You finally get comfortable on the couch, open Libby on your phone, and expect to pick up right where you left off on your tablet. But the app shows you’re still on chapter three when you clearly finished chapter seven last night. Frustrating, right?
This syncing issue is something many Libby users run into, and it can make reading across multiple devices feel like a chore instead of a pleasure. The good news is that most of the time, you can fix it yourself without much hassle.
In this post, you’ll learn exactly why Libby sometimes fails to sync your reading progress, bookmarks, and loans between devices. More importantly, you’ll get clear, easy steps to get everything working smoothly again.
What Does “Libby Not Syncing” Actually Mean?
Libby is an app that lets you borrow ebooks and audiobooks from your local library. One of its best features is that it syncs your reading progress, bookmarks, notes, and even your library cards across all your devices. So if you read ten pages on your phone during lunch, your tablet should know exactly where you stopped.
When syncing stops working, your devices start acting like strangers to each other. Your phone might show one reading position while your tablet shows another. Bookmarks you added on one device might vanish on another. Some users even find that books they borrowed show up on one device but are completely missing on another.
This matters because it breaks the flow of your reading experience. You end up scrolling through pages trying to find your spot, or worse, you accidentally re-read sections you’ve already finished. For audiobook listeners, losing your place can mean hunting through hours of content to find where you were.
If left unfixed, the problem can get worse over time. Your reading data might become so out of sync that the app gets confused about what you’ve actually read. In rare cases, you might even lose annotations or highlights you spent time creating.
Libby Not Syncing Between Devices: Likely Causes
Before you can fix the problem, it helps to know what’s causing it. Here are the most common reasons why Libby fails to sync properly between your devices.
1. You’re Using Different Library Cards or Accounts
This one trips people up more often than you’d think. Libby ties your reading progress to specific library cards. If you signed into your phone with one library card and your tablet with a different one, the app treats these as two separate reading histories.
Even if both cards are from the same library system, they create different sync streams. Your progress on Card A won’t automatically show up when you’re viewing books borrowed on Card B.
The same goes for signing into Libby with different methods. If you used “Sign in with Google” on one device but entered your library card directly on another, your accounts might not be linked properly.
2. Poor or Unstable Internet Connection
Libby needs an internet connection to push your reading progress to its servers and pull updates from other devices. If your WiFi is spotty or your mobile data keeps cutting out, the sync process gets interrupted.
Sometimes your device looks like it’s connected, but the connection is too weak to actually send data. This is common in areas with poor signal or when you’re connected to a slow public WiFi network.
3. The App Is Outdated
Running an old version of Libby can cause all sorts of sync problems. Older versions might have bugs that have since been fixed, or they might use outdated methods to communicate with Libby’s servers.
When one device has the latest version and another device has an older version, they might struggle to understand each other’s sync data. This mismatch creates gaps in your reading progress.
4. Background App Refresh Is Turned Off
Your phone or tablet has a setting that controls whether apps can update their data when you’re not actively using them. This is called Background App Refresh on iPhones and iPads, or Background Data on Android devices.
When this setting is off for Libby, the app only syncs when you actually open it. That means if you finish a chapter on your phone, your tablet won’t know about it until you open Libby on both devices.
This delay can make it seem like syncing is broken when it’s really waiting for you to manually trigger it.
5. Cached Data Has Become Corrupted
Libby stores temporary data on your device to help it run faster. This is called cache. Over time, this cached data can become corrupted or outdated, which confuses the app about your actual reading status.
When the cache goes bad, Libby might display old information even after syncing has happened. It’s like the app is looking at an old photo instead of a live feed.
Libby Not Syncing Between Devices: How to Fix
Now that you know what might be causing the problem, let’s walk through how to fix it. Start with the simplest solutions and work your way down if needed.
1. Force a Manual Sync
Sometimes Libby needs a little nudge to sync your data. You can do this by opening your Shelf in the app (where your borrowed books appear) and pulling down on the screen like you’re refreshing a social media feed.
Do this on each of your devices, one after the other. Give each device about 30 seconds to communicate with Libby’s servers before checking if your progress has updated.
This simple action fixes the problem for a lot of users because it forces the app to check for the latest data right away instead of waiting for an automatic sync.
2. Check That You’re Using the Same Library Card
Open Libby on all your devices and compare which library cards are signed in. Here’s how to check:
- Tap the menu icon (usually three lines or your library’s logo)
- Look at the library cards listed
- Make sure the exact same card appears on each device
If you find a mismatch, sign into the correct library card on the device that’s different. Your reading progress should start syncing once all devices are using the same card.
3. Update Libby to the Latest Version
Head to your device’s app store and check if there’s an update available for Libby.
On iPhones and iPads, open the App Store, tap your profile picture, and scroll down to see pending updates. On Android, open the Google Play Store, tap your profile icon, then tap “Manage apps and device” to find updates.
After updating, open Libby and do a manual sync by pulling down on your Shelf. Updates often include fixes for syncing bugs, so this step alone might solve your problem.
4. Enable Background App Refresh
Letting Libby update in the background helps keep your devices in sync even when you’re not actively using the app.
On iPhone or iPad:
- Open Settings
- Scroll down and tap Libby
- Turn on Background App Refresh
On Android:
- Open Settings
- Tap Apps, then find Libby
- Tap Mobile data and WiFi (or Data usage)
- Make sure background data is allowed
With this turned on, Libby can quietly sync your progress throughout the day, so your devices stay up to date without you having to think about it.
5. Clear the App’s Cache
Clearing Libby’s cache forces it to download fresh data, which can fix display issues caused by corrupted stored data.
On Android:
- Open Settings
- Tap Apps, then Libby
- Tap Storage
- Tap Clear Cache (not Clear Data, which would remove your downloaded books)
On iPhone or iPad: Libby doesn’t have a built-in cache clearing option on iOS. Your best bet is to delete the app and reinstall it from the App Store. Don’t worry, your loans and reading progress are stored on Libby’s servers, so they’ll come back once you sign in again with your library card.
After clearing the cache or reinstalling, open Libby and let it fully load before checking if sync is working.
6. Contact Your Library or Libby Support
If nothing else works, the issue might be something beyond a simple device fix. There could be a problem with your library’s connection to Libby, or there might be an account issue that needs to be sorted out on the backend.
Reach out to your local library first, since they can check if there’s anything unusual with your account. You can also contact Libby’s support team directly through the app. Tap the menu icon, scroll to “Get Some Help,” and you’ll find options to report a problem. Include details about what you’ve already tried so they can help you faster.
Wrapping Up
Syncing issues with Libby usually come down to a few common culprits: mismatched library cards, outdated apps, weak internet connections, or background settings that need adjusting. Working through each fix in order will solve the problem for most people without needing any technical expertise.
The beauty of Libby is being able to read anywhere on any device and pick up right where you left off. Once you get syncing working again, that seamless experience comes right back. Happy reading.