Podcasts have surprisingly become popular as lots and lots of people are listening to them. The best feature of podcasts is that it can be listened anywhere & anytime. Podcasts are similar to TV series or talk shows with just one key difference – it is all audio without any visuals. Personally, I feel the message given by a podcast is well absorbed since only one sense of the body is used. While watching something on YouTube, both our senses, eyes and ears are used, and thus the brain can concentrate less as it is more occupied as compared to listening to a podcast.
However, listening to podcasts on an iPhone may not be as easy and simple as Android phones. Being an iPhone user myself, I decided to do a bit of exploring on my phone and across the world wide web to find out quick and easy steps to listen and download podcasts on iPhone.
How Do I Listen To Podcasts On My iPhone?
You can listen to podcasts on your iPhone for free with the following steps:
Step 1. Locate the Podcasts app icon in your iPhone and tap to open it.
Note: If you don’t have this app then you need to head over to App Store and download it from there for free.
Step 2. Tap Continue at the welcome screen.
Step 3. There are four options listed at the bottom of your iPhone’s screen, namely Listen Now, Library, Browse and Search.
Step 4. If you know of a Podcast name which was recommended by a friend, then tap on Search and enter the podcast name.
Step 5. Else, you can tap on the Library and choose through the various podcasts.
Step 6. Tap the Podcast channel you want to hear, and it lists all the files currently included in it.
Step 7. Choose the file name and tap once. The podcast will start playing.
How To Download Podcasts On iPhone?
If you want to download the episodes of the podcast to your iPhone so that you can hear them later without worrying about the internet connection on your mobile, then you can do this with a few simple steps.
Step 1. Open the Podcasts app on your iPhone.
Step 2. Tap the Library icon, which contains the list of all the podcasts you have subscribed to.
Step 3. Select the Podcast channel and tap on the option labeled as Available Episodes.
Step 4. Tap on the Plus sign next to the episode name and download will start.
Step 5. The Plus Sign will change to a Cloud button and a status sign in the shape of a circle will inform you of the status of your download.
Step 6. Once the episode download completes, there would be no sign or symbol next to the name. Tap on the name of the episode, and it will start playing from your iPhone and will not require any internet connection to play.
How To Listen To Podcasts On iPhone automatically?
Now that you have downloaded and installed the Podcasts app on your iPhone and started listening to a few podcasts, you would have now probably picked a few of your favourites. It would be a tedious task to search each one every day and download the new episodes that you haven’t heard off. To ease this task, you must carry out the following steps:
Step 1. Tap on the Subscribe button. This will list all the subscribed podcast channels in the Listen Now section.
Step 2. Access the iPhone Settings and navigate to Podcasts. Locate Download Episodes and tap All Unplayed.
Step 3. This will download all the new episodes automatically in the background.
Note: If you want to unsubscribe from any channel then click on the Library tab located at the bottom of the screen and long-press the channel you wish to delete. You will receive a list of options from which you can choose to unsubscribe.
How To Download Podcasts On iPhone via iTunes App?
If you want to download podcasts on iPhone through iTunes App, then you can follow the following steps:
Step 1. Tap iTunes Store app on your iPhone.
Step 2. Tap Search and type the name of the Podcast channel you are looking for.
For Example: I searched for podcasts from CalmSage, which is a website for Mental Wellbeing and the results displayed all the podcasts available on iTunes.
Step 3. Tap the Podcast Name to view the list of episodes.
Step 4. Tap the arrow icon next to the name of the episode name to download it on your iPhone.
Step 5. You may need to enter your password for Apple ID, and tap on Download.
Alternatives On How To Listen To Podcasts On iPhone via Podcast App.
Apple has made it a practise to provide its users with all the features one could want in a smartphone and the Podcast App is an example of that. Podcasts are also easily accessible via the iTunes app on your iPhone, but Apple decided to develop a dedicated app with all the features possible. If you still feel you want something more and want to try out a different app for podcasts, then here is a list of the best ones available:
- Castbox – One of the best apps for podcasts on iTunes, Castbox features over a million podcasts, and allows users to sync with cloud services. It is an easy to use interface and finding your favourite channels is not difficult. Castbox allows users to leave comments on the podcasts and share them on social media. It is a free app, however, the ads on the app are a bit troublesome, which you can get rid of for $1 per month.
Image Source: Apple
- Pocket Casts – Another app which charges a little over $1 a month is Pocket Casts. However, the yearly subscription is cheaper and more preferred. This podcast app has a web player which allows the users to stream directly from the cloud and can continue your podcast from where you left off. Users can also set notification alerts if their favourite channel has a new release.
Image Source: Apple
- Stitcher Radio – Stitcher Radio is the biggest name in the Podcast world and a bit expensive too. However, the price paid by the user is justified by the fact that Stitcher over some remarkable features. Users can subscribe to their favourite podcast channels, make Playlists, change playing speeds and is compatible with Apple Carplay, tablets and also boasts of Alexa integration.
Image Source: Apple
Your thoughts on How to Listen and Download Podcasts on Your iPhone.
Podcasts are a new source of entertainment and an innovative way to communicate with a large mass of people. As it requires the use of only one of the five senses, we humans possess, it can be easily grasped and understood. You can download podcasts and even listen to them while traveling or when you have a few minutes to spare. Do share your thoughts on Podcasts and which channels you prefer to listen to in the comments section below.
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