I’ve listened to at least 136 hours of audio programs since unboxing my Apple Watch Series 8, and I love how easy it is to use the Apple Podcasts app on the smartwatch.
With watchOS 11, you can:
- Play podcast episodes over cellular or Wi-Fi connection.
- Add podcasts to your Apple Watch via the Watch app or direct on the smartwatch and listen offline without your iPhone.
- Create and sync podcast stations from your iPhone to your Apple Watch.
Alternatively, you can listen to your favorite podcasts on third party apps such as Overcast, Castro, Spotify, Downcast, iHeart, TuneIn, Pocket Cast, and Outcast.
You’ll need a pair of Bluetooth headphones or earbuds to listen to podcasts on your Apple Watch, or you can play episodes via the built-in speaker if you have an Apple Watch Series 10 or Apple Watch Ultra 2.
How Download, Play, and Listen to Podcasts on Your Apple Watch
Ensure your Apple Watch is up to date before you get started. Then, add podcasts to the smartwatch, connect the watch to Bluetooth headphones, and use the playback controls to listen to the downloaded episodes.
Update Your Apple Watch
First, update your Apple Watch to the latest watchOS version so that the watch is compatible with your iPhone.
The latest watchOS 11 version is bug free, feature-packed, and optimized for the best user experience.
Add Podcasts to Your Apple Watch
Open Apple Podcasts on your iPhone, tap Up Next, and select the episodes to sync to your Apple Watch.
Next, open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap the Podcasts app.
- Tap Up Next and select the number of episodes you would like to download to your Apple Watch.
- Go back to the previous screen, tap Saved,and select the number of saved episodes to see on your Apple Watch, even if you haven’t downloaded them for offline playback.
- Tap Add Shows to include one or more specific shows. Your Apple Watch will download the latest episode of each of the show you add, as long as you haven’t played it on your iPhone.
Connect your Apple Watch to Wi-Fi, place it on its charger, and give it a few minutes to sync with your iPhone.
Your Apple Watch will download three episodes of each show by default. Leave the value as is or tap a show and choose how many shows you want to add.
Create and Sync Custom Podcast Stations
Open the Podcasts app on your iPhone. Tap the Library icon, tap Edit, and then tap New Station. Name the station whatever you want and tap save.
To add podcasts to a station:
- Select the station you just created.
- Configure the custom station settings, such as how many recent episodes to add, media types to include, and whether to add all episodes or unplayed only.
- Select podcasts to add to the station.
- Tap Back, see the episodes in each podcast in your station, and then tap Done.
To sync episodes from the stations on your iPhone:
- Open Watch app and launch the Podcasts app.
- Tap Station under the Add Episodes From section.
- Select the number of episodes to add to your Apple Watch.
Connect Your Apple Watch to Bluetooth Speakers
To connect your Apple Watch to wireless earbuds or headphones:
- Press the side button to open the Control Center.
- Tap the audio output icon.
- Choose the pair of wireless headsets that you want to use.
- Wait a few for your headphones to connect with your Apple Watch.
Although you can listen to podcasts through the built-in speaker of Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, media playback drains the battery so fast. About 10 minutes of audio reduces battery life by 60 minutes (1 hour).
Play and Listen to Podcasts on Your Apple Watch
To play the podcasts saved on your Apple Watch:
- Open the Podcasts app on the watch.
- Tap Library and then tap Downloaded.
- Tap a podcast to play.
Alternatively, invoke Siri and have it automatically play a podcast for you. Say something like “Hey Siri, play Shawn Ryan Show podcast.” Your Apple Watch will play the latest episode of the show.
Siri only streams the latest episode of a podcast. It doesn’t download episodes and it can’t select a specific episode for you.
Use the playback controls to navigate the currently playing podcast.
- Tap the play icon to listen to an episode or the pause button to stop the podcast.
- Skip ahead by 30 seconds or skip back by 15 seconds.
- Turn the Digital Crown to increase or decrease volume.
Listen to Podcasts on Third Party Apps on Your Apple Watch
You can download, sync, and listen to your favorite podcast hosts on third-party Apple Watch apps like Overcast, Castro, Spotify, Downcast, iHeart, TuneIn, Pocket Cast, and Outcast.
1. Overcast
Overcast by Marco Arment lets you choose the podcasts you want to listen to rather than making suggestions for you. The option to let you choose your shows and episodes means you have the freedom to personalize your listening experience on Overcast.
Overcast features audio settings, custom queues, and organization tools, so you can use it to:
- Create queues that automatically download episodes for podcasts you’ve added.
- Download podcasts episodes automatically when connected to Wi-Fi and charger – or stream them instead.
- Boost voices, shorten silences, and set different speeds for different podcast episodes.
Overcast even allows you to skip intros and outros, allowing you to save time and head straight to the main contents of an episode.
Like Apple Podcasts, Overcast lets you create customizable smart playlist of your favorite podcasts. Anytime there are new episodes for the podcasts, they’ll show up in your custom playlist.
Overcast downloads the first 20 episodes of a podcast in a playlist by default. And the download time varies based on the size of the episode file.
2. Castro
Castro lets manage multiple podcast shows simultaneously on your iPhone and Apple Watch. The welcome screen has your favorite shows and listening history and the drag-and-drop function lets you add podcasts to a queue in seconds.
Castro automatically downloads queued episodes as soon as you connect your Apple Watch to the internet. And the tab section lets you view new episodes of your favorite shows.
3. Spotify
Spotify is more than just a music streaming app for Apple Watch and iPhone. The platform has equally grown to become a popular podcast platform with one of the most popular podcast platform, with at least 6.5 million podcast titles.
With Spotify on Apple Watch and iPhone, you can:
- Create unlimited playlists with unlimited podcast episodes.
- Mix podcasts with your favorite music.
- Search for exclusive podcasts that you won’t find on other podcasting apps.
Spotify has two major drawbacks when it comes to podcasts. First, the search tab throws both podcasts and songs, which isn’t useful if you’re looking for only the podcasts. Second, you can’t download podcast episodes with a free account.
Why Can’t Download Podcasts to My Apple Watch?
You can’t download podcasts to your Apple Watch because of a system glitch, insufficient storage or too many open apps.
To fix this:
- Restart your Apple Watch to fix potential system glitches, to clear stored cache, and to give the watch a fresh start.
- Delete the files, music, and podcasts that you no longer need to save storage on your Apple Watch.
- Double press the Digital Crown to open a stack of currently active apps and swipe left to close the apps you aren’t using.
In most cases, rebooting the smartwatch is enough to fix the storage and glitch problem, unless you have too many files taking up storage on the device.
