Listen to and download podcasts on the Apple Watch: this is how it works

The Apple Watch finally supports local playback of podcasts from watchOS 5. Now you can listen to podcasts on the Apple Watch without an iPhone nearby. In this tip, we’ll show you how it works.

Play podcasts on Apple Watch in watchOS 5

One of the major improvements in watchOS 5 is the new podcast app. This is standard on every Apple Watch that supports the new version. You can use this app to control podcasts that you listen to on your iPhone. Much more convenient is the function to save podcasts locally on the watch, so that you can listen to them without an iPhone nearby.

Handy if you are going to exercise, for example, and your iPhone is not nearby. All you need is an Apple Watch with watchOS 5 and a set of wireless earphones that you can connect to the smartwatch.

Stream podcasts on Apple Watch

If you have access to a wireless internet connection, you can simply stream podcasts directly on the watch. This works as follows.

1. Connect the wireless headphones to your Watch;
2. Open the Podcasts app;
3. Scroll with the Digital Crown or swipe the screen to scroll through your episodes;
4. Tap Library for a complete list of episodes;
5. Select an episode and start listening.

If you want to add a new podcast without your iPhone, it is best to do this via Siri. Simply ask the assistant if she wants to subscribe you to the name of a podcast. Siri then ensures that you are subscribed and new episodes automatically appear in the app.

Use Apple Watch podcasts offline

Sometimes it is useful to download an episode locally on the Watch. For example if you do not have an internet connection, if you go for a run without an iPhone nearby. Saving podcasts offline works as follows.

1. Subscribe to the podcasts you want to listen to offline;
2. Connect the Watch to the charger;
3. The latest episodes will now be downloaded, this may take a while;
4. Remove the watch from the charger and connect headphones to the watch to start listening.

Podcasts that are stored locally can be recognized by the lack of the cloud icon in the lower right corner of the illustration. This indicates that an episode can only be streamed and is therefore not locally on the watch.

Read more useful info about watchOS 5

• Apple releases watchOS 6.1.3 with a bug fix for heart rate notifications (2/18/2020)
• Tip: This is how you make a heart video with your Apple Watch (2/9/2020)
• Apple releases watchOS 5.3.2 for Watch Series 4 (9-10-2019)
• Apple is releasing iOS 12.4.2 and watchOS 5.3.2 for older iPhones and Apple Watches (9/26/2019)
• watchOS 5.3 and updates for macOS, tvOS and HomePod are rolling out (7/22/2019)