Free Up Space: Manage Podcasts App Storage on iPhone & iPad

Managing Podcast Storage on Your Apple Device

The Podcasts application on Apple devices automatically retrieves the latest episodes of your subscribed shows and saves them directly to your device.

While this feature offers convenience, it can significantly impact storage capacity, particularly on devices with limited space like 16GB iPhones and iPads.

iOS 15.5 Update: Enhanced Storage Controls

Apple addressed this concern with the release of iOS 15.5, introducing improved controls for managing the storage utilized by the Podcasts app.

These new options empower users to optimize storage usage and prevent podcasts from consuming excessive space.

Recovering Storage Space Within the Podcasts App

The Podcasts app provides several methods for reclaiming storage.

Users can swiftly remove entire podcast series or restrict the number of episodes retained on their device.

• Deleting Shows: Completely remove a podcast series and all downloaded episodes.
• Limiting Episode Storage: Configure the app to automatically delete older episodes once a specified number have been downloaded.

By utilizing these features, you can effectively manage your podcast library and maintain ample storage space on your Apple device.

Regularly reviewing and adjusting these settings will help prevent unexpected storage issues.

Determining the Storage Consumption of the Podcasts Application

Related: Methods for Reclaiming Storage on iPhones and iPads

The amount of storage utilized by the Podcasts app can be ascertained in the same manner as for any other application on your iPhone or iPad. Begin by launching the Settings application.

Subsequently, navigate to "General," then select "Storage & iCloud Usage." Under the Storage section, tap "Manage Storage."

Locating Podcasts App Storage Information

Within the presented list of applications, locate the "Podcasts" app. The corresponding storage space currently occupied on your device will be displayed.

This allows users to quickly identify how much room the Podcasts app is taking up, aiding in storage management.

Rapidly Remove Podcasts to Free Up Space

When immediate storage recovery is needed, this can be accomplished directly through the Storage settings. Locate and select the "Podcasts" application within the list of apps consuming storage. A detailed analysis of its storage allocation will be displayed, showing the space utilized by each podcast subscription.

To remove a podcast, perform a leftward swipe on its listing and then select "Delete." Alternatively, tapping the "Edit" button in the upper-right corner of the screen provides options for swift podcast deletion.

It’s important to note that this process does not cancel your subscriptions. Upon revisiting the Podcasts application, the shows will remain visible. However, no episodes will be retained on your device.

The Podcasts app will continue to download new episodes automatically. You retain the option to download or stream previously downloaded episodes at your discretion.

Managing Podcast Storage Limits

Maintaining normal functionality of the Podcasts application while controlling its storage consumption is achievable through settings adjustments. These configurations are not located within the Podcasts app itself. Instead, access them by opening the iOS Settings app and selecting Podcasts from the main settings menu.

Podcast Default Settings

Within Podcast Defaults, you can define your preferred behavior. By default, the app automatically downloads new podcast episodes and removes those that have been played. However, there's no inherent limit on the number of episodes downloaded and stored.

Consequently, podcasts added previously and infrequently listened to will continue to accumulate new episodes, potentially consuming significant storage space on your iPhone or iPad.

To mitigate this, activate the Limit Episodes function and specify a maximum episode count. For instance, you might configure the app to retain only the 10 most recent episodes, or to automatically delete episodes after a set duration, such as one month.

It’s also crucial to verify that the Delete Played Episodes option is enabled. This ensures automatic space reclamation as you complete listening to your podcasts.

Individual Podcast Settings

The settings found under Settings > Podcasts represent the default parameters applied when subscribing to new podcasts. If you haven’t modified the default options for existing subscriptions, adjusting the above settings will affect them all.

However, if you’ve previously customized settings for specific podcasts, individual updates may be necessary.

To check, launch the Podcasts app and tap the My Podcasts icon. Select a podcast’s name, then tap the gear icon to access its dedicated settings.

Under the On This iPhone or On This iPad section, confirm that the episode limit aligns with your desired configuration.

This interface allows for granular control, enabling you to establish unique limits and settings for each podcast. For example, a news podcast might be limited to one or two recent episodes, while others can retain a larger backlog.

Managing Podcast Episodes Individually

Each downloaded podcast episode can be managed separately. Within the My Podcasts section, selecting a podcast reveals its individual episodes.

Episodes not yet downloaded for offline listening, but available for download or streaming, are indicated by a cloud icon. The absence of this icon signifies that the episode is already stored on your device, consuming storage space.

Consider the example illustrated in the image below; the initial episode has been downloaded, while the subsequent two remain available for download.

Deleting Downloaded Episodes

To remove a downloaded episode, select the "..." menu adjacent to the episode title and choose "Remove Download." This action will free up space on your device.

Alternatively, episodes can be deleted by swiping left on them and tapping "Delete," or by utilizing the "Edit" function for bulk deletion.

Deleting episodes through these methods also removes them from the "Unplayed" list. However, using the "Remove Download" option retains them within the Unplayed view, serving as a reminder that they haven't been listened to.

It's worth noting that even if episodes are deleted from the Unplayed view, they remain visible in the "Feed" view. This can make it difficult to recall whether an episode was listened to or simply deleted during future checks.

Managing Podcast Episode Downloads

It is possible to halt the automatic downloading of new podcast episodes on your iPhone or iPad. Within the Podcasts application, navigate to the "My Podcasts" section to adjust these settings.

Should you wish to discontinue listening to a podcast entirely, you can unsubscribe by swiping left on its listing and selecting "Delete."

Alternatively, you can maintain your subscription while disabling automatic downloads. Select the podcast's name from the "My Podcasts" view, then tap the gear icon to access its settings.

Within the settings, locate the "On This iPhone" or "On This iPad" section. Tap "Download Episodes" and switch the setting to "Off." Future episodes of this podcast will no longer be downloaded automatically.

Adjusting Default Download Settings

To modify the default behavior for all podcasts, preventing automatic downloads for any new subscriptions using those defaults, open the Settings app.

Then, tap "Podcasts" and set "Download Episodes" to "Off" under the "Podcast Defaults" section.

If you utilize a third-party application for podcast listening, these settings will not affect it. Downloaded podcasts from such apps will contribute to the app's overall storage usage, as displayed on the Storage screen.

Manage the storage utilized by these applications through their individual settings. Deleting the app itself will immediately reclaim all storage space occupied by its downloaded podcasts, should you choose to discontinue its use.

Uninstalling the application results in the complete removal of all associated downloaded podcast content.

Image Credit: Casey Fiesler on Flickr