Getting started

From install to a working To Read shelf in a few minutes. Your books stay on your iPhone. Nothing is uploaded and there's no account.

1. Install

1. Install Spinecatch from the TestFlight app on your iPhone.
2. Open it once. Until you import, it shows sample books under a yellow "Sample data" banner. That's normal.
3. Turn on the share button: in TikTok, open any video → Share → scroll the app row to the end → More → switch on Spinecatch and drag it near the front. Do the same in Instagram if you use it.

2. Import the books you already have

Importing tells Spinecatch what you've read or saved, so it can mark books in a video as Already finished or Already on To Read. Your first import replaces the sample books; later imports add to your library.

Every import works the same way: Import tab → Choose a file → pick it in Files → untick anything you don't want (or search the list) → Save.

Goodreads

1. On a computer, go to goodreads.com → My Books → Import and export → Export Library, and download the file.
2. AirDrop it to your iPhone (choose Save to Files) or save it to iCloud Drive.
3. In Spinecatch: Import → Choose a file → pick it → Save. Your To Read, Reading and Finished shelves come in.

Libby

1. In Libby: Shelf → Timeline → Actions → Export Timeline → Data (or Spreadsheet). Save the file to Files.
2. In Spinecatch: Import → Choose a file → pick it → Save.

Borrowed and returned books come in; holds and tags are skipped.

Kindle

Amazon doesn't offer a download of your Kindle or Kindle Unlimited history, so Kindle import isn't open to testers yet. Goodreads or Libby is enough to try everything else.

3. Catch books from BookTok and Reels

1. On a post that names books, tap Share → Spinecatch. A sheet opens over TikTok or Instagram.
2. It lists the books it found, each marked, for example New to you, Already finished or Already on To Read. Books already on a shelf start unticked.
3. Tick the ones you want and tap Save and go back. You're back on the same post.
4. Open Spinecatch: a note says how many books were added to To Read, and the post appears in your Inbox with a link back to it.

4. Use your shelves

• Shelves has filters with counts: To Read, Reading, Finished, Owned, Kindle history and Libby.
• Each book has To Read, Reading and Mark finished buttons. Tap the active one again to take the book off that shelf.
• Check on Kindle opens an Amazon search for the book. It doesn't confirm Kindle Unlimited yet, so check the badge on Amazon's page.
• To delete a book, swipe it left and tap Delete. Undo appears at the bottom for a few seconds. With VoiceOver, use the Actions rotor.

5. Inbox

Your recent shares and where each book landed. Swipe a share left to clear it from the list; the books stay saved.

6. Start over

At the bottom of Shelves, Clear my data removes your books from this iPhone and brings back the sample books. It asks first, and it can't be undone.

Still stuck? See Support or email [email protected].