How to Listen to Podcasts on iPhone Using Apple Podcasts

Podcasts are free audio shows on every topic imaginable — news, true crime, health, humor, and more. Apple Podcasts is the built-in podcast app on every iPhone.

In this guide (5 steps):

1.Open Apple Podcasts
2.Search for shows you might like
3.Subscribe to a show
4.Play an episode
5.Download episodes to listen without internet

Open Apple Podcasts

~15s

Look for the purple Podcasts app on your iPhone (it has a microphone icon). It comes pre-installed on all iPhones. Tap to open.

Search for shows you might like

~25s

Tap the Search icon at the bottom. Type a topic you enjoy — "gardening," "American history," "true crime," "cooking," "daily news" — or a show name you've heard of. A list of matching podcasts will appear. Tap any show to see episode descriptions.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: Some popular shows to try: NPR News Now (5-minute news summaries), Fresh Air with Terry Gross (interviews), Stuff You Should Know (educational and fun), or How I Built This (inspiring stories).

Subscribe to a show

~15s

Open a show and tap "Follow" or "Subscribe." New episodes will automatically appear in your library. The show's artwork will show up in your Library tab. You'll never miss a new episode.

Play an episode

~17s

In any show's page, tap any episode to play it. The playback controls appear at the bottom: play/pause button, 15-second skip back/forward buttons, and a progress bar. Tap the episode name at the bottom to expand the full player with a speed control (1x, 1.5x, 2x — useful for talk shows).

Download episodes to listen without internet

~15s

Tap the down-arrow icon next to any episode to download it to your phone. Downloaded episodes play without any internet connection — perfect for commutes, flights, or areas with poor signal. Most shows auto-download the latest few episodes when you're on Wi-Fi.

You Did It!

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A podcast is like a radio show that you listen to whenever you want — not when it happens to be on. Podcasts are free, cover almost every topic imaginable, and can be listened to on your phone while doing other things: walking, cooking, driving, or relaxing in a chair.

Apple Podcasts is built into every iPhone and iPad. It gives you access to millions of free shows from NPR, BBC, ABC News, independent creators, health experts, comedians, storytellers, and more. You search for a show, subscribe to it, and new episodes download automatically to your phone so you can listen without an internet connection.

If you've never listened to a podcast, try starting with something you're already interested in — cooking, history, travel, health advice, or a topic you'd normally read a magazine about. There's almost certainly an excellent free podcast for it.

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