iTunes Store: Downloading podcasts using iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Summary

Learn how to download podcasts from the iTunes Store using an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. 

Products Affected

iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, iTunes Store

You can listen to audio podcasts or watch video podcasts streamed over Wi-Fi or a cellular network1 on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. You can also download or subscribe to audio and video podcasts using iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and those podcasts will be synced to your iTunes library when you sync the device with iTunes. (Using the latest version of iTunes is recommended).

Note: To subscribe to podcasts using an iOS device, you must have the Podcasts app and the latest version of iOS installed. The latest iOS software can be found here. Learn more about the Podcasts app.

Troubleshooting

  • If you are using iOS 6 or later, you will need to download the Podcasts app from the App Store in order to browse and download podcasts.
  • If a video podcast is in a format that can't be played, you may see a "Format is not supported" message.
  • If an audio or video podcast can't be found or there is an issue with the server that hosts the podcast, you may see a "This movie could not be played" message.
    • In either of these cases, you may want to contact the podcast author by locating the podcast in iTunes on your Mac or Windows computer, and then click Report A Concern.
  • If a podcast is not downloading, it may be due to the server that hosts the podcast, or because there is an issue with your current Internet connection. Deleting the podcast from Downloads may help solve the issue. To delete a podcast that is downloading or waiting to download, tap Downloads, swipe left or right over the podcast, then tap Delete.
  • Depending on your device, podcasts can be streamed and downloaded over Wi-Fi or cellular data connections. When using a cellular data connection, there may be a limit on the maximum podcast download size. Learn about frequently asked questions about iTunes Store for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. 

Additional Information

You don’t need an iTunes Store account to play or download podcasts.

1 Fees may be associated with downloading or streaming over cellular networks; contact your wireless carrier for details.

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