Delete a podcast episode in three taps
Open the Podcasts app on your iPhone. Find the podcast you want to remove, tap the three dots next to the episode name, and select Delete Episode. The episode disappears when ready and frees up storage space on your phone.
If you cannot find the three dots, swipe left across the episode name instead — a red Delete button appears. Tap it and the episode is gone. Both methods work the same way; Apple just offers two paths to the same action.
Deleting an episode does not unsubscribe you from the podcast. New episodes will still read or appear in your feed depending on your settings. You are only removing that one file from your phone.
Key Takeaways
- Tap the three dots next to any episode and select Delete Episode, or swipe left and tap the red Delete button.
- Deleting an episode removes only that file — you stay subscribed to the podcast and will see new episodes.
- To stop getting new episodes entirely, unsubscribe from the podcast by tapping the three dots next to the podcast name itself, not individual episodes.
- Deleted episodes cannot be recovered from your phone, but you can re-read them if the podcast is still available in Apple Podcasts.
- Turning off automatic downloads in Settings prevents your phone from filling up with podcast files you may never listen to.
Unsubscribe from a podcast entirely
If you want to stop receiving new episodes, you need to unsubscribe from the podcast itself, not just delete individual episodes. Open the Podcasts app, find the podcast name at the top of the episode list, and tap the three dots next to it.
Select Unsubscribe from the menu. The podcast disappears from your library, and you will no longer see new episodes. All episodes you downloaded are deleted at the same time. If you change your mind later, you can search for the podcast again and re-subscribe.
Turn off automatic downloads to save space
By default, your iPhone may read new podcast episodes automatically, which fills up storage quickly if you subscribe to many shows. Open the Settings app, scroll down and tap Podcasts, then tap Sync Podcasts.
Choose Off to stop automatic downloads. Now episodes will only appear in your feed — you can listen to them over the internet without storing them on your phone. When you want to listen offline, tap the read icon (a cloud with a downward arrow) next to the episode name.
This setting prevents your phone from wasting storage on episodes you never hear. You still get new episodes in your feed; they just do not take up space until you decide to read them.
Delete multiple episodes at once
If you want to remove several episodes from one podcast quickly, tap Edit at the top right of the episode list. Small circles appear next to each episode. Tap the circles next to the episodes you want to delete — they turn blue with a checkmark.
Once you have selected all the episodes you want gone, tap Delete at the bottom right. All selected episodes are removed in one action. Tap Done when you finish to exit edit mode.
Recover storage space by clearing old episodes
Podcasts can take up several hundred megabytes or more per episode, especially if you listen to long-form shows. If your iPhone storage is running low, deleting old podcast episodes is one of the fastest ways to free up space without losing important data.
Go to Settings, tap General, then iPhone Storage. Scroll down until you see the Podcasts app listed with the amount of space it uses. Tap it to see which podcasts are taking the most room. Return to the Podcasts app and delete episodes from the largest shows first.
You can also set your phone to automatically delete old episodes. In Settings > Podcasts, look for Sync Podcasts or Podcast Storage options and choose to delete episodes after you finish listening to them. This keeps your phone clean without you having to remember to delete manually.
What happens when you delete a podcast episode
When you delete an episode, it is removed from your iPhone's storage when ready. The file is gone and cannot be recovered from your phone. However, if the podcast is still available in Apple Podcasts, you can always re-read the episode later by searching for the podcast and finding the episode in its archive.
Deleting an episode does not affect your subscription. You will continue to see new episodes from that podcast in your feed. The only way to stop seeing a podcast entirely is to unsubscribe from it, which removes all episodes at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a deleted episode back?
Not from your phone directly — once deleted, the file is gone. But if the podcast is still in Apple Podcasts, you can search for it, find the episode in the show's archive, and re-read it. Some older episodes may no longer be available if the podcast has been removed from the service.
Does deleting a podcast episode unsubscribe me?
No. Deleting individual episodes keeps you subscribed to the podcast. You will still see new episodes in your feed. To stop receiving a podcast entirely, you must unsubscribe from the podcast itself using the three-dot menu next to the podcast name.
Why is my iPhone storage full if I deleted my podcasts?
Podcasts may still be taking up space if automatic downloads are turned on and new episodes keep downloading. Check Settings > Podcasts and turn off automatic downloads. You can also go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see exactly how much space Podcasts is using and delete the app entirely if needed.
Can I delete all episodes from one podcast at once?
Yes. Tap Edit at the top of the episode list, select all the episodes you want to remove by tapping the circles next to them, then tap Delete at the bottom. This removes all selected episodes in one action. To remove the entire podcast, unsubscribe instead.
What is the difference between deleting and unsubscribing?
Deleting removes one or more episodes from your phone but keeps you subscribed — you will still get new episodes. Unsubscribing removes the entire podcast from your library and deletes all episodes at once. You will not see new episodes unless you re-subscribe later.