If your iPhone Podcasts app is not working after iOS 17 update, here are the steps you can take to troubleshoot and fix the problem.
You can use the Podcasts app on your iPhone to find shows about science, news, politics, comedy, and more. If you find a show you like, you can follow it to add it to your library. Then you can easily listen offline, get notified about new episodes, and more. So, what do you do if Podcasts is not working after iOS 17 update?.
Whether new podcasts episodes aren’t downloading or podcasts aren’t playing on your iPhone after iOS 17 update, help is at hand. In this article, I’ll explain why Podcasts app is not working on your iPhone in iOS 17 and show you how to fix the problem for good!
10 Ways To Fix iPhone Podcasts App Not Working in iOS 17
1. Do You Use Podcasts When Connected To Wi-Fi?
The vast majority of iPhone owners use the Podcasts app when connected to a Wi-Fi network. If Podcasts is not working on your iPhone while connected to Wi-Fi, follow the two steps below to troubleshoot your Wi-Fi connection.
Turn Wi-Fi Off And Back On
Turning Wi-Fi off and back on gives your iPhone a second chance to make a clean connection your Wi-Fi network. If your iPhone didn’t connect to Wi-Fi correctly, the Podcasts may not load.
To turn Wi-Fi off, start the Settings app on your iPhone, then tap Wi-Fi. Tap the switch next to Wi-Fi to turn Wi-Fi off. You’ll know it’s off when the switch is grayish white and positioned to the left. To turn Wi-Fi back on, simply tap the switch again! You’ll know Wi-Fi is on when the switch is green and positioned to the right.
Forget Your Wi-Fi Network
If Podcasts app is not working on your iPhone over Wi-Fi, there may be an issue with Wi-Fi connection. When your iPhone connects to a Wi-Fi network for the first time, it saves data on how to connect to that Wi-Fi network. If that process changes in any way, your iPhone may not be able to connect to the Wi-Fi network.
To forget the Wi-Fi network, start the Settings app on your iPhone and tap Wi-Fi. Then, tap the information button (look for the blue i) next to the Wi-Fi network you want to forget. Tap Forget This Network to forget the network. If you are still facing issues, tap or click here to learn how to diagnose and fix Wi-Fi problems on your iPhone.
2. Try Cellular Data Instead
If your iPhone Podcasts app is not working over Wi-Fi, you can also use the app over Cellular Data. Start the Settings app on your iPhone and tap Cellular. Make sure the switch next to Cellular Data is on. Then, open Podcasts and see if it starts working. If you are still facing issues, tap or click here to learn how to diagnose and fix cellular data problems on your iPhone.
3. Close And Reopen The Podcasts App
Closing and reopening the Podcasts can help fix any minor app crashes it may be experiencing. If your iPhone has a Home button, double-press it to open the app switcher. If your iPhone doesn’t have a Home button, swipe up from the very bottom of the screen to the middle of the screen.
Once the app switcher is open, swipe the Podcasts up and off the top of the screen. It’s not a bad idea to close out of your other apps too, just in case one of them has crashed.
4. Restart Your iPhone
When Podcasts app is not working on your iPhone, a simple and reliable troubleshooting step is to turn your iPhone off and back on. This will occasionally fix minor software bugs and glitches that could be causing the Podcasts app to malfunction.
If you have an iPhone with home button, press and hold the Sleep / Wake button (the power button) until “slide to power off” shows on your iPhone’s display. Now, swipe the red power icon from left to right to turn off your iPhone.
If you have an iPhone with Face ID, press and hold the side button and either volume button until “slide to power off” shows up on the screen. Swipe the power icon from left to right to shut down your iPhone.
To turn your iPhone back on, press and hold the power button (iPhone with home button) or the side button (iPhone with Face ID) until the Apple logo shows in the center of your iPhone’s display.
5. Turn Off Your VPN
VPN (virtual private network) may be the reason why iPhone Podcasts app is not working. If a VPN is activated on your iPhone, try turning it off.
Start the Settings app on your iPhone and go into General > VPN & Device Management > VPN. Tap the switch next to your VPN to turn it off.
6. Update Your iPhone
Updating your iPhone can help fix a variety of software issues including Podcasts not working on iPhone. Podcasts comes preloaded on an iPhone, therefore the only way to update it is by updating your phone to the latest version of iOS.
Start the Settings app on your iPhone and go into General > Software Update. If a new iOS update is available, tap Install Now or Download and Install.
After installing the most recent update, try opening the Podcast again to see if the issue is resolved. If Podcasts still won’t load on your iPhone, keep reading!
7. Check The Apple System Status Page
It’s possible that the reason the Podcast won’t load on your iPhone is because the Podcasts itself is having a problem. While it’s rare for the Podcast service to go down, Apple has a dedicated webpage set up so you can check the status of the Podcasts and their other services.
Look for the Podcasts service on Apple’s system status page. If you see a green dot to the left of the Podcasts, that means the service is up and running. If it’s not green, that may be the reason why Podcasts is not working on your iPhone.
Unfortunately, if there are issues with Apple’s systems, there’s not much you can do other than wait it out. Apple knows there is a problem and they’re working on a solution.
8. Allow Your iPhone To Download Episodes Automatically
Podcasts you follow are automatically downloaded to your Apple device. Episodes you’ve played are automatically deleted from your device. If your iPhone is not downloading podcasts, there’s a good chance you have some automatic download settings turned off. Thankfully, you can quickly turn automatic downloads on.
Start the Settings app on your iPhone and go into Podcasts. Turn Enable When Following (under Automatic Downloads) on.
Tip: To automatically download a particular podcast, open the Podcasts app , touch and hold the show’s artwork on the Library screen, tap Settings, then turn on Automatic Downloads.
9. Reset Network Settings
If an Issue with network connectivity is the reason why podcasts are not downloading on your iPhone, restoring your phone’s network settings back to factory defaults can resolve the problem. To reset your iPhone network settings, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset and tap Reset Network Settings.
A word of warning: Before you complete this step, make sure you know your Wi-Fi passwords, because Reset Network Settings will erase all of the saved Wi-Fi networks on your iPhone. After your iPhone reboots, you’ll have to re-enter your Wi-Fi passwords at home and at work. Your iPhone’s APN and VPN settings will also be reset to factory defaults.
10. Delete And Reinstall Podcasts App
Sometimes, Podcasts may stop working on your iPhone due to a corrupted file within the app itself. Individual files can be difficult to track down, so the best way to troubleshoot the problem is to delete the app entirely, then reinstall it like new.
Don’t worry: your Podcasts subscriptions won’t be deleted when you uninstall the app. You’ll be able to access all your subscriptions after reinstalling the app.
To delete Podcasts on your iPhone, press and hold on the app icon until the menu appears. Then, hit Remove App > Delete App > Delete.
To reinstall Podcasts, launch App Store and tap the Search tab in the lower right hand corner. Type in “Podcasts”, then tap the cloud icon with an arrow point down to reinstall the app.
Successfully Fixed Podcasts Not Working After iOS 17 Update Issue
You’ve fixed the problem with the iPhone Podcasts app and now you can continue to download or stream your favorite shows. Next time Podcast is not working your iPhone, you’ll know exactly how to fix the problem. Thanks for reading and feel free to leave any other questions you may have about your iPhone or Podcasts app in the comments section below!