How to Manage and Delete Podcast Episodes in Apple Podcasts

Just a few days ago, Apple released the final version of iOS and iPadOS 15.5, along with macOS 12.4. While there aren’t any earth-shattering new features on board, Apple did implement some nice “quality of life” changes to the Podcasts app on all platforms. But even if you own an iPhone with a bunch of built-in storage, you might see that it’s been getting filled up too quickly with various podcast episodes. Thankfully, Apple has brought the ability to automatically delete podcast episodes in Apple Podcasts.

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Manage and Delete Podcast Episodes in Apple Podcasts on iPhone and iPad

It can really be frustrating to get a notification that you’re running out of storage on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. There are some built-in tools that can alleviate those pain points within the Settings app, such as automatically offloading unused applications.

But the truth is that if you’re an avid podcast listener, that backlog of episodes can build up rather quickly, eating up all of your storage. Provided that you’re running iOS or iPadOS 15.5, here’s how you can reclaim some of that storage and manage how many podcasts are downloaded.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Scroll down and select Podcasts.
3. Under the Downloads section, toggle Remove Played Downloads to the On position.
4. Under Automatic Downloads, tap Automatically Download.
5. Select one of the following:
   • Off
   • Latest Episode per Show
   • 2 Latest Episodes per Show
   • 3 Latest Episodes per Show
   • 5 Latest Episodes per Show
   • 10 Latest Episodes per Show
   • Last 24 Hours
   • Last 7 Days
   • Last 14 Days
   • Last 30 Days
   • All New Episodes

By doing so, you’ll now limit the number of episodes that will be automatically downloaded whenever you subscribe or sign up for a new podcast. Additionally, this ensures that if you stop listening to a podcast for a while and then come back, your storage won’t be taken up by those older episodes.

Also found within the Preferences pane for Podcasts is a toggle to automatically remove downloaded episodes. When enabled, this will remove any downloads 24 hours after you’ve finished listening to them.

Manage and Delete Podcast Episodes in Apple Podcasts on Mac

As you might expect, the Podcasts app on iOS and iPadOS is not that dissimilar to the one found on the Mac. Apple has done quite an impressive job at keeping these apps updated with the same features, especially now that the transition to the M1 chip is almost complete. But if you need to know how to manage and delete podcast episodes in Apple Podcasts on the Mac, here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Open the Podcasts app on your Mac.
2. In the menu bar, click Podcasts.
3. From the drop-down menu, select Preferences…
4. Under the General tab, go to the section named Automatically Download.
5. Click the drop-down menu, and select one of the following:
   • Off
   • Latest Episode per Show
   • 2 Latest Episodes per Show
   • 3 Latest Episodes per Show
   • 5 Latest Episodes per Show
   • 10 Latest Episodes per Show
   • Last 24 Hours
   • Last 7 Days
   • Last 14 Days
   • Last 30 Days
   • All New Episodes

Apple Podcasts Continues To Get Better

If you ask some, podcasts have transformed into a modern version of the radio. You can skip through commercials, or support creators directly and gain access to different add-ons and features that you otherwise wouldn’t have.

Apple has made some great moves in an effort to continue improving the Podcasts app, making it rather difficult for third-party solutions to keep up. Overcast is a great example of a podcast player that many consider to be the best of the best. But if Apple keeps making these kinds of changes to the Podcasts app, then that title might come under threat a bit.

Andrew Myrick

Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US.

He has written for a variety of sites over the years, including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now, he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while moonlighting as a freelance writer at night.