Spotify‘s new feature Recaps has rolled out in beta in Australia and is designed to help listeners jump right back into stories they’ve put down, forgotten about or need a quick refresher on. Recaps gives short audio summaries tailored to your most recent listening point.

Recaps only cover the portion of the book you’ve already heard – no spoilers! Much like a “previously on” feature for TV, Recaps help you reengage with a story and make audiobook listening more seamless, intuitive, and listener friendly.

J.H. Markert, author of Spider to the Fly, described Recaps as “an audio bookmark that speaks,” adding:

“Using it once blew my mind. As sophisticated as it is smart, this feature is a must for any audiobook lovers out there.”

When you return to a story, tap the Recap button at the top of an audiobook’s page to hear a tailored summary of what’s happened so far. Your first Recap will be available after you’ve listened to the first 15-20 minutes of a book. After that, they’re regularly updated to match your progress, helping you rejoin a story without spoilers or full book summaries. While recaps use AI technology to help you catch up, the work of authors and narrators stays protected. Spotify has said they are not using audiobook content for LLM training purposes or voice generation, and Recaps do not replicate narration or replace the original audiobook in any way.

With Recaps currently in beta and available on iOS for a limited selection of English-language titles, with plans to expand over time Spotify is seeking feedback from Australian users and will continue to iterate and enhance Recaps as they go.

Recaps is hoped to help more listeners finish the books they start, turn casual listeners into consistent audiobook fans and deepen the connection between authors and their audiences.