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 Audiobook Downloads

About Audiobook Downloads and Compatible Devices

We currently offer 2 different kinds of downloads - .MP3 and .M4B audio file formats. Both are compatible with iPods and many MP3 players.

Simon & Schuster audiobook downloads are in .M4B format—a high quality, “near-CD quality” audio file type specifically designed for audiobooks that is similar to .MP3 file format. What is special about .M4B is that it allows you to bookmark when you stop listening to an audiobook and resume listening where you left off. Simon & Schuster .M4B files have no Digital Rights Management or license keys to deal with.

.M4B files are compatible with most current models of portable media players. We recommend checking the user guide for your device for compatibility and any necessary software downloads.

Pimsleur Digital Audio products are in .MP3 format, a compressed audio format commonly used to store music files and audiobooks on a hard drive. MP3 files are supported by most portable music players, such as the Apple iPod and Microsoft Zune. For information about Pimsleur Digital Audio, please visit Pimsleur.com.

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Digital Downloads in My Account

There are three ways you can access your audiobook downloads once you have purchased them:

  1. Immediately after purchase by clicking "Download Now" on the web page.
  2. By downloading them from the link provided in your emailed purchase confirmation.
  3. By downloading them from your "Digital Downloads" area in "Your Account" on Simonandschuster.com.

Your download is stored in "Digital Downloads," and you can return to download your audiobook as many times as necessary (provided it is for your personal use only). However, we recommend that you download your audiobook as soon as possible and that you make a backup copy onto a CD, DVD or any other external drive.

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Step-by-Step guide for downloading your audiobooks

1. Install the Audiobook Player App

To download an Audiobook, please log in to your account and navigate to the Digital Library. Click on the red Access button to the right of the Audiobook title.

  • On the next page click on the Audiobook Player App button and select No if you have not already installed the Audiobook Manager.
  • Select Window or Mac operating system and click on the red download button. The installer will either automatically start to download or you will be offered a run or save option. Please save then run the installer.

Windows:
Navigate to the downloads folder and double click on the SSAudiobookDownloadersetup.exe file and follow the installation prompts. After installation you will be prompted to start the app and it can also be found in all programs or all apps.

Mac:
Navigate to your downloads folder and double click on the SSAudiobookDownloadersetup.dmg to decompress the file  In the new window that opens drag the SSAudiobook icon to Applications. You should get the message that it is copying. After installation you will be prompted to start the app and it call also be found in Applications

2. Launch the Audiobook Player App, login, and download

Once the application starts, and you accept the terms of use, you will be prompted to login using your simonandschuster.com email address and password.  If you do not recall your password, please use this link to have a password reset link emailed to you. If you checked out as a guest and need to create an account, please use this link and select the “create an account” link on the right hand side.

Once you are logged into the Audiobook Manager, select the Download button to the right of the title that you wish to download. On the next screen, use the choose location option, then choose a location that you will be able to find later, your computer desktop for example. The Audiobook will download to your specified location. Once the title is downloaded it will play on any compatible player. Alternatively, you will have an option to download the title directly to iTunes, and once it is downloaded will be able to play it via iTunes.

The Audiobook Manager is compatible with Windows and Mac type computers and does not work on any mobile devices. You will need to download the Audiobook to a computer and then transfer it to the device using the manufacturer’s instructions.

To Listen to Audiobooks on Devices

If you would like to get the Audiobook to an iPhone, iPad or iPod, you can sync the audiobook over to the device using iTunes. If your device is connected to your computer, locate the audiobook file in the Books>My Audiobooks section of the iTunes Library, and right click the file, and select add to playlist, and then choose the device.

If you would like to get the Audiobook to an Android device, go to settings, and then select storage. Then select the menu icon in the upper right hand corner (three horizontal lines) and under connect as options, choose Media Device (MTP) if it is not already selected. Connect your Android to the computer using a USB cable. Once the Android is connected, using an explorer window, navigate to the device and explore to the music folder within the device. You can then drag and drop or copy and paste the audiobook file from the downloaded location into the Android. If asked if you would like to convert the file to MB4 and copy, say yes to that. Once the file has copied over, you will then be able to access the title via the Android's music player.

If you have previously installed the Audiobook Manager, please search all programs or apps on Windows or Applications on a Mac for Audiobook Manager. Once it is open, choose "Refresh" from the upper right hand corner and the new title should then appear. You should then be able to click on the download button and can either choose a location or download directly to iTunes.

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How long will it take to download my audiobook?

Depending how long the audiobook is, the audiobook download (.M4B) file can have a size anywhere from 20 MB (megabytes) to several hundred MB.

Download times vary widely depending on your Internet connection speed and other factors. On average you can expect an audiobook download to take anywhere from 1 minute to 30 minutes. For quicker downloading, we recommend you use a high-speed connection.

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Bonus Materials (PDFs, JPEGs, Quicktime Movies)

Some audiobooks come with bonus materials such as PDFs of quizzes, charts and graphs or jpegs or movies. These files will download simultaneously with your audiobook and will be saved on your computer where you choose to save your audiobook.

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Troubleshooting

  • Ensure you have a working Internet connection.
  • Make sure the files downloaded completely. The Download Manager will alert you when your download is complete. It will also give you the option of clicking the "Open" button to see where your audiobook was saved.
  • If you cannot find your audiobook download after the Download Manager has alerted you that your download is complete, try going through the steps of downloading your audiobook again and select a different location to which to save your audiobook.
  • If your audiobook does not automatically appear in the "Books" section of iTunes; you selected the "Automatically Add to iTunes" location at Step 3 and you cannot find your audiobook download, try closing the iTunes program and then download your audiobook again following the same steps as your first attempt.
  • You may need to upgrade your media player. We recommend checking the user guide for your device for compatibility and any necessary software downloads.
  • If you continue having trouble with any audio downloads from SimonandSchuster.com, please contact Customer Service.
  • If for any reason you have trouble purchasing an audiobook, if your card is not accepted, or if there is a billing problem that needs to be resolved, please contact Customer Service, and we will assist you. We are committed to resolving your issue as quickly as possible.

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Pimsleur Language Learning

Pimsleur Language Programs can be accessed through the Pimsleur Mobile iOS App or Android App. You can also access your lessons on your desktop or laptop computer using the web-based companion app using this link or through Amazon Echo devices using the Pimsleur Alexa Skill.

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Did you find what you were looking for? If you still need help, contact us.