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How to Listen to Podcasts on Android

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Podcasts are enjoying a massive resurgence in popularity.

I listen to them whenever I have time; many friends do the same.

Millions of podcasts are available for free. They are easy to access from your android phone.

Looking to learn how to listen to podcasts on androids?

I will show you how in this guide. Reading the post will help you find, listen to, and save all your favorite podcast shows on your android devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is There a Built-In Podcast App for Android?

Google Podcasts comes pre-installed on Google Pixel devices, but it may only be available on some android devices.

Whether you have it in your android devices depends on the manufacturer. Some have it, others don’t.

Download it from the Google Play store if it doesn’t come built-in to your device.

What Is the Best Podcast Listening App on Android?

The best app for podcasts on android is Google Podcasts, as it is built in-house.

Many listeners may prefer third-party podcast apps available for Android, such as:

  • Pocket Casts
  • Castbox Podcast Player App
  • Spotify
  • Podbean Podcast Player App
  • Stitcher

Castbox and Podbean also offer audiobooks and radio.

What You’ll Need To Listen to Podcasts on Android Devices

Despite allowing people to express their thoughts, podcasts are different from blogs. They are digital audios that are program-driven, episodic, and downloadable. Below are things you will need to listen to podcasts on android:

  • An Android Device: You can listen to podcasts on android phones, tablets, TVs, and even on Google home speakers. If you have one of them, you can try to listen to podcasts.
  • Internet Connection: Podcasters host their audio files on websites. So you will need an internet connection to access them on your device. You can listen to a downloaded podcast offline, however.
  • Podcast App: You will need a podcast listening app installed on your device for the best experience. It is also possible to listen to podcasts directly from the website, but they have limited functionalities.

You don’t have to install anything if you already have the Google Podcast app; a google account to log in should do.

How To Listen to Podcasts on Android: Step-by-Step Instructions

Numerous types of podcasts are available online with millions of episodes.

The ways to listen to a podcast on android have different options, too.

You can start by listening to your favorite podcast episodes on the Google Podcast app.

It has primary functions but is well-integrated with other Google services.

Find out how to listen to podcasts on your Google Podcast app below.

Step 1: Find or Install Google Podcast App

The Google Podcast app comes built-in to your Pixel phones.

You can find it as “Podcasts” on your device’s app drawer or by typing the name in the Google search bar.

You must download it from the Google Play store if it’s unavailable by default.

Find it by searching in the Play store, which will get you the app quickly.

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Step 2: Open the Podcast App To Start Exploring

Open the Google podcast app by clicking on its icon. Your homepage should be empty the first time.

So navigate to the explore page, denoted by a magnifying glass icon at the bottom.

The explore page contains a search bar and a scrollable list of popular and trending podcast shows.

Scrolling down the page will show you snippets of top podcasts in different categories.

It also includes the latest episodes from the best podcasts in each genre.

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Step 3: Search for a Podcast You Like

Got a podcast show you like? Have you heard of a podcast episode and wanted to listen to it?

You can find most podcasts on the Google podcast directory.

  • Navigate to the top of the Explore page and tap on the search bar.
  • Type in what you know about the show – name, podcaster, or episode title.
  • It should start showing you suggestions as you type. You can also click the magnifying glass icon on your GBoard – the Google Keyboard.

The search result page will show you all the podcasts related to your query.

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Step 4: Listen to Your Desired Podcast Shows

You might have noticed a few icons under each episode when exploring or searching for a podcast.

Clicking on the play icon would start initializing the episode before playing it.

You can also click on the episode name to learn more details. The details page has the same icon to start listening.

Tap the list-like icon next to the play button to create a queue with multiple episodes.

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Step 5: Save and Subscribe to Podcasts on Android

There is a download icon on the Google Podcast app at the bottom of every episode’s name and synopsis.

Tap on it to download the podcast in the selection.

To subscribe to a channel:

  1. Navigate to the channel’s page. You can do it on both the search and the explore page by clicking on the channel’s name.
  2. On the channel’s homepage, Google Podcasts will show you a subscribe button underneath the name. Clicking on it will get you subscribed.

You can choose whether to be notified about the subscribed podcast’s new episode releases or whether you want the app to download its latest episodes automatically.

The options will come up disabled by default.

Toggle the bar on the right to enable any of them. You can also unfollow a podcast channel from here.

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Step 6: Share a Podcast or Explore Your Library

You will find three vertical dots at the right of an episode’s snippet. It will allow you to share it.

Sharing a channel would require you to tap on the share icon below the channel’s name.

Once you subscribe to a channel or download a few podcasts, it will be listed in the “Library” section of the app.

You can access all your subscriptions and downloads on Google Podcast’s library.

It also allows you to access and rearrange your queue while keeping track of your podcast listening history.

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Listen to Podcasts Using the Google Assistant

You can use your Google assistant to listen to podcasts on android via the Google Podcast app.

This feature enhances the user experience.

It also facilitates podcast listening on Google Home speakers, Smart Displays, Smart TVs, etc.

Other android devices and speakers with Google assistant and podcasts can benefit from it, too.

To use an assistant for podcast listening:

  1. Say “Hey Google” to initiate your Google Assistant. You can press the button to talk, too.
  2. With the assistant listening, say a command such as play or listen to before the podcast or episode name.

Like the assistant, you can listen to a podcast on android by searching for it on the Search app and playing it directly from the search page.

Listen to Apple Podcasts on Your Android Devices

Most podcasts are not restricted to any one device or system.

They are available on the web for anybody to listen to.

Even if you can’t use Apple Podcasts on android, you can listen to most podcasts found on the Apple podcast catalog by searching for them on Google Podcasts.

Google search on the phone or a computer’s browser will also enable you to find and download a podcast.

If you download an episode on a computer, you need to transfer or sync it to your android device for listening on the go.

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Similar Tutorials To Check Out

Already started listening to podcasts on your android phone?

As you become an enthusiast, you should know more about podcasting.

That’s why I have included a few related tutorials. Check them out below:

  • How to Listen to Podcasts on iPhone: There are several ways to listen to a podcast on your iPhone using Apple Podcasts or other third-party apps.
  • How to Find a Podcast: The best ways to find a podcast to listen to using an iPhone, Android device, web browser, etc.
  • How to Start a Podcast: All the steps to starting a podcast, from creation to promotion, with first-hand tips and suggestions for different creators.

Wrapping Up

Most popular podcasting platforms offer great insight into the culture, history, crime, sports, and just about anything else.

You can subscribe to a podcast, listen to, download, and share its episodes with my instructions above. Let me know if it helped in the comments.

I would be OK with responding to your questions or confusion.

I would also appreciate any suggestions or podcast recommendations from you.

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