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Spotify is experimenting with a new tool designed specifically for audiobook listeners who often take long breaks between chapters. The feature, called Audiobook Recaps, is now being tested on iOS and aims to make picking up where you left off smoother and less confusing. The update was detailed in a new company blog post, where Spotify explained that listeners frequently pause long audiobooks for days or even weeks, only to forget key plot points by the time they return.
What Is Audiobook Recaps?
Audiobook Recaps generates short audio summaries based on the parts of the book a listener has already completed. The company describes it as the audiobook equivalent of the “Previously on…” intro that appears before new episodes of TV series.
The tool is currently available only in beta, and only for a limited number of English-language titles. A small subset of Spotify iOS users have received early access, but the platform says it plans to expand the feature gradually.
Spotify explains that the goal is to reduce friction, help listeners stay immersed, and make audiobook listening more intuitive, especially when the story has multiple characters, complex settings, or long plot arcs.
Not sure where you left off in your audiobook?
Recaps give you a short audio summary based on your last listen so you can dive back in without missing a beat now in beta on iOS. https://t.co/t3SOdMIwSr pic.twitter.com/omOvvnPWuc
— Spotify News (@SpotifyNews) November 13, 2025
How the Recaps Feature Works
Spotify says Recaps appear only after a listener has completed 15–20 minutes of a title. Once enabled, the summaries automatically update as the user progresses through the chapters.
A dedicated Recap button appears at the top of the audiobook’s page. Tapping it plays a concise explanation of what has happened so far, free of spoilers and without jumping ahead of the listener’s current position. This ensures that the experience feels natural and safe, even for mystery or thriller titles where story reveals matter.
While Recaps rely on AI to generate the summaries, Spotify emphasised that it does not train AI on audiobook recordings. The feature does not recreate the narrator’s voice and does not replace the actual book, it simply provides context to help the listener re-enter the story.
Alongside Recaps, Spotify Updates Shuffle Experience
In addition to testing Audiobook Recaps, Spotify has rolled out improvements to its Shuffle feature across iOS and Android.
Premium users now have the option to disable Smart Shuffle, which previously added recommended tracks to personal playlists. Users on both Free and Premium tiers can tap any song during Shuffle and choose “Play Next” without disrupting the entire queue.
Spotify has also tuned the default Shuffle mode to avoid repeating recently played songs, making playlists feel fresher. For listeners who prefer more randomness, Premium users can switch back to Standard Shuffle in the app settings.
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