Google Podcasts is available on Android and iOS devices. While lacking in some features, it's still a great competitor to some of the best podcast apps like Spotify. It has all the basic features you need to listen to your favorite podcast episodes on the go.
Google Pixel phones come with Google Podcasts preinstalled, so if you've just picked up a new Google Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro, you can start listening without setting up another app. We collected the best tips and tricks for Google Podcasts into this list so that you can make the most of this handy podcast player.
In the past, Google Podcasts was built into Google Search, so you could play a podcast from the search engine without opening a separate app. This feature has been removed as of January 20, 2023.
Set up auto-download for new episodes of your favorite podcasts
When you're traveling, there's nothing worse than forgetting to download the latest episodes from your favorite podcast to your Android phone. Google Podcasts can save you this headache by auto-downloading new episodes as audio files. You can choose to auto-download from a single podcast or multiple.
- Open Google Podcasts.
- Tap your Profile icon in the upper-right corner of the homescreen.
- Tap Podcasts settings.
- Tap Auto Downloading.
- Toggle the Auto-download new episodes switch to on.
- Choose which podcasts you wish to auto-download. Toggle the switch next to each one to enable it.
Seamlessly resume your podcast on a different device
If you own multiple Google Home-powered speakers, you can seamlessly switch which device your podcast plays out of through a Google Assistant voice command. Maybe you were listening to an episode in the car through your Android device and want to switch to your Google Nest Audio once you enter the house. However, this doesn't work on Amazon Alexa speakers.
To resume your podcast, say, "Hey Google, continue my podcast" to your smart speaker.
Remove silent sections and adjust playback without distortion
Google Podcast's playback speeds keep the pitch of voices the same, so you can speed up your episode without the distorted voices. You can also automatically edit out silent sections, so you don't have to wait around for something to happen.
- Start playing a podcast.
- Tap the episode at the bottom of your screen to expand the window.
- Tap the Playback speed button in the lower-left corner of the window.
- Swipe to adjust the playback speed.
- Tap Trim silence to remove empty sections.
Automatically remove completed and unfinished episodes
By default, Google Podcasts removes completed episodes after 24 hours and unfinished episodes after 30 days. However, depending on your listening habits, you may wish to change these settings. Episodes remain downloaded even after you unsubscribe from a podcast.
- Open Google Podcasts.
- Tap your Profile icon in the upper-right corner of the homescreen.
- Tap Podcasts settings.
- Tap Remove completed episodes to change the deadline.
- Tap Remove unfinished episodes to change the deadline.
Subscribe to your favorite podcast by using its RSS feed
One of Google Podcast's drawbacks is that its search function is unreliable. If you struggle to manage your subscription through the app, copy the RSS feed instead.
- Open Google Podcasts.
- Tap the Home button in the lower-left corner of the homescreen.
- Tap the More button underneath your profile icon.
- Tap the RSS Link button in the upper-right corner of your screen.
- Paste your RSS link, and tap Subscribe.
Bulk remove downloaded podcast episodes
Even if your downloaded episodes are automatically removed to your liking, you may have many downloaded episodes filling up your phone's memory. To solve this problem, Google Podcasts has multiple options to remove episodes in bulk. You can remove all episodes, those seven or more days old, and played episodes.
- Open Google Podcasts.
- Tap the Library button in the lower-right corner of the homescreen.
- Tap Downloads.
- Tap the three-dot button in the upper-right corner of your screen.
- Tap one of the bulk remove options.
Set a sleep timer and forget about missing the end of your podcast
Google Podcasts includes a sleep timer, instructing the app to stop playing episodes after a while. This means you can queue up podcast episodes and not worry about having to sleepily get up and turn it off when you're ready to go to bed.
- Open Google Podcasts.
- Tap the episode banner at the bottom of your screen.
- Tap the Sleep timer button (it looks like a moon).
- Choose a time, then tap Start.
The timer runs whether you have an episode playing or not. Tap the timer to adjust how much time is left.
Use Google Podcasts to play your favorite episodes
If you haven't installed Google Podcasts but fancy giving it a try, you can download it from the Google Play Store. It's also available on all of Apple's iPhone, iPad, and macOS devices, so if Apple Podcasts doesn't appeal to you, Google's app might be what you need.
However, if you're an avid podcast listener, Google Podcasts might not cut it, as you'll likely want the best sound quality without breaking the bank.