How to Listen to Podcasts on Your Phone
Find and listen to podcasts on your phone — free shows on every topic from news and history to comedy and true crime.
At a Glance
Open a podcast app
~15sSearch for a topic
~15sPlay an episode
~15sFollow shows you like
~15sDownload for offline listening
~15sYou Did It!
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Podcasts are free audio shows you can listen to anytime — like radio on demand. There are podcasts on every topic: news, history, true crime, comedy, science, health, cooking, and more. New episodes are released on a schedule (daily, weekly, etc.) and you can listen whenever you want.
On iPhone, the Podcasts app comes pre-installed (purple icon). On Android, use Google Podcasts, Spotify, or another podcast app from the Play Store. Open the app and browse or search for a topic that interests you.
When you find a podcast, tap an episode to play it. If you like it, tap "Subscribe" or "Follow" to automatically get new episodes. Subscriptions are free — you are not paying for anything, you are bookmarking the show.
While listening, you can adjust the speed (1.5x is popular for faster listening), set a sleep timer, and download episodes for offline listening during flights or areas without internet.
Great starter podcasts include NPR's "Up First" (daily news in 10 minutes), "Stuff You Should Know" (interesting topics explained), and "SmartLess" (celebrity interviews with humor).
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