Bookmarks on the iOS and Android Mobile Apps

Adding a Bookmark With the Full-Screen Player

On the iOS and Android mobile apps, you can add a bookmark through the full-screen player by following these steps:

  1. Begin playing a podcast episode or one of your files.
  2. Go to the full-screen player by either swiping up from the bottom of the screen or tapping on the mini-player at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Check for the “Add Bookmark” action at the bottom of the screen. You may need to click the three-dot “…” icon to access “More Actions.” From the “More Actions” area, you can also make “Add Bookmark” a shortcut on the player by clicking “Edit” on iOS or the pencil icon on Android.
  4. Tap “Add Bookmark.”
  5. You will be prompted to enter an optional title to identify the bookmark you’re adding.
  6. Tap “Save Bookmark.”
  7. A notification at the bottom of the screen will pop up to confirm that you have added a bookmark. You can also click “View” on the notification, and it will take you to the Bookmarks tab, where you should see your newly added bookmark.

Adding a Bookmark With Your Bluetooth Headphones or Speaker

On the iOS and Android mobile apps, you can add a bookmark using your Bluetooth headphones or speaker according to these steps:

  1. Go to Profile > Settings (the gear icon on the upper-right corner of the screen) > Headphone Controls.
  2. In the Headphone Controls screen, set at least one action from "Previous Action" and "Next Action" to "Add Bookmark." Note that your settings here do not yet sync across devices. So, you'll want to set these for each mobile device where you wish to add bookmarks with your Bluetooth headphones or speaker.
  3. The "Bookmark Confirmation Sound" setting will be enabled by default. You can choose to turn it off. When "Bookmark Confirmation Sound" is on, you'll hear a confirmation sound whenever you create a bookmark using your Bluetooth headphones or speaker.
  4. Connect your mobile device with your Bluetooth headphones or speaker. The headphones or speaker must have controls for going to the previous and next tracks.
  5. Begin listening to an episode or file.
  6. Depending on which action you set to "Add Bookmark" in the app's Headphone Controls, use your headphone or speaker controls to go to either the previous or next track. If you have the "Bookmark Confirmation Sound" setting enabled, you'll hear a confirmation sound every time you add a bookmark.
  7. If your screen is on and the Pocket Casts app is active, you can add an optional title to the bookmark before it is saved.

Viewing Bookmarks

On the iOS and Android mobile apps, you can view your saved bookmarks from any of the following places:

  • The "Bookmarks" tab on the full-screen player – this will only show the bookmarks for the currently playing episode or file.
  • The "Bookmarks" tab on a podcast's page – this will be next to the "Episodes" tab, and it will show all bookmarks saved across all of the relevant podcast's episodes.
  • The "Bookmarks" tab on an episode's screen – this will be next to the "Details" tab, and it will only show the bookmarks for the relevant episode.
  • "Bookmarks" on a file's screen – this will only show the bookmarks for the relevant file.

Renaming a Bookmark

On the iOS and Android mobile apps, there are two ways you can rename an existing bookmark:

  • Renaming from a list:
  1. View your bookmarks from any of the following places: the full-screen player, a podcast's page, an episode's screen, or a file's screen.
  2. Long-press on the bookmark you wish to rename.
  3. You will be taken to a "Change title" screen where you can submit a new title for your bookmark.
  4. Tap "Change title."
  • Renaming from the full-screen player:
  1. Pause or skip playback to a point of an episode where you have previously saved a bookmark.
  2. While playback is paused, tap "Add Bookmark."
  3. Provided that playback is paused exactly where you saved a bookmark previously, you will be taken to a "Change title" screen where you can submit a new title for your bookmark.
  4. Tap "Change title."

Deleting a Bookmark

On the iOS and Android mobile apps, you can delete a bookmark or even multiple bookmarks by following the steps below:

  1. View your bookmarks from any of the following places: the full-screen player, a podcast's page, an episode's screen, or a file's screen.
  2. Long-press on a bookmark.
  3. Select a bookmark you wish to delete. You can even use multi-select (iOS, Android) to delete multiple bookmarks at once.
  4. Tap the trashcan icon.
  5. You'll be shown a dialog asking you to confirm whether you're sure you wish to delete the bookmark(s) you've selected.
  6. If you're sure, tap "Delete" on iOS or "Delete bookmark" on Android. 

Sorting Bookmarks

On the iOS and Android mobile apps, you can sort your bookmarks according to these steps:

  1. View your bookmarks from any of the following places: the full-screen player, a podcast's page, an episode's screen, or a file's screen.
  2. Tap the three-dot icon on the upper-right corner of the screen.
  3. Tap "Sort By"
  4. Select the sorting method you prefer.

Bookmarks

Bookmarks is a paid feature that allows you to save important moments in episodes, so you can jump back to them later on any device you wish to use. Not only will you be able to save bookmarks from within the apps, but you’ll also be able to add bookmarks directly from your headphones with customizable Headphone Action settings.

Bookmarks is available in Pocket Casts from the following app versions:

  • iOS and Android mobile apps: 7.52 for Patron users and 7.53 for Plus users
  • Web and desktop apps: 3.6.17 for Patron users and 3.6.18 for Plus users

Getting Started

Before anything else, make sure:

  • You are signed in to your Pocket Casts account, and
  • Your account has either Plus or Patron status. You can sign up for a 14-day free trial here: Get Plus.

Then, depending on the platform where you wish to use Bookmarks, you can check out our guides:

FAQs

Which Pocket Casts integrations currently support Bookmarks?

The Bookmarks feature is currently available on the following:

  • CarPlay – through headphone controls
  • Android Auto – through headphone controls

Bookmarks is not available on the following:

  • Apple Watch
  • Wear OS
  • Android Automotive

Can I add bookmarks to my files?

Yes!

Can I access all my bookmarks in one view?

Not yet! Currently, you can only view all bookmarks within a podcast, a specific episode, or a file. In the future, however, we do plan to make all your bookmarks accessible in one view.

Why doesn’t playback always resume at the exact point I bookmarked?

If a podcast uses dynamic content or ads, the duration of its episodes may vary. This, in turn, will affect the accuracy of where bookmarks are placed.

On the mobile apps, downloading an episode (iOS, Android) may offer a more reliable bookmarking experience.

Can I change a bookmark’s position?

No, you cannot change a bookmark’s position once it is added. However, you can delete the bookmark and add a new bookmark at the desired position.

Can I bookmark both streamed and downloaded episodes?

Absolutely! The Bookmarks feature works on both streamed and downloaded episodes.

Do bookmarks sync across multiple devices?

Yes. Bookmarks is available on our iOS and Android mobile apps, as well as our web and desktop apps. As long as you are signed in to the same Pocket Casts Plus or Patron account across these platforms, your bookmarks will sync.

Can I add bookmarks even if I am offline?

Yes.

Is it possible to export and share my bookmarks?

Exporting and sharing bookmarks is not yet supported, but stay tuned!

Can I add notes to my bookmarks?

You cannot add notes to your bookmarks yet. However, this may be possible in the future


Playback 2023

Playback 2023 explores your Listening History and shows you snapshots of your journey with Pocket Casts over the past year in the form of stories. You can then preserve these unique stories as photos and share your journey with others across different platforms like Tumblr, X, Facebook, Instagram, and so on.

This feature is available on our Android and iOS apps from version 7.52.

FAQs

How does Playback 2023 work?

Your Playback 2023 stories are automatically generated from your Listening History.

Do I need to create an account or log in to see stories?

Yes, Playback 2023 uses your Listening History to generate your stories, so you’ll need to be logged in to your Pocket Casts account. Signing up for one is free!

Why are my stories missing a lot of data?

This normally happens if you’ve cleared your listening history at any point over the past year.

We don’t keep copies of users’ listening histories for privacy reasons. So, if the listening history has been deleted, we’ll only be able to create stories with data from after the deletion.

Why do I see slightly different results in iOS compared to Android?

Slight differences across platforms would be due to how the calculation is done. Specifically, some small differences might occur based on the synced data in the devices.

Will the stories update as I continue listening to podcasts in December?

Yes! All your listening data from 2023 will be reflected in your stories. So, if there’s a podcast you’d like to see highlighted in your stories, just listen to it!

The number of hours I listened to seems absurdly high. Is that right?

Yes and no.

We’re unable to track smart speed from Playback Effects, so what you’ll see is the amount of listening time in real-world seconds. This means that, if you listened to a 60-minute episode in 3x speed, we’d count it as 60 minutes instead of 20. We hope to improve that soon, however, to provide more accurate listening time.

Why are the Top 5 podcasts not ordered by listening time?

Unlike 2022, we ordered the top podcasts this year by taking into consideration both your listening time and the number of episodes you listened to. We wanted to avoid results that might be influenced by, say, a podcast with lengthy episodes that you only listened to a few times.

If you’re not too happy with the results of this change, however, do let us know!

Until when will Playback 2023 be available?

Playback 2023 will be available until the first version release of 2024, so around January 15. Until then, you can see your stories.

Are there stories exclusive to Plus and Patron users?

Yes. This year, we have the following two stories that are exclusive to paid users:

  • Year over year – shows how your listening time from 2023 compares to 2022
  • Completion rate: shows your episode completion rate throughout 2023

Any user, however, can start seeing and sharing these exclusive stories by subscribing to Plus or Patron right from the stories!


Uninstalling and Reinstalling the App

Uninstalling as a Last Resort for Troubleshooting

We rarely recommend uninstalling and reinstalling Pocket Casts as a troubleshooting measure. Uninstalling and reinstalling the app should be a very last resort. This is because Pocket Casts Sync currently does not include certain information, like most of your user settings and downloads. You will, however, retain your podcast subscriptions, listening history, filters, and stats, as long as you are logged in to your sync account.

Performing a Clean Reinstall on Android Devices

On some Android devices, you may find that your Pocket Casts data is retained, even after reinstalling. This is likely due to a Restore Schedule on your device, so you’ll want to check your device for any settings that automatically restore backups on your phone. The exact location of these settings will be different for every device model and Android OS version.

To get a clean reinstall of the app if you have auto-restore enabled, please disable it or at least exclude Pocket Casts from it. You can also try the following steps to clear app storage after reinstalling:

  1. Sign out from the app
  2. Long press app icon
  3. Tap on the info icon at the bottom
  4. Tap on Storage and cache
  5. Tap on Clear storage and delete app data
  6. Re-open the app
  7. No data should be retained

Single Sign-On: Accounts Using “Continue With Google” or “Continue With Apple”

You can use your existing Google or Apple account to create a Pocket Casts account by choosing either "Continue with Google" or "Continue with Apple" when logging in.

Adding a password to an account created with “Continue With Google” or “Continue With Apple”

If your account was created either with “Continue with Google” or “Continue with Apple,” you may run into some Pocket Casts integrations that ask you for an account password. You can set an account password by entering your email address into our “Forgot password?” form.

Do note that if you’re using Apple’s Private Relay email service, you’ll want to ensure you’re entering your Private Relay email.

Changing the email address on an account created with “Continue With Google” or “Continue With Apple”

If your account was created either with “Continue with Google” or “Continue with Apple,” you can follow these steps to change your account email address:

  1. Set an account password by entering your email address into our “Forgot password?” form.
  2. After you’ve set an account password, log out of the app.
  3. Log back in using the “Login” button and not “Continue with Google” or “Continue with Apple.”
  4. Sign in with your email address and password.
  5. Change your account email address from Profile > Account > Change email address.

After following the above steps successfully, please remember to keep logging in to Pocket Casts with the “Login” button instead of “Continue with Google” or “Continue with Apple.” This way, we can prevent a new sync account from being created for you, especially if you might be using Apple’s Private Relay email service.

 


Autoplay

With Autoplay enabled, and provided that your Up Next queue is empty, Pocket Casts will automatically start the next episode from an episode list once the current episode finishes.

Autoplay is available in Pocket Casts from the following app versions:

  • Version 7.43 of the iOS and Android mobile apps
  • Version 3.6.8 of the web and desktop apps

 

Requirements

To start using Autoplay, the following must be true:

  • Your app version already includes Autoplay. We also advise that you keep the app updated to the latest version available for your device.
  • Your Up Next queue is empty.
  • Autoplay is enabled from the following places: 
    • In the mobile apps: Profile > Settings (gear icon) > General
    • In the web and desktop apps: Profile (your profile photo) > Settings > Playback
  • You’ve started playing an episode from an episode list, which can be one of the following:
    • Podcasts > the podcast of your choice
    • Filters > a particular filter
    • Profile > Downloads
    • Profile > Starred

 

FAQs

How can I disable Autoplay?

You can disable Autoplay from the following places:

  • In the mobile apps: Profile > Settings (gear icon) > General
  • In the web and desktop apps: Profile (your profile photo) > Settings > Playback

 

Will Autoplay start working right after I finish the last episode on my Up Next queue?

No. If you have an Up Next queue and you finish playing all the episodes in it, nothing will be autoplayed.

For Autoplay to work, you’ll want to have a completely empty Up Next queue the moment you play any episode from an episode list

 

Can I toggle between Autoplay and the Up Next queue?

No, this is not possible. If this is something you wish to see, however, do let us know!

 

Which Pocket Casts integrations does Autoplay currently work with?

Autoplay currently works with the following:

  • Apple Watch, but only when using “Phone” as the play source
  • CarPlay
  • Android Auto
  • Android Automotive
  • AirPlay
  • Chromecast, but only when casting from an Android phone

Autoplay does not yet work with Wear OS.

 

Why doesn’t Autoplay work when I switch devices?

The Autoplay list is currently not part of Pocket Casts Sync. So, if you start listening to an episode from one device using Autoplay, and then continue listening to the episode on a second device, the second device won’t have information on which episode list the episode was autoplayed from.


Ratings

From version 7.43, ratings have been available on Pocket Casts for podcasts meeting certain criteria.

 

FAQs

Where do podcast ratings come from?

The ratings displayed in Pocket Casts are collected from a number of different third-party sources, one of which is Apple Podcasts. The data from each source is combined and processed through our custom aggregation algorithm that uses different factors to generate a refined rating for each podcast.

One of the factors taken into consideration is rating freshness, which allows our rating to be adaptive and reflect a more present and accurate value.

Because of this algorithmic magic, our rating may differ from other platforms.

 

Can I add my own ratings?

Not yet. 😉

 

Why do I not see a rating for a certain podcast?

First and foremost, a podcast has to be public for it to have ratings. If the podcast is already public but doesn’t have ratings, we may not have enough data for it yet.


Wear OS

Requirements

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

  • Pocket Casts Plus – you can sign up for a 14-day free trial here: Get Plus
  • Smartwatch or other wearable device that runs Wear OS 2 or Wear OS 3
  • Bluetooth speaker or headphones

 

Getting Started

Download & Installation

The Pocket Casts app can be downloaded and installed to your Wear OS device in one of two ways:

  • Using your Wear OS device:
    • Head to the Play Store
    • Search for Pocket Casts
    • Tap “Install”
  • Using your phone:
    • Head to the Play Store
    • Search for Pocket Casts
    • Find your WearOS device in the list of available devices
    • Tap “Install”
  • Using a desktop browser:
    • Open the Pocket Casts Play Store page
    • Click “Install on more devices”
    • Select your Wear OS device from the list of devices
    • Click “Install”

The Pocket Casts Wear OS app cannot be installed from the Play Store app on your mobile phone. 

 

Logging In

When you open the Pocket Casts Wear OS app, you will be prompted to sign in to a Pocket Casts Plus account. If your account has never had Plus status, you can sign up for a 14-day free trial here: Get Plus. You’ll have three options for logging in to the Pocket Casts Wear OS app:

  • Log in with Google
  • Log in on phone
  • Log in with email (temporarily disabled)

 

Playing Episodes

Once you’re logged in to your Pocket Casts Plus account, all that’s left is to make sure your Wear OS device is connected to a Bluetooth speaker or headphones. If you aren’t connected to any yet, the app will prompt you to choose a Bluetooth device or pair a new one. Using your Android device to control playback on the Wear OS app is not possible. 

 

Downloading Episodes

Automatic downloads are not yet supported in the Wear OS app. However, you can manually download an episode by looking for it in either: 

  • Podcasts > the podcast of your choice
  • Filters > a particular filter

Then, tap on the download icon as shown below. That should then start the download.

Download Episode on Wear OS

You can then check and manage all the episodes downloaded to your watch from "Downloads."

 

Troubleshooting

Before anything else, please check that:

  • Your Wear OS device is running the latest version of the Pocket Casts app
  • The Pocket Casts app versions on your phone and your Wear OS device match

 

Nothing happens when I try to log in to the Wear OS app using my phone.

Please try logging out of the Android app on your phone and logging back in while it is being paired with your Wear OS device.

 

Logging in is slow.

The very first time you log in to the Wear OS app can take from around 45 seconds to even two minutes. So, please give the process some time to complete. We are also looking into how this can be improved. 

 

My watch is out of sync with my account.

First, make sure all your devices have synced recently:

  • The web and desktop apps will always have the latest information from our servers.
  • On the mobile apps, you can check the Profile tab for the “Last refresh” time. You can also click “Refresh now” to force a manual refresh.

Next, you can trigger a manual sync in the Wear OS app by following these steps:

  1. Swipe to the leftmost screen in the app
  2. Scroll down and tap “Settings”
  3. Tap “Refresh now”

You can also enable “Background refresh” in the settings to have your watch automatically refresh more often. 

 

Playback is skipping or choppy.

If episodes are not downloaded, playing them can result in some choppiness or skipping. This normally happens when the network connection is not fast enough to keep up with the episode. For the smoothest playback experience, we recommend downloading episodes to your Wear OS device. 

 

My custom files are not showing up.

Only files that are available on your cloud storage will show up in the Wear OS app. You can check whether your custom files have been uploaded to your cloud storage in the following ways:

  • Using the web or desktop apps, view your Files. All the files you see here have been uploaded to your cloud storage.
  • Using the mobile apps, go to Profile > Files. You’ll know if the file has been uploaded if it has a yellow cloud icon under its title.

 

I can’t change the order of the episodes in my Up Next queue.

Changing the order of the episodes in your Up Next queue isn’t possible using the Wear OS app. It’s only possible to add and remove episodes. You can, however, change the episode order from your mobile app. You can then go back to the Wear OS app’s Settings and do a manual refresh. This way, the changes you’ve made to your Up Next queue can immediately be reflected in your Wear OS device. 

 

Need more help?

We’re right here! You can get support for the Wear OS app by following these steps:

  1. Make sure that Pocket Casts is also installed on your Android device. You can download the Android app here.
  2. Place your Android device next to your Wear OS device.
  3. From the Wear OS app, head to Settings > Help and feedback > Contact support. This will cause the Wear OS app to send app logs to the Android app.
  4. On your Android device, a share dialog will pop up. Please then select the app you wish to use to send us a message.

Deleting a Sync Account

Thinking of deleting your Pocket Casts sync account?

If there’s anything you need help with first, do let us know. Deleting a Pocket Casts account is irreversible. So, once your account is deleted, there is no way to restore it.

If you’re sure you want to delete your account, you can follow these steps:

  1. Open the Pocket Casts app
  2. Click on the Profile tab
  3. Click on your account email address
  4. Scroll down and click on “Delete Account” at the bottom of the screen

Deleting a Sync Account

Thinking of deleting your Pocket Casts sync account?

If there’s anything you need help with first, do let us know. Deleting a Pocket Casts account is irreversible. So, once your account is deleted, there is no way to restore it.

If you’re sure you want to delete your account, you can follow these steps:

  1. Open the Pocket Casts app
  2. Click on the Profile tab
  3. Click on “Account”
  4. Scroll down and click on “Delete account” at the bottom of the screen