Spotify is making it easier to jump back into a good story without losing your place.
The streaming giant has announced Recaps, a new audiobook feature that gives listeners short, tailored audio summaries to help them pick up right where they left off — no scrubbing, no spoilers.
Rolling out in beta on iOS for select English-language titles, Recaps work a bit like a “previously on” segment from your favourite TV show.
When you return to an audiobook after a break, you can simply tap the Recap button at the top of the audiobook page to hear a quick summary of everything you’ve already listened to.
The feature is designed to help people actually finish the books they start, which is something Spotify says can be tricky with longer stories and busy schedules.
Recaps are automatically generated after you’ve listened to the first 15–20 minutes of a book, and they keep updating as you make progress. Importantly, they only cover the chapters you’ve already heard, so there’s no risk of spoilers or skipping ahead.
It’s a small but smart addition to Spotify’s growing audiobook push, following last year’s expansion that gave Premium subscribers 15 hours of free audiobook listening each month. With Recaps, Spotify continues to blur the line between streaming and storytelling, creating an experience that feels more like a personalised audiobook companion than just another player.
The feature begins rolling out on November 13, alongside another update that gives Premium users more control over Shuffle.
Spotify has added a new option in Settings that lets listeners switch between its improved “Fewer Repeats” mode, which keeps playlists fresh, and the classic “Standard” shuffle, which, as Spotify admits, can sometimes result in hearing the same tracks twice.
It’s part of Spotify’s ongoing effort to make listening more personalised, allowing users to fine-tune how their music flows. But for audiobook fans, Recaps might just be the nudge they need to finally finish that novel they’ve been meaning to get back to.
