Published Jun 19, 2023, 6:00 AM EDT
Meet Bhaskar, your friendly neighborhood tech enthusiast-turned-wordsmith. For the past few years, he's been your go-to guide for demystifying iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows platforms. While he holds a B.Tech degree, he has dedicated himself to simplifying tech complexities for all and has lent his expertise to publications like Guiding Tech, GeekFrost, iGeeksBlog, The Writing Paradigm, and more. His forte lies in crafting easy-to-follow how-to guides and in-depth articles, making the intricate world of technology accessible to all. When not immersed in the tech world, you'll find him enjoying music or sports.
Apple's Podcasts app is a doorway to a world of fascinating stories and interesting conversations. It's simple to use and has a huge collection of podcasts covering all kinds of topics.
This guide will show you how to use the Podcasts app on your Mac to listen to your favorite shows, discover new ones, and customize your listening experience.
How to Find and Listen to Podcasts
Podcasts are audio shows that you can listen to on your Mac. They cover a wide range of topics, such as science, news, and comedy. You can discover podcasts with ease by following the below-mentioned steps:
- Launch the Podcasts app from the Dock or your Mac's Launchpad.
- In the left pane, click the Search field. You can also press Command + F on your keyboard to access the field.
- Now, enter the podcast name or category you want to listen to.
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Finally, click on a suggestion displayed in the list. Else, you can press the Return key on your keyboard to head to the podcast/category you were searching for.
Listen to Your Favorite Podcast
Now that you're familiar with the process of locating a specific show or episode in the app, let's delve into the steps for listening to them:
- Assuming you're in the Podcasts app, choose one of the options available in the left pane under the Apple Podcasts section.
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Scroll through the list of podcasts available. You can also type the Podcast's name or episode in the Search bar to head to that.
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Once you find a podcast you want to listen to, hover over the show or episode and click the Play button. The episode will begin playing.
You can use the buttons at the top of the Podcasts window to control playback.
How to Use Playback Controls in the Podcasts App on Mac
You can customize your podcast listening experience in a number of ways using the app. Here are a few of the options you can choose from on your Podcasts app's playback screen:
Skip Buttons
They give us the power to fast-forward or rewind the current playing song. To modify the duration you jump ahead or go back, you can do the following:
- Click Podcasts in the menu bar and choose Settings.
- Head to the Playback tab and change the options beside Skip Buttons according to your liking.
You can choose from 10 Seconds to 60 Seconds for skipping forward or backward.
Change the Playback Speed
Customize the playback speed to your liking and control the pace of your favorite podcast episodes. Follow these steps after launching the Podcasts app:
- Navigate to the menu bar and click Controls.
- Select Playback Speed from the dropdown options.
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Now, pick the desired speed that suits your preference. You can choose from 0.75x to 2x.
Choose the Audio Output Device
If you love listening to music or podcasts on your HomePod or any other Bluetooth speakers, follow the steps below:
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Click the Control Center icon located in the menu bar. Click the AirPlay button next to the volume slider.
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Choose the speakers you want to use for playing your podcast.
See our overview of the HomePod mini if this tempts you into getting one.
How to Get Podcast Episodes in the Notification Center
The Notification Center is a handy tool on your Mac that lets you know about new messages, events, and other updates. It can alert you of new episodes of your favorite podcasts. Follow the steps illustrated below to check how to do so:
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Open the Notification Center by clicking the date and time in the menu bar. Scroll down to the bottom and choose Edit Widgets.
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From the left pane, select Podcasts or search for it. In the right pane, choose the size of the podcast widget—S, M, or L. Once done, hover on the widget and click the plus (+) icon to add it to the Notification Center.
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Finally, select Done at the bottom of the Notification Center to save your changes.
You can also place the Podcasts widget in the Notification Center by dragging it to your desired position. We recommend checking out how to use macOS widgets in the Notification Center if you're unfamiliar with the process.
How to Follow Shows on the Podcasts App
You can enjoy the convenience of having new episodes of your preferred show as it automatically downloads to your device when you follow a show on the Podcasts app on your Mac. Check out the steps below to follow a show:
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Find the show you want to follow using the search bar. Then, click on the show to view a detailed page with all the episodes.
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Here, you'll see the Follow button below the description. Click on it.
Alternatively, you can hover over a show (or one of its episodes), click the triple-dot icon, and choose Follow Show from the context menu.
Moreover, if you're currently listening to a podcast, you can also use Siri to follow it by saying something like, "Hey Siri, follow this podcast."
How to Unfollow Shows on the Podcasts App
You might lose interest in a specific show after a while. If that happens, you can easily unfollow it using the below-mentioned steps.
- Navigate to Shows under the Library section on the sidebar.
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Click the show you wish to unfollow.
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Next, click the check mark and select Unfollow Show from the context menu.
- Choose to remove or keep the downloaded episodes if prompted.
Alternatively, you can hover your cursor over the show you're following, click the three dots icon, and choose Unfollow Show.
How to Save an Episode in Apple Podcasts
Saving podcast episodes to your library makes it convenient to locate and access them later on. This also allows you to listen to them offline, no matter where you are.
- Find the podcast you want to save and click on it.
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Hover your mouse cursor over the episode that catches your interest and click the bookmark icon next to it.
You can also click the More button, represented by three dots, and select the Save Episode option.
The episodes you save will be automatically downloaded by default. But if you don't want this to happen, go to Podcasts > Settings from the menu bar, head to the General section, and deselect Download When Saving.
How to Remove Saved Podcast Episodes
Follow the steps below if you want to delete saved podcast episodes:
- Click Saved in the sidebar.
- Locate the podcast episode you wish to remove, hover your cursor over it, and click the bookmark icon.
If you come across a compelling podcast that piques your interest and makes you want to share it with your friends and family, here's what you need to do:
- Find the show or episode you want to share and click the triple-dot icon you see when you hover your cursor over it.
- Now, you can either copy the link or share it via AirDrop, Messages, or Mail.
Learn Your Way Around Apple's Podcasts App
The Podcasts app on your Mac is truly remarkable. Apple has designed this app to be straightforward, easy to use, and completely free, without any bothersome ads.
So, if you're on the hunt for an app to listen to podcasts to keep yourself updated on the latest trends or learn something new, look no further because your Mac already comes with one.