You may enjoy listening to podcasts on your iPhone, but lugging your phone around at the gym or during a jog can be a hassle. Instead, you can tap into your favorite podcasts on an Apple Watch.

In 2018, watchOS 5 added access to Apple's dedicated Podcasts app. Those with an LTE-enabled Apple Watch could listen to podcasts with only a pair of Bluetooth headphones; no nearby Wi-Fi network needed.

With the debut of watchOS 6, the Podcasts app has some new tricks up its sleeve. Through your watch, you can listen to custom stations that you create on your phone and stream specific episodes of podcasts to your watch, so you're not limited to only the most recent episodes or only episodes you've downloaded to your watch.

Let's see how podcast lovers can tap into the Apple Watch's Podcasts app in watchOS 6.


Download watchOS 6 First, make sure you're running watchOS 6 or higher. Open the Watch app on your iPhone. Tap General > Software Update. If you already have version 6.0 or higher, you're good to go. If not, agree to the Terms and Conditions, and the latest update will automatically download.



Connect Your Apple Watch Before you do anything on your watch, you may first want to organize any existing podcasts and manage your subscriptions from your iPhone, iPad, or iTunes on your computer. Then connect your Apple Watch to your Bluetooth headset or speakers so you can listen to a podcast. Fire up the Podcasts app and the initial screen points to the last podcast episode you accessed. Swipe down the screen to view each of your subscribed podcasts.

Navigate a Podcast on Apple Watch Tap a specific podcast to listen to the next episode. At the player screen, you can pause the episode, skip ahead 30 seconds, or go back 15 seconds. You can increase the speed of the episode 1.5 or 2 times or slow it down by half. You can also adjust the volume by turning the Digital Crown on the side. To access a different episode of the podcast, tap the menu icon in the lower left of the screen. From there, swipe down or up to view the different episodes and tap the one you want to hear.

Change Podcasts on Apple Watch To return to the gallery of podcasts, tap the arrow in the upper left of the screen. Keep swiping down until you reach the options screen. Tap the Now Playing entry to return to your last podcast. Back at the options screen, tap Library. Here, you can see a list of all your subscribed podcasts. Tap a specific one to view its episodes and then tap a specific episode to play it. From the library, tap Episodes to see all the episodes for all your subscribed podcasts.

Control Podcasts on iPhone From Apple Watch Listening to podcasts from your Apple Watch is convenient, but if your iPhone is with you, there's another option: listen to podcasts through your phone and control them from your watch. To do this, return to the options screen of the Podcasts app on your watch. Tap the entry for On iPhone. Tap the entry for Now Playing to continue listening to the last episode you accessed on your phone. Tap Listen Now to listen to episodes from other podcasts. Tap Shows to see all your subscribed podcasts. Tap Episodes to view individual episodes from all your subscribed podcasts.

Create Custom Podcast Stations Using the Podcasts app on your iPhone, you can also create a customized station to incorporate specific podcasts and episodes. With watchOS 6, you can access that station and listen to its episodes directly on your watch. Open the Podcasts app on your phone. Tap the Library icon in the app and then tap Edit in the upper-right corner. At the Edit screen, tap New Station. Name the station and tap Save.

Add Podcasts to the Station At the Station Settings screen, choose the various options, such as the Play sort order, how many episodes of each podcast to include, and the media type. You can opt to add all episodes or unplayed only. Finally, choose the podcasts you want to include in the station.



Review Added Podcasts When you're finished, tap the Back arrow. You can now review the episodes of each podcast in the station. Tap the arrow for Library. At the Library screen, tap Done.



View New Podcast Station From the Library screen, you can then tap the station to view and listen to the podcast episodes on your phone.



Sync Podcasts and Stations to Apple Watch Your next step is to sync specific podcasts and custom stations to your Apple Watch. In the My Watch section, tap the entry for Podcasts. The app offers two options for syncing or adding episodes. The Listen Now option adds one episode at a time for the top ten shows that you listen to. The Custom option adds three episodes for every show you select and as many unplayed episodes as possible for your custom stations. The Custom option gives you more control and flexibility over the podcasts and episodes that you sync. Turn on the switch for the custom station you created. If you don’t yet see the station on the screen, you may need to wait a while for it to appear. Then turn on the switch for any regular podcast shows you want to sync to your watch. Podcasts are downloaded when your Apple Watch is connected to a charger and is near your iPhone. So the best time to sync podcasts may be at night when your watch is most likely in its charger and next to your phone.

Listen to the New Station from Apple Watch After all the episodes have synced, go back to your watch and open the Podcasts app. Tap the entry for Library. Tap the entry for Episodes to view the episodes you synced. Tap the entry for Stations and then tap the station you created to view the episodes. Tap the episode you want to hear. You can now listen to each episode on your watch one after another.



Stream Podcast Episodes With watchOS 6, you can stream a specific podcast episode to your watch without first having to download it. To stream episodes, your watch must be near your iPhone or connected to a Wi-Fi network (or a cellular network for LTE-enabled models). Go to the episode you want to stream. You should see a cloud icon next to it. Tap the episode name. The show will start streaming to your watch. The episode should begin playing automatically. If not, tap the Play button to play it.

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