Podcast Starter Guide
Free audio shows on every topic. Like radio, but on demand. Start in 5 minutes.
Pick your phone
Step 1 — App: Apple Podcasts (built-in)
- 1Open the purple Podcasts app — already on your iPhone.
- 2Tap "Browse" or "Search" at the bottom.
- 3Search by name, topic, or browse charts (Top Shows).
- 4Tap "Subscribe" or "Follow" — new episodes download automatically.
- 5Tap "Listen Now" tab to play the latest from anything you follow.
Tricks worth knowing
- •Sleep timer — Now Playing → "Sleep Timer" → 15/30/60 min.
- •Adjust speed — tap "1x" while playing → 0.5x to 2x.
- •Play in the car automatically when CarPlay connects.
Step 2 — Twelve shows worth subscribing to
The Daily (NYT)
About: 20 minutes a day. One news story explained well.
Why: Best one-stop news podcast. Lands in your feed every morning.
Up First (NPR)
About: 15 minutes. Three top stories, every weekday.
Why: Faster than The Daily. Same morning routine.
60-Second Science (Scientific American)
About: A minute of science a day.
Why: Smallest possible step into podcasts. Hooks you fast.
Stuff You Should Know
About: Two hosts explain everything from concrete to ant colonies.
Why: Funny, casual, conversational. The best gateway show.
Radiolab
About: Beautifully produced storytelling about science and the world.
Why: High production value. Listen with headphones.
Death, Sex & Money
About: Honest interviews about the topics most podcasts skip.
Why: WNYC public radio quality. Often life-changing episodes.
This American Life
About: Hour-long stories from real people, themed weekly.
Why: The grandfather of all narrative podcasts. Almost always great.
How I Built This (NPR)
About: Founders tell the story of how their company started.
Why: Inspiring, low-fluff. Great for retirees who built businesses themselves.
AARP The Perfect Scam
About: Real scam survivors share what happened — so you do not.
Why: Senior-targeted, extremely useful pattern recognition.
Hidden Brain (NPR)
About: Psychology and human behavior for general audiences.
Why: Calm narration, fascinating topics, no shouting.
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
About: NPR news quiz — funny take on the week's headlines.
Why: Laugh-out-loud while staying informed.
You Are Not So Smart
About: How your own brain fools you — psychology made fun.
Why: Short episodes. Each one teaches you something about how you think.
Listening tips that make a difference
- •Pair with chores or walks. The audio fills time you would not otherwise spend listening to anything.
- •Try 1.25x or 1.5x speed for talkier shows. After a week, normal speed sounds slow.
- •Bluetooth headphones (cheap pair, $30 on Amazon) make hour-long listens far better than phone speaker.
- •If a podcast is dull in the first 10 minutes, skip. There are too many great ones to suffer.
Related
Quick Tip: subscribe to two news podcasts and one fun one. The variety keeps the queue feeling fresh.