In addition to audio podcasts, Pocket Casts also supports playback of video episodes (in both landscape and portrait orientation).
Video episodes reach Pocket Casts in one of two ways: as a standard video file (usually MP4), or as an adaptive video stream that uses HLS (HTTP Live Streaming). Pocket Casts plays both automatically, so there is nothing you need to turn on.
Some podcasts deliver their video as an adaptive stream instead of a single video file, using a format called HLS (HTTP Live Streaming). Pocket Casts plays these episodes automatically, and the video quality adjusts to suit your internet connection as you watch. Streaming video episodes are supported on iOS, Android, the web player, and the desktop apps.
More podcast hosting platforms are adopting this format, so some shows that used to be audio-only in Pocket Casts can now be watched as video. Whether an episode offers video is up to the podcast: the show has to publish a video stream in its feed, and most podcasts do not do this yet.
Note: Not all video podcasts use HLS. Pocket Casts has always played video episodes that are published as standard MP4 files, and those episodes work exactly as before. If a podcast publishes its video only on YouTube or through another app’s own system, that video will not appear in Pocket Casts.
While you are streaming a video episode that uses HLS, some playback effects are not available. What is affected depends on the app you are using:
| Playback Effect | iOS | Android | Web Player & Desktop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trim Silence | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Volume Boost | Not available | Available | Not available |
| Playback speed | Up to 2x | Full range | Up to 2x |
These limits apply only while a streaming video episode is playing. Playback effects return to normal automatically as soon as you play a regular episode.
Note: Streaming video episodes cannot be downloaded as video. When you download one, you get the podcast’s standard audio file instead, and every playback effect works normally on that download, including speeds above 2x.
By default, a video episode will be displayed in portrait mode. To switch a video’s orientation to landscape in the mobile apps, please follow these steps:
- Enable screen auto-rotation in your mobile device’s settings. Different devices will have different names for this setting, like “Portrait Orientation Lock” or “Auto rotate.”
- While playing the video episode in Pocket Casts, rotate your phone to landscape mode.
- Pocket Casts, and the video you’re playing, should now be in landscape mode.
- If the video is not in landscape mode, first tap on the video, then rotate the mobile device.
iOS: View a video in landscape mode, then tap the expand icon in the top left corner to view the video in full-screen mode.
If you would rather listen than watch — for example, if you want to turn the video off in your browser while you work — you can play a video episode as audio only. This works in the web player, the Mac and Windows desktop apps, and the iOS and Android mobile apps.
When a podcast offers a streaming video episode, video plays by default. You can switch a single episode to audio, or turn video off for every episode.
While a streaming video episode is playing, use the video/audio control to switch between watching and listening:
- iOS and Android: open the shelf in the full-screen player, then tap the video/audio action.
- Web player (in your browser) and the Mac and Windows desktop apps: click the headset/camera icon in the player controls.
Your place in the episode is kept when you switch, and you can switch back at any time.
Turn on the Audio only setting to stop video from playing on any episode. This setting syncs across your devices:
- iOS and Android: Settings > General > Audio only
- Web player (in your browser) and the Mac and Windows desktop apps: Settings > Playback > Audio only
While Audio only is turned on, the video/audio control is hidden.
On the Android and iOS mobile apps, you can hide the video for any video episode by collapsing the player to the mini player:
- Play the video episode.
- If the video player is taking up the entire screen, tap the “x” on the upper-right corner to go back to the “Now Playing” screen.
- While on the “Now Playing” screen:
- Tap the back button on your mobile device, or
- Tap the “v” icon to the left of the “Now Playing” tab.
- The mini player should now be visible in the app. Video from the episode will be hidden, but audio will continue playing.
If you previously hid a video episode using the mini player on the mobile app, you can switch it back to video by following these steps:
- On the Pocket Casts app, tap the mini player.
- The full-screen player should now be expanded to show the episode’s video.
Yes. To switch a single episode, use the video/audio control while the episode is playing. To stop video from playing on every episode, turn on the Audio only setting — on iOS and Android go to Settings > General > Audio only, and in the web player and desktop apps go to Settings > Playback > Audio only.
Yes. In the web player and in the Mac and Windows desktop apps, click the headset/camera icon in the player controls to play the current episode as audio only. To turn video off for every episode, go to Settings > Playback and turn on Audio only.
Pocket Casts plays video that podcasts publish through the open Podcasting 2.0 standard. If a show publishes its video only on YouTube or through another app’s own system, that video will not appear in Pocket Casts. If you would like to watch a particular show in Pocket Casts, let the podcast know they can include a video stream in their feed.
