How to Listen to Podcasts

Some people describe podcasts as "radio on the Internet," but the medium of podcasting has become so much more. From serialized fiction to uncensored comedy to long-form news reporting, podcasts are becoming an increasingly popular resource for entertainment and information. You can listen to podcasts using your computer or a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. Keep reading to understand how to listen to podcasts.

How to listen to podcasts on a Windows PC

Microsoft Windows does not come with a native podcast app, so you need to download one to your PC. Popular podcast apps include Grover Pro, AudioCloud, and iTunes. The following instructions are for iTunes for Windows:

1. After launching iTunes from the Start menu, in the upper-left corner of the iTunes window, choose Podcasts from the drop-down menu.
2. At the top-center of the iTunes Podcasts window, you have these display options: Library, Unplayed, and Store. For now, click on Store. The Podcasts Store is a repository of just about every available podcast. But don't be put off by the name. Even though iTunes calls it a "Store," almost every podcast is free to listen to.
3. In the Podcasts Store, you can browse podcasts by category (like Top Shows, News, Sports, and so on) or search for podcasts by using the Search box in the upper-right corner. When you find one you like, click on its icon. After selecting a podcast, a title page appears that describes the program and presents a list of available episodes.
4. Pick an episode of the podcast and click the Play button (a right-pointing triangle) to the left of the title. It's just like playing a music track in iTunes: You can pause, scrub forward, and scrub backward using the controls at the very top of the iTunes window.
5. If you like a podcast and want to keep listening to more episodes, click the Subscribe button on the upper-left of the podcast's title page. You can access the podcasts you've subscribed to by clicking on Library at the top-center of the iTunes Podcasts window.

How to listen to podcasts on a Mac

Macs comes with the iTunes application installed, and it's your one-stop shop for podcasts. Here's how you find and listen to podcasts with iTunes:

1. After launching iTunes (from either the Dock or the Applications folder), in the upper-left corner of the iTunes window, choose Podcasts from the drop-down menu.
2. At the top-center of the iTunes Podcasts window, you have these display options: Library, Unplayed, and Store. For now, click on Store. And don’t worry -- even though iTunes calls it a "Store," almost every podcast is free to listen to.
3. In the Podcasts Store, you can browse podcasts by category (like Top Shows, News, Sports, and so on) or search for podcasts by using the Search box in the upper-right corner. When you find one you like, click on its icon. After selecting a podcast, a title page appears that describes the program and presents a list of available episodes.
4. Pick an episode of the podcast and click the Play button (a right-pointing triangle) to the left of the title. You can pause, scrub forward, and scrub backward using the controls at the very top of the iTunes window.
5. If you like a podcast and want to keep listening to more episodes, click the Subscribe button on the upper-left of the podcast's title page. When you want to access the podcasts you've subscribed to, just click on Library at the top-center of the iTunes Podcasts window.

How to listen to podcasts on an iPhone or iPad

On iPhones and iPads, iOS provides you with the Podcasts app for listening to podcasts. Here's how you use it:

1. Tap the Podcasts app to launch it.
2. Tap Browse at the bottom of the screen to look for podcasts. You can scroll through lists of popular podcasts in different categories (like Top Shows, News, Sports, and so on), or you can search for a podcast by tapping the Search button
3. When you find a podcast that you want to listen to, tap on its icon. The title page of the podcast appears, which gives a description and a list of available episodes.
4. Tap on an episode title to begin playing it. Much like the Music app in iOS, what you’re playing is displayed at the bottom of the screen. Tap in that area to view playback controls. You can pause as well as skip forward and backward.
5. If you like a podcast and want to keep listening to more episodes, click the Subscribe button at the top of the podcast's title page. You can access the podcasts you've subscribed to by tapping Library at the bottom of the Podcasts app screen.

How to listen to podcasts on an Android phone or tablet

On Android phones and tablets, the easiest way to listen to podcasts is by using the Google Podcasts app, which you need to download and install on your device. Once you've done that, follow these steps:

1. Tap on the Google Podcasts app to open it.
2. Tap the Search button to look for podcasts that might interest you, or scroll down to the Top Podcasts and Trending sections to browse what’s available.
3. When you find a podcast that you want to listen to, tap on its icon. You'll now see the title page of the podcast, which gives a description and a list of available episodes.
4. To listen to an episode, tap the Play button next to its title. The playing episode appears at the bottom of your screen, where you can access playback controls.
5. If you like a podcast and want to keep listening to more episodes, click the Subscribe button at the top-left of the podcast's title page. You can access the podcasts you've subscribed to in the For You section on the main screen of the Google Podcasts app