How to Delete Podcasts From Your iPhone: A Definitive Guide

Deleting podcasts from your iPhone is a straightforward process, but navigating the options can feel a little overwhelming at first. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of how to remove those audio files and reclaim your storage space: you can delete them directly from the Podcasts app, through the Settings app, or by unsubscribing from the podcast altogether. We’ll explore each of these methods in detail, along with some handy tips and tricks.

Deleting Podcasts Directly From the Podcasts App

This method allows you to target specific episodes or entire podcast series for deletion, offering granular control.

Deleting Individual Podcast Episodes

This is the most common method for removing content you’ve already listened to or no longer want.

1. Open the Podcasts App: Locate the purple Podcasts app icon on your iPhone’s home screen or app library and tap to open it.
2. Navigate to Your Library: Tap the “Library” tab, usually found at the bottom of the screen.
3. Find the Podcast: Browse your library to find the specific podcast containing the episode you want to delete. You might need to tap “Shows” to view all your subscribed podcasts.
4. Locate the Episode: Once you’ve found the podcast, scroll through the list of episodes.
5. Delete the Episode (Method 1: Swipe): Swipe left on the episode title. A red “Delete” button will appear. Tap “Delete” to remove the episode from your device.
6. Delete the Episode (Method 2: Three-Dot Menu): Tap the three dots (ellipsis) next to the episode title. A menu will appear. Select “Remove Download” to delete the downloaded episode. If the episode isn’t downloaded, the option will read “Remove from Library.”
7. Confirm Deletion (If Necessary): In some cases, you might be prompted to confirm your decision. Tap “Delete” or “Remove Download” again to finalize the process.

Deleting an Entire Podcast Series

If you’re ready to say goodbye to an entire podcast, here’s how to remove it:

1. Open the Podcasts App: As before, launch the Podcasts app.
2. Navigate to Your Library: Go to the “Library” tab.
3. Find the Podcast: Locate the podcast you want to remove from your library.
4. Access the Podcast Details: Tap on the podcast’s cover art or title to open its details page.
5. Unsubscribe (Method 1): Tap the three dots (ellipsis) in the top right corner. Select “Unfollow Show” to unsubscribe from the podcast. This will also remove the podcast from your library if you don’t have any downloaded episodes.
6. Unsubscribe (Method 2): Scroll to the bottom of the podcast’s details page. You should see a “Following” button (or “Follow” if you’re not currently following). Tap this button to unsubscribe. If you want to remove all downloaded episodes, tap the three dots menu from the podcast’s details page, and select “Remove All Downloads”.

Deleting Podcasts Through the Settings App

The Settings app provides another avenue for managing your podcast storage, particularly for clearing downloaded episodes in bulk.

1. Open the Settings App: Find the gray gear icon on your home screen or app library and tap to open the Settings app.
2. Navigate to General: Scroll down and tap on “General.”
3. Select iPhone Storage: Tap on “iPhone Storage.” This will show you a breakdown of how your storage is being used.
4. Find the Podcasts App: Scroll through the list of apps until you find “Podcasts.” Tap on it.
5. Review and Delete: You’ll see a list of all the podcasts currently stored on your device, along with the amount of storage they’re consuming. You can either tap “Edit” in the upper right corner to delete specific podcasts individually, or tap on a podcast to see individual episodes and selectively delete them. Select “Delete App” to completely remove the podcast app and all content, however, this is generally not required to remove your podcasts from the iPhone.

Automatically Deleting Played Episodes

This is a great way to keep your podcast library clean and conserve storage space.

1. Open the Settings App: Find the gray gear icon on your home screen or app library and tap to open the Settings app.
2. Scroll to Podcasts: Find the “Podcasts” section.
3. Enable “Delete Played Episodes”: Toggle the switch to the “on” position. This ensures that episodes are automatically deleted 24 hours after you’ve finished listening to them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 12 frequently asked questions to help you manage your podcasts effectively on your iPhone.

1. Why can’t I delete a podcast episode?

There are a few possible reasons. First, ensure the episode is actually downloaded to your device. If it’s just listed but not downloaded (indicated by a cloud icon), it won’t be taking up storage space, and you might only be able to “Remove from Library.” Second, check your podcast settings. You might have “Download Automatically” enabled for certain podcasts, meaning the episode could be re-downloading after you delete it. Finally, ensure your iPhone has sufficient storage space in the first place.

2. How do I stop podcasts from automatically downloading?

Automatic downloads can quickly eat up your storage. To disable them:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll to Podcasts.
3. Toggle off “Automatic Downloads”. You can also configure automatic downloads on a per-show basis by accessing the show’s settings and then selecting “Custom Settings”.

3. Can I recover a deleted podcast episode?

Generally, no. Once an episode is deleted from your iPhone, it’s gone. However, if you haven’t unsubscribed from the podcast, you can usually re-download the episode from the podcast’s feed. Also, double-check if you’ve backed up your iPhone recently.

4. How do I manage podcast subscriptions?

Managing subscriptions is key to controlling your podcast library. Open the Podcasts app, go to your Library, and then tap Shows. Here, you’ll see a list of all your subscriptions. Tap on a podcast to manage its individual settings, such as notification preferences, playback settings, and download options.

5. How do I change the download settings for a specific podcast?

To customize download settings for a particular podcast:

1. Open the Podcasts app.
2. Go to your Library, then Shows.
3. Find the podcast and tap on its cover art.
4. Tap the three dots in the top right corner and select “Settings.”
5. Customize settings such as “Automatic Downloads”, “Limit Episodes”, and “Notifications”.

6. What’s the difference between “Remove Download” and “Remove from Library”?

“Remove Download” deletes the episode file from your device, freeing up storage space. The episode will still appear in your podcast feed if you’re subscribed. “Remove from Library” removes the episode entirely from your library, regardless of whether it’s downloaded or not. It’s more of an organizational tool.

7. How do I prevent podcasts from using cellular data?

If you’re concerned about data usage, disable cellular data for podcasts.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap on “Cellular” (or “Mobile Data”).
3. Scroll down to the list of apps and find “Podcasts.”
4. Toggle the switch to the “off” position. This will force the Podcasts app to only download episodes when connected to Wi-Fi.

8. Why is my podcast app taking up so much storage?

Podcast files can be large, especially video podcasts. Regularly deleting played episodes and disabling automatic downloads are the best ways to manage storage. Also, consider limiting the number of episodes downloaded per podcast in its settings.

9. How do I find deleted podcasts in iCloud?

Deleted podcasts do not typically reside within iCloud; instead, if you follow the original feed, you can redownload the podcast episodes. If you’re struggling to find podcast episodes, try re-searching in the podcasts app.

10. How do I transfer podcasts to my computer?

You can’t directly “transfer” podcasts to your computer. Rather, download the episodes on your computer using iTunes/Apple Music app, or a third-party podcasting application.

11. How do I delete partially downloaded podcasts?

Sometimes, a download gets interrupted, leaving a partially downloaded file. You can delete it the same way you would delete a fully downloaded episode: swipe left on the episode title and tap “Delete” or use the three-dot menu to “Remove Download“.

12. How do I clear the cache of the Podcasts app?

The Podcasts app doesn’t have a dedicated “Clear Cache” button. Clearing the cache will happen automatically when you delete podcast episodes or restart your phone.