Apple Podcasts

By MacRumors Staff on June 20, 2023

Apple's Podcasts app is available on the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch, providing access to millions of free podcasts that can be streamed or downloaded for offline playback, with personalized recommendations based on your listening habits.

Launching in May 2021, Apple Podcast Subscriptions will allow users to subscribe to podcasts to receive perks, such as an ad-free listening experience, early access to episodes, and exclusive episodes. Pricing will start as low as 49 cents per month.

Apple Podcasts How Tos

How to Remove Episodes From 'Up Next' in the Apple Podcasts App

Tuesday April 4, 2023 5:09 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick

In March 2023, Apple made changes to the Up Next section of its Podcasts app for iPhone and iPad, including adding the ability to remove episodes from the queue. Keep reading to learn what's different and how to access the new features. In iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4, Apple improved the way the Up Next queue works in the Podcasts app, by including episodes you may have saved to your Library and ...

Read Full Article

How to Limit the Number of Podcasts Stored on Your iPhone or iPad

Tuesday May 17, 2022 2:08 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick

In iOS 15.5, Apple added an option that lets iPhone and iPad users automatically limit the number of episodes stored on their device. This article explains how it works. Downloading podcasts to your iPhone or iPad is a great way to ensure that you have something interesting to listen to on your commute or on your travels, regardless of whether you have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection....

Read Full Article

iOS 14.5: How to Automatically Download New Podcast Episodes and Follow Shows

Tuesday April 27, 2021 5:21 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick

In iOS 14.5, Apple has made some notable changes to its native Podcasts app. Some of these changes reflect the fact that Apple announced an optional paid podcast subscription service (beginning May 2021), while others are interface improvements to make it easier to find, follow, and listen to new episodes. One example of these changes is the new Smart play button, which is designed to help...

Read Full Article (36 comments)

Apple Podcasts Guides

Everything New in the iOS 15 Apple Podcasts App

Friday September 24, 2021 8:45 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

The Podcasts app gets a number of improvements in Apple's recently released iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 updates, including the new, systemwide Shared with You feature, personalized recommendations, new keyboard shortcuts, and more. This guide walks through all of the main new features and improvements added in the ‌iOS 15‌ and iPadOS 15 Apple Podcasts app, in what makes for a modest update for...

Read Full Article (43 comments)

Apple Podcasts Articles

Apple Podcasts App Updated With Enhanced Search Functionality

Tuesday June 20, 2023 8:30 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple today announced it has enhanced the search functionality of its Podcasts app across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV by adding nine additional subcategories to the Search tab. This makes it easier to discover new shows across various genres and topics. The new subcategories:Mental Health Relationships Self-Improvement Personal Journals Entrepreneurship Documentary Parenting Bo...

Read Full Article 20 comments

Here's What's New in the iOS 17 Podcasts App

Thursday June 8, 2023 1:34 am PDT by Tim Hardwick

Apple in iOS 17 has revised several elements of its stock apps, including the Podcasts app. There are a few noteworthy changes to the functionality and design of the app with the update, as detailed below. The biggest change is a slick new design for the Now Playing screen, which allows the podcast's full show page art – or any episode chapter images – to take over the entire screen. ...

Read Full Article 46 comments

iOS 16.4 Includes New Apple Podcasts App Features Across iPhone and CarPlay

Monday March 27, 2023 12:28 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol

iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, and macOS 13.3 were released today with several new features for Apple's Podcasts app across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and CarPlay. First, a new Channels menu in the Podcasts app provides a list of podcast channels all in one place on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. A channel allows a creator or brand to list all of their podcasts in one place for listeners to easily discover. ...

Read Full Article 63 comments

Apple Shares Most Popular Podcasts of 2022

Monday December 5, 2022 9:24 am PST by Juli Clover

Apple today revealed the top podcast episodes, shows, channels, and subscriptions that listeners engaged with in the Podcasts app throughout 2022. Crime Junkie, The Daily, and Dateline NBC were the top three overall podcasts of 2022, and among new shows, The Deck, Fly on the Wall, and The Thing About Helen and Olga topped the charts. Shows with the most subscribers include Morbid, SmartLess, ...

Read Full Article 22 comments

Apple Announces Winner of First-Ever Apple Podcasts Award

Tuesday November 29, 2022 5:31 am PST by Joe Rossignol

Apple today announced that Slate's narrative podcast series "Slow Burn" has won the first-ever Apple Podcasts Award for Show of the Year. Apple says the podcast won the award in recognition of its latest season "Roe v. Wade," in which Slate executive editor Susan Matthews explored the events leading up to the landmark Supreme Court decision in 1973. The four-part miniseries was released...

Read Full Article 126 comments

Apple Podcast Subscriber Count Has Grown Over 300% Since June 2021

Monday August 29, 2022 4:13 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Apple's paid podcast subscription service has been seeing notable growth, increasing more than 300 percent since June 2021. The metric was shared today by an Apple spokesperson who spoke to Digiday about a new Dateline subscription podcast offering. More than 25 percent of the top 100 shows from the "Top Shows" chart offer a subscription option more than a year after subscriptions first...

Read Full Article 52 comments

Apple Invests in Original Podcasts With the Potential to Adapt into TV+ Shows

Wednesday August 10, 2022 11:00 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick

Apple has stepped up its investment in original podcast content by signing an agreement with Pulitzer Prize-winning production company Futuro Studios, Bloomberg reports. The deal with Futuro Studios, maker of the criminal-justice series "Suave," stipulates that Apple will fund development and production of podcasts, and then have the first option to turn them into a film or TV show for its Ap...

Read Full Article 26 comments

Apple Podcasts to Gain Downloaded Episode Controls, Annual Subscription Plans, and Hosting Partnerships

Monday May 16, 2022 8:30 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

Apple today announced several new features for the Podcasts app, including downloaded episode controls, annual subscription plans, partnerships with hosting platforms, and more (via TechCrunch). iOS 15.5, iPadOS 15.5, and macOS 12.4 will feature new tools to easily remove accumulated downloads and free up storage space. In the Settings app on iOS and iPadOS under Podcasts, users will be able ...

Read Full Article 40 comments

Apple Podcast Creators Will Soon Be Able to Access Follower Metrics

Tuesday March 22, 2022 9:12 am PDT by Juli Clover

Apple today announced a Podcasts update for creators, introducing follower metrics and other features that are designed to help podcast makers track their audience and monetize their shows. Under the Analytics tab in Apple Podcasts Connect, creators will be able to view followers per show and track followers across shows. The interface will display new followers gained over the last week,...

Read Full Article 30 comments

Apple Celebrates Best Podcasts of 2021

Tuesday November 30, 2021 4:34 am PST by Hartley Charlton

Apple has today shared a press release celebrating the best and most popular podcasts of 2021, as curated by the Apple Podcasts editorial team. Apple named "A Slight Change of Plans" with Maya Shankar as "Best Show of the Year." The show combines storytelling with cognitive and behavioral science to help listeners navigate change in their lives, including real-world stories about change when ...

Read Full Article 19 comments

New Apple Podcasts Rating Prompt Artificially Boosts App Store Score

Friday November 19, 2021 2:45 pm PST by Juli Clover

With the launch of iOS 15.1, Apple introduced a new prompt for the Podcasts app that asks customers to rate it, and as it turns out, confusion over what's being rated has led to an artificially inflated App Store rating for the Podcasts app. Prior to the October 25 launch of iOS 15.1, the Podcasts app had 1.8 stars and plenty of negative reviews from customers unhappy with the design of the...

Read Full Article 179 comments

Apple Debuts True-Crime Podcast 'Hooked' as First Standalone Original

Wednesday November 3, 2021 9:04 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

Apple today debuted "Hooked," a true-crime podcast, seemingly as the company's first wholly standalone original podcast series. While Apple has already begun its venture into original podcasts with the likes of "Oprah's Book Club" and "For All Mankind: The Official Podcast," Hooked is the first Apple Original podcast that is seemingly not tied to an Apple TV+ series in any way. "The Line" ...

Read Full Article 27 comments

Top 10 Apple Podcasts Subscriptions Revealed on International Podcast Day

Thursday September 30, 2021 7:42 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

In celebration of International Podcast Day, Apple today revealed the most popular free and paid Apple Podcasts Subscriptions worldwide from June 15 through September 15. Apple said Top Subscriptions is ranked in order of total subscribed listeners worldwide over the three-month period and includes both individual shows and channels with multiple shows, while Top Free Channels is ranked in...

Read Full Article 32 comments

Apple Launches Podcasts Subscriptions

Tuesday June 15, 2021 12:52 am PDT by Sami Fathi

Update: Apple has now announced that Apple Podcast Subscriptions for shows and channels is rolling out worldwide, showcasing a large number of new shows, groups of podcasts, and channels. When listeners purchase a subscription to a show, they automatically follow the show and the page is updated with a Subscriber Edition label so it is clear that they have access to the premium experience. As...

Read Full Article 60 comments

Apple Podcasts Subscriptions Launching on June 15

Wednesday June 9, 2021 10:10 am PDT by Juli Clover

Apple will make Podcasts subscription options available starting on Tuesday, June 15, Apple said today in an email that was sent out to podcasters (via The Verge). Support for Podcasts Subscriptions was introduced with the iOS 14.6 update, but in late May after releasing the update Apple said that the rollout of the feature would be delayed until June to make sure that the "best experience"...

Read Full Article 24 comments

Apple Delays Launch of Podcasts Subscriptions Until June

Friday May 28, 2021 2:49 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Apple today informed podcast creators that use the Apple Podcasts platform that the rollout of Podcasts Subscriptions and channels will be delayed until June to make sure that the "best experience" is being provided to creators and listeners. We're writing to provide an update on the availability of Apple Podcasts Subscriptions and channels. We've been delighted by the response to last month's ...

Read Full Article 69 comments

Apple Launches Affiliate Program for Podcasts Subscriptions

Friday May 21, 2021 4:02 am PDT by Tim Hardwick

Apple has announced a new affiliate program for its upcoming Apple Podcasts Subscriptions platform that will allow users to earn a commission when a podcast link they share leads to a new subscriber. Launching this month, Apple Podcast Subscriptions will allow users to subscribe to podcasts to receive perks, such as an ad-free listening experience, early access to episodes, and exclusive...

Read Full Article 12 comments

iOS 14.6 Beta Brings Tweaks to Podcasts App Following Complaints

Tuesday May 11, 2021 7:45 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

Apple has added a number of features to its Podcasts app in the third beta of iOS 14.6, seemingly in an attempt to address some of the useability problems introduced in iOS 14.5. MacRumors contributor Steve Moser spotted the Podcasts app changes in iOS 14.6 beta 3 and its source code, which include new features for marking all episodes as played, removing downloads, and recovering episodes. ...

Read Full Article 68 comments

Amazon-Owned Wondery+ to Launch on Apple Podcasts Subscriptions

Tuesday May 11, 2021 6:49 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Amazon's podcast subscription service Wondery+ will be available through the Apple Podcasts Subscriptions platform, which launches in over 170 countries later this month, according to a report today from The Hollywood Reporter. Wondery+ offers dozens of ad-free podcasts, with early access and exclusive episodes for subscribers, making it a natural fit for Apple Podcasts Subscriptions. The...

Read Full Article 13 comments

Apple Investigating 'Problem' With Podcasts App That Began April 29 [Now Resolved]

Monday May 3, 2021 11:30 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple's Podcasts platform is experiencing an "outage" for some users, according to the company's system status page. "Users are experiencing a problem with this service," wrote Apple. "We are investigating and will update the status as more information becomes available." Apple says the undisclosed problem began on April 29. Only some users are affected by the outage, according to Apple. ...

Read Full Article 82 comments

Newer Posts