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How to play podcasts on iPad

The Podcasts app plays both video and audio podcasts. You can change the playback speed, see what’s playing next, watch or listen to an episode when you’re offline, and set a sleep timer to stop playback later.

You can also navigate episodes by chapter, discover content mentioned in an episode, and access links shared by podcast creators. Video episodes open directly in the Now Playing screen, where you’ll find full-screen video controls.

Play a podcast

  1. Start the Podcasts app on your iPad.
  2. Do one of the following:

    • Find a podcast: Search or browse for an episode.
    • Choose a recently played podcast: Tap Home, then scroll to the Recently Played section.
  3. Tap the Play button below the episode title.

    Video episodes open directly in the Now Playing screen, unless you’ve turned video off in the player. For audio episodes, the episode appears in the MiniPlayer, where you can do any of the following:

    • Pause playback: Tap the Pause button.
    • Change the playback speed: Tap the Playback Speed button (or the current playback speed). Then select a speed.
    • Hear voices more clearly: Tap the Playback Speed button (or the current playback speed), then tap Enhance Dialogue.
    • Skip back or forward: Tap the Skip Back button to jump back 15 seconds or the Skip Forward button to jump ahead 30 seconds.
    • Jump to a chapter: When chapters are available, tap the Playing Next button and tap the Down arrow next to the name of the current chapter. Then choose the chapter you want to play. You can also drag the slider above the playback controls to navigate between chapters, or open the transcript and tap the chapter.
    • Show or hide the episode transcript: If the View Transcript button or the Hide Transcript button appears, tap the button.
    • Show or hide the queue: Tap the Playing Next button.
    • Set a sleep timer: Tap the Sleep Timer button and then choose an option.

Open the Now Playing screen

The Now Playing screen in the Podcasts app, showing the podcast artwork, the episode title, the playback controls, and the volume slider. At the right of the screen is a list of chapters. At the bottom of the screen is the AirPlay icon, the View Transcript button, and the Playing Next button.

  1. Start the Podcasts app on your iPad.
  2. Play a podcast.
  3. If you’re playing an audio podcast, tap the MiniPlayer at the bottom of the screen to open the Now Playing screen, where additional controls are available.
  4. Do any of the following:
    • Jump to a specific time: Drag the slider below the episode information.
    • Adjust the volume: Touch and hold the volume bar and then slide your finger left or right.
    • Jump to a chapter: When chapters are available, tap the Playing Next button and tap the Down arrow next to the name of the current chapter. Then choose the chapter you want to play.
    • Explore other media mentioned in an episode: When a podcast mentions content that’s available in apps such as Music, Apple TV, Books, News, or Podcasts, tap the mentioned item in the player or transcript to view details or access the content.
    • Play the video or audio on another device: Tap the AirPlay button.
    • Show or hide the episode transcript: If the View Transcript button or the Hide Transcript button appears, tap the button.
    • Show or hide the queue: Tap the Playing Next button.
    • Access more options: Tap the More button.

Use controls in full-screen video mode

For an immersive viewing experience, expand a video podcast to fill the entire screen while you watch.

A video podcast in the Podcasts app expanded to full-screen video mode. At the top of the screen are display options and the volume control. The Skip Back, Pause, and Skip Forward buttons appear in the center of the screen. Episode details, the progress bar, and controls for playback speed, enhanced dialogue, and subtitles appear at the bottom of the screen.

  1. Start the Podcasts app on your iPad.
  2. Play a video podcast.
  3. Tap the video thumbnail to expand the video to full screen.
  4. Do any of the following:
    • Change the playback speed: Touch and hold the Playback Speed button and then slide your finger up or down to choose a speed.
    • Hear voices more clearly: Touch and hold the Playback Speed button and tap Enhance Dialogue. Then choose Enhance More or Enhance.
    • Choose options for subtitles: If you see the Captions button, tap it and choose an option.
    • Play the audio on another device: Tap the AirPlay button.
    • Highlight or copy text that appears in the video: Tap the More button, then tap Show Text. Optionally, tap Copy All to copy the text to the Clipboard.
    • Switch to picture-in-picture view: Tap the Picture-in-Picture Start button.
    • Exit full-screen video mode: Tap the Close button.

Access episode links

  1. Start the Podcasts app on your iPad.
  2. Search or browse for an episode.
  3. On the episode page, tap a highlighted link to open the content.

Choose what to play next

Episodes you add to your queue are there to watch or listen to later.

  1. Start the Podcasts app on your iPad.
  2. Search or browse to find an episode.
  3. Tap the More button near an episode and then choose Play Next or Add to Queue.
  4. Tap the Playing Next button.

    If you don’t see the Playing Next button, tap the MiniPlayer at the bottom of the screen to open the Now Playing screen.

  5. In the Queue section, do any of the following:

    • Play an episode: Tap the episode. The next episode in the queue plays immediately after the previous episode finishes.
    • Reorder episodes: Drag the Reorder button to move an episode up or down in the list.
    • Remove an episode from the queue: Swipe left on the episode, then tap Remove.
    • Remove all episodes from the queue: Tap Clear.

If you watch or listen to multiple episodes of a show in a row, additional episodes appear in the Continue Playing section of the Now Playing screen. These episodes play after the ones you added to the Queue section, so you can easily pick up where you left off in a show. You can also tap an episode in Continue Playing to start watching or listening right away.

See also