How to listen to podcasts offline

Airplane mode, subway tunnels, rural dead zones, international travel without a data plan. There are plenty of reasons you might need to listen to podcasts without an internet connection. Every major podcast app supports offline listening. You just need to set it up.

TL;DR

Download episodes over Wi-Fi before you leave. Most apps can do this automatically.
Set per-show download rules so your favorite podcasts always have fresh episodes ready.
Manage storage by auto-deleting played episodes and limiting downloads per show.
Any podcast app works for offline listening. Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Overcast, Spotify, and Podtastic all support downloads.

How to download episodes on iPhone

Apple Podcasts

Open a podcast's show page
Tap the download icon (arrow pointing down) next to an episode
The episode downloads over your current connection

To set up automatic downloads: go to the show page, tap the three-dot menu, select "Settings," and toggle on "Download Episodes." You can choose to download all new episodes or only the most recent.

Overcast

Open an episode
Tap the download button
Or enable automatic downloads per show in the show's settings

Overcast downloads episodes to your device storage. You can set it to only download on Wi-Fi in the app settings to save cellular data.

Podtastic

Tap the download icon on any episode
Or enable auto-download per show in show settings

Podtastic downloads episodes and processes them with Pod-telligence at the same time. When you're offline, Smart Summaries, Smart Topics, and Smart Playback are all ready to go.

How to download episodes on Android

Pocket Casts

Tap the download icon on any episode listing
For auto-downloads: open a show, tap the settings gear, and toggle "Auto Download"

Pocket Casts lets you set a global download limit (e.g., keep only the 3 most recent episodes per show) to manage storage.

Podcast Addict

Long-press an episode and select "Download"
For automatic downloads: adjust per-podcast settings or set global rules under Settings > Downloads

Podcast Addict's download rules are the most granular of any app. You can set conditions like "download new episodes only on Wi-Fi, only when charging, and keep a maximum of 5."

Spotify

Open an episode and tap the download arrow
To enable auto-download: go to Settings > Downloads and toggle it on

Spotify downloads episodes to app storage. One catch: downloaded Spotify episodes expire if you don't connect to the internet for 30 days.

Managing storage

Podcast downloads add up fast. A typical one-hour episode uses 30-60 MB in standard quality. If you're subscribed to 20 shows that each release weekly, that's 600 MB to 1.2 GB per week.

Tips to keep storage under control:

Auto-delete played episodes. Most apps offer this setting. Turn it on and finished episodes disappear automatically.
Limit downloads per show. Set a cap of 3-5 episodes. Older unplayed episodes get removed when new ones download.
Download on Wi-Fi only. Prevent surprise cellular data usage by restricting downloads to Wi-Fi.
Check your storage periodically. On iPhone: Settings > General > iPhone Storage, then find your podcast app. On Android: Settings > Storage > Apps.
Lower audio quality. Some apps let you choose download quality. Standard quality (64-96 kbps) sounds fine on earbuds and uses half the storage of high quality.

Offline listening tips

Downloading episodes is step one. Here are a few things to set up so offline listening goes smoothly:

Queue your episodes before you go offline. Build your playlist or "Up Next" queue while you still have a connection. Some apps won't let you rearrange or search your library without internet access.

Sync your position. If you listen on multiple devices, make sure your playback position syncs before going offline. Most apps sync automatically, but it helps to open the app briefly.

Don't forget show notes. Most podcast apps cache show notes and chapter markers when they download the episode. But links in show notes won't work without a connection.

Test it first. Put your phone in airplane mode and try playing a downloaded episode. Make sure it plays without issues. Some streaming-focused apps occasionally need a network check even for downloaded content.

For more on picking the right app, see our best podcasting apps comparison, or check our guide to managing podcast subscriptions for tips on keeping your library organized.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I listen to podcasts offline for free?

Yes. Apple Podcasts (iPhone) and AntennaPod (Android) both support free offline downloads with no subscription required. Spotify's free tier also allows podcast downloads, though with some limitations. See our best free podcast apps guide for more options.

How much storage do podcast downloads use?

A one-hour episode at standard quality uses approximately 30-60 MB. At high quality, it's closer to 80-120 MB. If you listen to 10 episodes per week, expect to use roughly 300 MB to 1.2 GB weekly, depending on episode length and quality settings.

Do downloaded podcasts expire?

In most apps (Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podtastic), downloaded episodes stay on your device until you delete them. Spotify is an exception: downloaded episodes may expire if you don't go online for 30 days.

Can I download podcasts on cellular data?

Yes, but most apps default to Wi-Fi-only downloads to save your data plan. You can change this in your app's download settings. A single episode can use 30-120 MB, so downloading over cellular adds up quickly.

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How to Listen to Podcasts Offline