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[Enhancement]: Keep the metadata of deleted books #3215

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opened 2026-02-20 11:01:30 -05:00 by deekerman · 4 comments

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 11:01:30 -05:00

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Originally created by @hac3ru on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026).

Type of Enhancement

None

Describe the Feature/Enhancement

Hello,

I was just thinking now, if I delete a book that I've listened to, I'd love to still have it in a "Finished" list, where I can see what books I've already listened.
So the idea is:

Keep the metadata (Book name, author, ASIN/ISBN, etc)
Keep the cover photo (for easier identification)
Keep the date when the book was finished for a specific user
Delete the audio/pdf/etc files.
Have the book appear in the library with a greenline under it (finished) even though the book is not on the server (maybe add an icon across the cover or something to know which books are still on the server and which ones are not).

The idea would be to keep Audiobookshelf as my only Audiobook library and in 1-2-5-10 years time, I'd still love to know what I've read.

Why would this be helpful?

Because one could have a "complete" picture of the books / podcasts he's listened to across multiple years, without having to keep the books in there indefinitely (I'm currently having a 300GBs library and I've installed Audiobookshelf a week ago :D )

Future Implementation (Screenshot)

None

Audiobookshelf Server Version

v2.32.1

Current Implementation (Screenshot)

Library

Originally created by @hac3ru on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026). ### Type of Enhancement None ### Describe the Feature/Enhancement Hello, I was just thinking now, if I delete a book that I've listened to, I'd love to still have it in a "Finished" list, where I can see what books I've already listened. So the idea is: 1. Keep the metadata (Book name, author, ASIN/ISBN, etc) 2. Keep the cover photo (for easier identification) 3. Keep the date when the book was finished for a specific user 4. Delete the audio/pdf/etc files. 5. Have the book appear in the library with a greenline under it (finished) even though the book is not on the server (maybe add an icon across the cover or something to know which books are still on the server and which ones are not). The idea would be to keep Audiobookshelf as my only Audiobook library and in 1-2-5-10 years time, I'd still love to know what I've read. ### Why would this be helpful? Because one could have a "complete" picture of the books / podcasts he's listened to across multiple years, without having to keep the books in there indefinitely (I'm currently having a 300GBs library and I've installed Audiobookshelf a week ago :D ) ### Future Implementation (Screenshot) None ### Audiobookshelf Server Version v2.32.1 ### Current Implementation (Screenshot) Library

deekerman added the

enhancement

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2026-02-20 11:01:30 -05:00

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 11:01:31 -05:00

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@Vito0912 commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026):

The metadata of the books (without cover) is already kept in the listening sessions.You always can go back.

As for keeping basically everything, why not just use empty files then, you replace with? If you delete a book, you delete it? - Most people do it because of space, but then imho it would be just esier to replace the file with a 0 size file.
I cannot find the issue related (and I am not sure if the maintainers view changed on that), but ABS is for managing files that are present, not for which which are deleted. Same why podcasts needs to be downloaded. So it probably is unlikely of that being added anytime soon.

So
1,3,4 is already implemented.

2 can easily be done by keeping a placeholder file

For 5 it would sadly not really be possible :(

@Vito0912 commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026): The metadata of the books (without cover) is already kept in the listening sessions.You always can go back. As for keeping basically everything, why not just use empty files then, you replace with? If you delete a book, you delete it? - Most people do it because of space, but then imho it would be just esier to replace the file with a 0 size file. I cannot find the issue related (and I am not sure if the maintainers view changed on that), but ABS is for managing files that are present, not for which which are deleted. Same why podcasts needs to be downloaded. So it probably is unlikely of that being added anytime soon. So 1,3,4 is already implemented. 2 can easily be done by keeping a placeholder file For 5 it would sadly not really be possible :(

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 11:01:31 -05:00

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@nichwall commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026):

Duplicate of https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/issues/3085

The Audiobookshelf server is designed as a local server for media. If you want to track the progress of things you have already listened to but don't want to keep, you would need to use a workaround like Vito said or use a 3rd party tool to track this.

@nichwall commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026): Duplicate of https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/issues/3085 The Audiobookshelf server is designed as a local server for media. If you want to track the progress of things you have already listened to but don't want to keep, you would need to use a workaround like Vito said or use a 3rd party tool to track this.

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 11:01:31 -05:00

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@hac3ru commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026):

Oh damn, this would have been so useful. I know that AudioBookShelf is designed as a local server, but if most of the tools are already implemented, why not offer an extra thing, just because you can? I mean, I'm sure I'm not the only one asking for this, and having to add 0 size files and stuff is .... suboptimal.
Also @Vito0912 are you sure that the metadata is kept? I just tested this and after deleting and reuploading the book, all progress was lost...?

@hac3ru commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026): Oh damn, this would have been so useful. I know that AudioBookShelf is designed as a local server, but if most of the tools are already implemented, why not offer an extra thing, just because you can? I mean, I'm sure I'm not the only one asking for this, and having to add 0 size files and stuff is .... suboptimal. Also @Vito0912 are you sure that the metadata is kept? I just tested this and after deleting and reuploading the book, all progress was lost...?

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 11:01:32 -05:00

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Owner

@Vito0912 commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026):

Also @Vito0912 are you sure that the metadata is kept? I just tested this and after deleting and reuploading the book, all progress was lost...?

Yes, but you cannot reupload a book. It will get a new id and new metadata.

I know it's not optimal, but I am pretty sure that such feature will not come anytime soon. Currently we sadly don't really have support for moving files between libraries nor new paths without a matcher. (But I am a contributor, not a maintainer, so who knows)

As said, most delete files that they do not listen to anymore, but I rearly heard of anyone who wanted to delete a file just to upload it afterwards? - Most of the hash ideas are for moving (which as said above, sadly is not supported too:/)
The metadata is kept as sessions. You can see what you listened too and the metadata of the books you listened too. You cannot reupload books.

Thus my bad. I didn't thought you want to reupload a book again, after you deleted it. In this case 0-size files are not optimal indeed

@Vito0912 commented on GitHub (Feb 3, 2026): > Also @Vito0912 are you sure that the metadata is kept? I just tested this and after deleting and reuploading the book, all progress was lost...? Yes, but you cannot reupload a book. It will get a new id and new metadata. I know it's not optimal, but I am pretty sure that such feature will not come anytime soon. Currently we sadly don't really have support for moving files between libraries nor new paths without a matcher. (But I am a contributor, not a maintainer, so who knows) As said, most delete files that they do not listen to anymore, but I rearly heard of anyone who wanted to delete a file just to upload it afterwards? - Most of the hash ideas are for moving (which as said above, sadly is not supported too:/) The metadata is kept as sessions. You can see what you listened too and the metadata of the books you listened too. You cannot reupload books. Thus my bad. I didn't thought you want to reupload a book again, after you deleted it. In this case 0-size files are not optimal indeed