Add ability to open URLs found in book descriptions in browser #1011

New Issue

2026-04-24T23:45:50+02:00

adam commented

2026-04-24 23:45:50 +02:00

Originally created by @colvdv on GitHub (Aug 9, 2024).

Describe the Feature/Enhancement

Add URL hyperlink support to audiobook descriptions.

Why would this be helpful?

There are several audiobooks I have that contain URLs in the book description, but from the audiobookshelf app I am currently unable to engage the URL as a link, and the ability to select text from the description isn't a thing so I can't copy and paste it either. The best implementation would be to make URLs engageable as hyperlinks that open in the device default browser.

Future Implementation (Screenshot)

Make URLs engageable in book descriptions (hyperlink).

Audiobookshelf App Version

Android App - 0.9.74

Current Implementation (Screenshot)

No response

Originally created by @colvdv on GitHub (Aug 9, 2024). ### Describe the Feature/Enhancement Add URL hyperlink support to audiobook descriptions. ### Why would this be helpful? There are several audiobooks I have that contain URLs in the book description, but from the audiobookshelf app I am currently unable to engage the URL as a link, and the ability to select text from the description isn't a thing so I can't copy and paste it either. The best implementation would be to make URLs engageable as hyperlinks that open in the device default browser. ### Future Implementation (Screenshot) Make URLs engageable in book descriptions (hyperlink). ### Audiobookshelf App Version Android App - 0.9.74 ### Current Implementation (Screenshot) _No response_

adam added the enhancement label 2026-04-24 23:45:50 +02:00

adam closed this issue

2026-04-24 23:45:50 +02:00

adam commented

2026-04-24 23:45:51 +02:00

@advplyr commented on GitHub (Aug 10, 2024):

Related issues for the web client:
https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/issues/1820
https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/issues/1366
https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/issues/617

This might be better as a server side change where we support rich text descriptions. The downside to this is when embedding descriptions in audio file meta tags we would want to strip the HTML tags which wouldn't be consistent. This is the main reason it hasn't already been implemented.

The alternative is to detect the hyperlinks client side and make them links.

@advplyr commented on GitHub (Aug 10, 2024): Related issues for the web client: https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/issues/1820 https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/issues/1366 https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/issues/617 This might be better as a server side change where we support rich text descriptions. The downside to this is when embedding descriptions in audio file meta tags we would want to strip the HTML tags which wouldn't be consistent. This is the main reason it hasn't already been implemented. The alternative is to detect the hyperlinks client side and make them links.

adam commented

2026-04-24 23:45:51 +02:00

@colvdv commented on GitHub (Aug 13, 2024):

The alternative is to detect the hyperlinks client side and make them links.

Detecting client side seems to make more sense to me. This feature isn't needed for access from web browser since text can easily be selected to be copied and pasted. It is within the audiobookshelf app that there isn't a good way to open URLs.

@colvdv commented on GitHub (Aug 13, 2024): > The alternative is to detect the hyperlinks client side and make them links. Detecting client side seems to make more sense to me. This feature isn't needed for access from web browser since text can easily be selected to be copied and pasted. It is within the audiobookshelf app that there isn't a good way to open URLs.

adam commented

2026-04-24 23:45:52 +02:00

@github-actions[bot] commented on GitHub (Jan 27, 2025):

Fixed in v0.9.79-beta.

@github-actions[bot] commented on GitHub (Jan 27, 2025): Fixed in [v0.9.79-beta](https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf-app/releases/tag/v0.9.79-beta).

adam commented

2026-04-24 23:45:52 +02:00

@advplyr commented on GitHub (Jan 27, 2025):

This isn't fully available yet but the next server release coming soon will allow for rich text descriptions that can have links.
This app release will allow those rich text descriptions to be available in the app.

@advplyr commented on GitHub (Jan 27, 2025): This isn't fully available yet but the next server release coming soon will allow for rich text descriptions that can have links. This app release will allow those rich text descriptions to be available in the app.

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Reference: starred/audiobookshelf-app#1011