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Unable to delete or remove podcasts

Having a great deal of difficulty removing downloaded podcast episodes after they have been completed playing.


Some do not give me the option of removing or deleting downloaded podcast episodes. When I remark them as "unplayed" and then delete the podcast episode, it simply reappears within a few seconds. Then still will not let me remove the podcast from my library or delete from the device.


Other podcasts do give the option of "remove download" or deleting, but do not disappear once this option is selected and confirmed. I can repeat the action numerous times without success.


These actions are not corrected even after deleting and removing the podcasts from my computer and then synching with iTunes. I have also checked to ensure that I have the most up to date iTunes, iOS and Podcast app. This seems to have started occurring with the update to iOS 13.1.2.





iPhone 8

Posted on Oct 8, 2019 7:11 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 22, 2019 8:03 AM

Did you ever figure this out? I am having the exact same issue and it's so frustrating. Also anytime I unplug my computer and move it somewhere else in my house it will start playing a different episode. When I change it to what I was listening to it will keep selecting a different one.

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13 replies

Oct 22, 2019 5:50 AM in response to Streambrewer

I re-installed the podcast app. This allowed those podcast episodes that I had previously attempted to delete to disappear. However, the problem persists with other episodes that I have finished. I have noticed now that the podcast episodes will allow me to attempt to delete them, but will not disappear. This only now seems to occur with podcasts that I have directly downloaded by selecting them, and not podcast episodes that downloaded automatically as part of a subscription.


I have "Reported a concern" through the app about a dozen times now. No response. Please get this fixed.



Dec 7, 2019 6:20 AM in response to Streambrewer

I was hoping yours worked now. Ever since yesterday mine is working how it should again. I can now delete episodes, it is showing all episodes instead of only a few ( one of the issues I was having), and when I unplug my laptop it won't start playing a different episode and keep changing it when I switch it back. Hopefully yours will start working again soon. I'm crossing my fingers for you.

Oct 14, 2019 12:02 PM in response to MajorIP4

'Sadly, that function would allow me to delete all the podcasts in one show, but not to select which episodes to delete.


If I delete the entire podcast from the device and iTunes on the computer, they seem to disappear, but then I lose all of the other episodes of the podcast and need to find and download those episodes again, and then am again unable to delete them without deleting the entire podcast.


I am now deleting the entire app and re-installing it. Hopefully this will work, but more to follow.



Dec 7, 2019 5:56 AM in response to Cunnla

Hi, thank you for the suggestion. I am still not able to delete podcasts under the Episodes list. I can select "Mark as Played" or "Remove Download" under that list, but the podcast still shows up with the little "+" next to it indicating it is still in the list, but needs to be downloaded to listen to it.


However, based on your suggestion, I think I figured a workaround. If, under the Episodes list, I unmark them as played and download them, then go to the Downloaded Episodes list, and go through the steps of marking as played and removing download, it removes them from both lists. This hasn't been perfect, but has worked most of the time. Out of the 20-25 podcast episodes I had to remove, all but one were removed this way. Thanks!


I wish they would "update" the app to an old version that worked and quit futzing with it.

Unable to delete or remove podcasts

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