Do I have to have an account at an iTunes Music Store to get podcasts?
No. However, you do need an account to submit a podcast to the iTunes Store.
A Few Of F.A.Q
A podcast I want to subscribe to isn’t available in the iTunes Store.
It’s easy to subscribe to any podcast using iTunes, even ones that aren’t available in the iTunes Store. To subscribe, find and copy the podcast’s feed URL. In the “Advanced” menu, select “Subscribe to Podcast” and paste the feed URL into the dialog box.
Are there video podcasts?
Podcasts are more than just audio; some of the most popular podcasts in the iTunes Store are video podcasts. Most are playable on iPod with video capability. Additionally, Apple TV supports watching video podcasts on your TV screen.
There are also text-based podcasts. iTunes podcasting supports PDF files, which can be opened on your computer. (iPod cannot display PDF files.)
Why won’t some video podcasts play on my iPod?
Some video podcasts, while playable in iTunes, are encoded in formats that are not compatible with iPods. To convert those videos so that they are iPod-compatible, highlight the video in iTunes, right-click on the selection, and choose “Convert Selection for iPod”. iTunes will automatically re-encode the video for playback on iPod. Go to the Movies section of your Library to find and play the converted episodes.
F.A.Q - Part 2
Are there parental controls for podcasts?
The Parental Controls built into iTunes apply to podcasts. Limit your children’s exposure to explicit content, or block the Podcasts section altogether, from the Parental Controls section of the iTunes preferences.
How do I unsubscribe?
If you are no longer interested in a podcast to which you are subscribed, highlight the podcast in your Library and click the Unsubscribe button in the lower left hand corner of the screen. To unsubscribe and delete all files related to the podcast, simply press the Delete key after selecting a podcast.
Can I put podcasts in a playlist?
Yes, podcast episodes can be added to a playlist, or smart playlist, like any other track. However, new episodes of a podcast are not automatically added to a standard playlist. See the Get Smart Playlists section of the Podcasting Tips and Tricks page for a guide to enhancing your podcast experience with smart playlists.
Can I play podcasts on my iPod shuffle?
Yes. To play a podcast on iPod shuffle, set the switch on iPod shuffle to play in order. Also, note that the Autofill feature of iTunes will not add audiobooks and podcasts to iPod shuffle. Instead, you should manually add audiobooks and podcasts to iPod shuffle by dragging them to the iPod shuffle playlist.
How can I share the podcasts to which I subscribe?
There are so many podcasts out there, it’s tough to know which ones to subscribe to. Make it easy for your friends to find great podcasts by sending them some of your favorites. From a podcast’s page in the iTunes Store, select the Tell a Friend option on the right side of the page to send a link to that podcast, along with a custom message, via email. You can also right-click (PC) or ctrl-click (Mac) on podcast art to copy the URL for a podcast in iTunes. There are other ways to share your favorite podcasts. Find more advanced techniques on the Podcasting Tips and Tricks page.
How can I find podcasts in my language?
Podcasts are available in many different languages. The easiest way to find them is simply to search using words in the desired language.The Power Search feature in the iTunes Store includes a language pull-down with the most common languages used by iTunes users. Podcast Power Search is available in the “Quick Links” sidebar on the main iTunes Podcasting Page.
To see podcasts that are popular in other countries, click on the Home icon to go to the main page for the iTunes store. At the bottom of the main page is a My Store menu that allows you to switch to different stores. Once in the desired store, navigate to the Podcasts page. In the Top Podcasts list, for example, you will find podcasts popular in that country.