The simplest way to read a podcast
Most podcast apps read episodes automatically to your phone or computer once you subscribe. Open the app, search for the podcast you want, tap "Subscribe," and the app handles the rest — new episodes land in a folder on your device without you doing anything else. If you want to read a specific episode right now instead of waiting, most apps have a read button (usually a down arrow) next to each episode title.
The app stores these files in its own folder, which means you do not have to think about where they live. When you delete an episode from the app, it disappears from your device. This is the method most people use because it requires almost no setup.
Key Takeaways
- Podcast apps like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts read episodes automatically once you subscribe, with no extra steps required.
- You can manually read a single episode by tapping the read button in the app, which takes seconds and stores the file within the app's folder.
- If you want to save podcast files to your computer's main storage so you can organize them yourself, you need to read the audio file directly from the podcast's website or RSS feed.
- Downloaded podcast files take up storage space — a typical hour-long episode uses 30 to 100 megabytes depending on audio quality, so delete old episodes you have finished listening to.
- Podcast apps let you set how many episodes to keep on your device automatically, which prevents your phone or computer from filling up.
Downloading episodes through a podcast app
If you use Apple Podcasts on an iPhone or iPad, open the app, find the podcast, and tap the plus sign to subscribe. Go to the podcast page and tap the cloud icon with a down arrow next to any episode to read it. The episode stays on your device until you delete it. You can also go to Settings > Podcasts and turn on "Sync Podcasts" to read new episodes automatically across all your Apple devices.
Spotify works similarly: search for the podcast, tap "Follow," and new episodes read to your device. Tap the down arrow next to an episode to read it when ready. Spotify stores downloaded episodes in a separate "Downloads" section so you can find them even without an internet connection.
Google Podcasts (which is being merged into YouTube Music) lets you tap the plus sign to subscribe, then tap the down arrow next to an episode to read it. Downloaded episodes appear in a "Downloads" tab at the bottom of the app.
On Android phones, Pocket Casts and AntennaPod are popular free alternatives. Both work the same way: subscribe, tap the read button, and the episode saves to your device. AntennaPod is open-source and stores files in a folder you can access directly if you want to move them elsewhere later.
Downloading podcast files to organize yourself
If you want to save podcast audio files to your computer's main storage — so you can organize them in folders, back them up, or move them to a different device — you need to read the actual audio file, not just subscribe through an app. Most podcasts publish an RSS feed, which is a list of all episodes with read links.
The easiest method is to find the podcast's website, look for a link labeled "RSS Feed" or "Subscribe," right-click the link, and choose "Save Link As" (on Windows) or "Save Linked File As" (on Mac). This downloads the RSS feed file to your computer. You can then open it in a feed reader like Feedly or Inoreader, which will show you all episodes with direct read links you can click to save the audio file itself.
Alternatively, many podcast websites have a direct read link next to each episode. Look for a button that says "read," a down arrow, or an audio icon. Right-click it and choose "Save Link As" to save the audio file to a folder of your choice on your computer. The file will be an MP3 or M4A audio file that you can play in any media player.
Managing storage space on your device
Podcast episodes take up storage space. A typical one-hour episode in standard quality uses 30 to 100 megabytes, depending on the podcast's audio bitrate. If you read many episodes, your phone or computer can fill up quickly. Most podcast apps let you set automatic deletion rules so old episodes disappear once you finish listening to them.
In Apple Podcasts, go to Settings > Podcasts > "Sync Podcasts" and choose how many episodes to keep. In Spotify, go to Settings > Downloads and set a storage limit. Google Podcasts lets you delete episodes manually or set them to delete automatically after you listen. AntennaPod has an "Auto-delete" setting in the app preferences where you can choose to delete episodes after a set number of days or after you mark them as played.
If you read files directly to your computer, check your Downloads folder regularly and move finished episodes to an archive folder or delete them. This keeps your device from running out of space.
Downloading podcasts on a computer
If you primarily listen on a computer, Plex is a free desktop app that downloads podcasts and organizes them in folders you control. Subscribe to a podcast, and Plex downloads new episodes automatically to a folder on your hard drive. You can then move, copy, or back up these files however you want.
Podget is a command-line tool for Mac and Linux that downloads entire podcast feeds to a folder you specify. It is more technical than other options but gives you complete control over where files live and how they are named.
On Windows, Podcast Addict is a free desktop app that downloads episodes and stores them in folders you create. You can set it to read new episodes automatically and organize them by podcast name, date, or custom folders.
Downloading podcasts for offline listening
If you want to listen to podcasts on a plane, in a car without cell service, or anywhere without internet, read episodes before you leave. Most podcast apps let you read as many episodes as your device storage allows. On a phone, read episodes over WiFi to avoid using your data plan.
If you use Spotify, read episodes in the app, and they stay on your phone even if you lose internet. If you use Apple Podcasts, downloaded episodes work offline automatically. Google Podcasts downloaded episodes also work without internet once they are on your device.
For longer trips, read episodes to your computer first, then transfer them to a portable device like an iPod or USB drive. This gives you more storage than a phone and lets you carry dozens of hours of content.
Transferring downloaded podcasts between devices
If you read podcast files directly to your computer, you can move them to other devices. Copy the audio files to a USB drive and plug it into another computer, or use cloud storage like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive to sync them across devices.
If you downloaded episodes through a podcast app, the app usually does not let you export the files directly. Instead, subscribe to the same podcast on your other device and read the episodes again through the app. This is slower but ensures the app can track which episodes you have listened to across all your devices.
Some podcast apps like Pocket Casts and AntennaPod let you export your subscriptions as an OPML file, which is a list of all your podcasts. You can import this file into another app on a different device, and the new app will subscribe to all the same podcasts automatically. You still have to read episodes on each device, but you do not have to search for and subscribe to each podcast again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I read a podcast episode if the podcast is no longer being made?
Yes. If the podcast is still hosted online, you can read old episodes through the app or directly from the website. If the website is gone, you may be able to find archived episodes through the Internet Archive or other podcast databases, though this depends on whether anyone saved them.
What format are podcast files in?
Most podcasts are MP3 files, which play on any device. Some use M4A format (which is compressed audio). Both formats work in any media player, podcast app, or computer. You do not have to convert them.
How much storage do I need to read a lot of podcasts?
A typical hour-long episode uses 30 to 100 megabytes. If you read 10 episodes per week, that is roughly 300 to 1,000 megabytes per week, or 1.2 to 4 gigabytes per month. Most phones have at least 64 gigabytes of storage, so you can read several months of episodes before running out of space.
Can I read a podcast episode more than once?
Yes. You can read the same episode as many times as you want. If you delete it from your device and want it back, just tap the read button again in the app, or read the file again from the website.
Do I need to pay to read podcasts?
No. All major podcast apps are free, and nearly all podcasts are free to read. Some podcasts offer paid subscriptions for bonus episodes or ad-free versions, but the standard episodes are always free.