioSilo treats your files as the source of truth and never modifies them, so any backup of the folders is a backup of your library.
  • The server's data directory (the --data folder, or the /data volume in Docker). It holds config.yaml, the certificates, and the database.

The database's book index is rebuildable - the server can recreate it from your files at any time - but the database also holds the things that aren't on disk: user accounts, listening progress, bookmarks, notes, favourites, shares, and folder overrides. That's why the data directory belongs in your backups.

Users & sharing​

How many users can I have, and can I limit what each one sees?​

There's no fixed user limit - create an account for everyone in the house. Each user gets their own listening progress, bookmarks, notes, and favourites, and joins by redeeming an invite code (no password needed for listeners - see Users & invites).

Access is controlled with shares: named sets of folders (one author, one series, a single book, or a whole library) that you grant to users. A user sees only what they've been granted - browsing, search, and playback are all scoped to match. See Sharing.

The desktop manager & Audible​

The manager's Audible backup is built for one thing: making personal backup copies of audiobooks you bought with your own Audible account. It signs in as you, downloads your own purchases using the decryption key Audible issues to your account, and converts them to standard .m4b files for your own library. There is nothing in it for accessing books you don't own.

That said, laws on making personal copies of DRM-protected media differ from country to country, and this documentation isn't legal advice - it's your responsibility to know what's permitted where you live. Don't share the converted files; keep them for personal use.

Running the server​

Why do I need a server at all? My files already sit in a folder.​

The folder stays exactly as it is - AudioSilo never rewrites or reorganizes your files, and the network side of the system is read-only. What the server adds on top:

  • Your place is kept everywhere. Pause on your phone, resume in the browser at your desk - progress, bookmarks, and playback speed follow you.
  • Streaming from anywhere, with seeking, chapters, covers, and fast search across thousands of books.
  • Multiple people, separate progress - everyone gets their own account, and you decide who sees what.
  • A player designed for audiobooks - chapter-aware seeking, a sleep timer, adjustable speed, offline downloads - instead of a generic file player.

And because the files remain the source of truth, you can stop using AudioSilo at any time and your library is just... still a folder of files.

Can I run it on a Raspberry Pi or another low-power box?​

Yes. The server is a single Go binary with a pure-Go database - no heavyweight runtime - and its search and browsing are built to stay fast on modest hardware even with large libraries. GitHub Releases include Linux builds for both amd64 and arm64 (as tarballs and .deb/.rpm packages), so a Raspberry Pi running a 64-bit OS works out of the box. There's currently no 32-bit ARM build, so older Pis on a 32-bit OS aren't covered.

See Install the binary to get set up.

The project​

Where does the project live?​

AudioSilo is developed in the open on GitHub, in three repositories plus this documentation:

Bug reports and feature requests are welcome as GitHub issues on the matching repository.