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Podcasts Not Updating With New Episodes

None of the podcasts I listen to are showing new episodes in the app since upgrading to iOS 14.5. The new episodes do appear in Spotify and other services.

Posted on Apr 28, 2021 11:05 AM

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Posted on Aug 17, 2021 12:14 AM

Any recommendations for a new podcast app? Apple could care less about fixing this problem. It’s just more of their shoddy programming, annoy you to update, ignore the problems. Time for a new phone soon and there are far more innovative brands than Apple (we’ll just update the camera) these days.

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Aug 17, 2021 12:14 AM in response to constantine84

Any recommendations for a new podcast app? Apple could care less about fixing this problem. It’s just more of their shoddy programming, annoy you to update, ignore the problems. Time for a new phone soon and there are far more innovative brands than Apple (we’ll just update the camera) these days.

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Jun 5, 2021 10:37 AM in response to constantine84

Apple Discussions is a user-to-use your knowledge sharing forum and, as you can see, we are all sharing some of the pain with the Podcasts app upgrade. The best bet is for all to submit problems and suggestions to Apple at Apple Feedback, https://www.apple.com/feedback/apple-podcasts/


The iOS 14.5 & 14.6 Apple Podcasts app upgrades are still bug-ridden. I’m sorry podcast users have had to serve as guinea pigs for such a flawed versions, it doesn’t make sense to invest time trying to answer questions about such an unpredictable piece of software.


On the Apple Podcasts Server side new episodes for some Shows are listed three days after they are available on TuneIn, Stitcher, SoundCloud, etc.


On the Apple Podcasts app side:

• the app gets stuck in loading mode with some users when first opened,

• Episodes sometimes mark themselves as played after just a few seconds,

• some Shows do not list the most recent unplayed episodes even when the Show settings are chosen to do so.

• Station lists sometimes do not list unplayed episodes available in Show lists, even though the Station settings do not limit episodes,

• some episodes download once in Show lists, others simply do not, even the toggle for Automatic Downloads in Show settings is On,

• the app causes a heating problem and excessive battery draining, particularly when select other apps are open in the background or foreground,

• a change in key default settings in the iOS 14.5 Podcasts app upgrade caused numerous unwanted automatic downloads in Shows with tens or hundreds of episodes.


Hopefully, some heads have rolled for those responsible, clearer thinking people have replaced them and the bugs will be straightened out soon. Apple is an excellent company which has made this experience frustrate us more.

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Jun 4, 2021 8:53 AM in response to superbon.boston

Why keep changing things all the dang time Apple???? Everything was working just fine before you went changing how the podcast app worked. Now I can’t get updates until way late in the day. Yes I’ve played with all the new settings. Nothing works. Fix it!!!! (IOS 14.6).

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May 24, 2021 12:15 AM in response to adamssimon

The problem is evident, but I have yet to see any communication from Apple explaining why it’s Podcast Servers are not being updated in a timely manner. The image below shows Apples most recent episode (19 May) of The Price of Football show in the left frame and the Acast podcast server’s latest episode (23 May) in the right frame at https://play.acast.com/s/priceoffootball


I noticed four of the Sunday news programs have yet to be updated (it’s now 3:15am EDT Monday) with 23 May episodes, even though they appeared on Sunday around 1pm EDT in other third-party podcast applications.


I hope Apple fixes this problem soon. It’s a counterproductive way to win users.


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Jun 4, 2021 8:09 AM in response to cebus.soccus

Me too. Right now, Up First and The Daily will not refresh after update to 14.5 this morning. I went the show page, and the new episodes do not appear there either. That has happened consistently with Up First and other NPR podcasts...I'm currently listening on Spotify, and probably won't go back. Too bad Apple---I love ya, but geez.

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Jun 4, 2021 12:45 PM in response to superbon.boston

Same thing with me. The Daily finally did show up LATE morning, but it's usually there when I wake up.


There's at least five other shows I regularly listen to daily that haven't synched. I know there are new episodes because I can see them in iTunes on my desktop.


I downloaded Stitcher. Some of my regular shows aren't on there. Might need to try a different application.


This problem is NOT because developers changed some functionality and we need to relearn how to use Apple Podcasts, there's a bug. It's broken.

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May 14, 2021 9:01 PM in response to Taroy89

Tayroy89, can you give me the name of one Show that is not revealing new episodes?


The pic below shows the Podcasts app settings at iPhone Settings>Podcasts (left frame), the Station settings (middle) and the Show settings (right). Disregard the options selected.


The settings changed extensively in the iOS 14.5 Podcasts app overhaul and, unfortunately, the default settings didn’t correlate well with past settings. However, once users review and reset the Podcast app setting, Station settings and Show settings, it appears to work well.


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May 24, 2021 2:16 PM in response to blah600003

Blah600003, this thread is addressing crossing issues. Just try creating a Station then assigning a couple Shows you Follow to it. It has solved the problems many have had. On the Library page tap Edit in the upper-right corner and choose New Station. Then make your choices in the Station Settings that if you wish.


Many Others are experiencing the ‘missing latest episode’ problem. However, it does not appear to be the Podcast app. If you check the Apple Podcast Server for a particular Show you’ll find the server doesn’t have the latest episodes yet, even though they do appear in other third-party podcast apps.


I imagine Apple is working arduously on this glitch. In the meantime do an iOS update to 14.6. It made some needed changes to the Podcast App coding.



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May 28, 2021 3:18 PM in response to Lesorn

insure you have Automatic Updates ON (see arrows in pic below) in the Show settings and the Podcasts app settings.


if those settings were alteady on, the problem was on the Apple Podcast Server side, which is something you can’t do anything about. Many of us noted that the Apple Podcast Server fill behind on updates when iOS 14.5 was released. It’s improving now.

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May 28, 2021 3:41 PM in response to Davi—hdbbxkak17gkd

Davi, instead of swiping left, the Podcasts app expects you to drag the episode slider to the end (circled in left frame). You can also tap the three buttons in the lower right corner (left frame) of the episode play window or to the right of the episode name in an episode list then choose Mark As Played (right frame).



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May 24, 2021 3:38 AM in response to cyberbiker

I'm 14.5.1: I don't even have access to a "station settings" screen, not that my Podcast Settings is even close to looking like @cyberbiker. So used to waking up with a list of downloads. Podcasts not updated in iTunes that are update elsewhere "Pounding the Table" updated Sunday, nothing today. Adam Carolla, updated today, still not on iTunes...


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May 28, 2021 4:15 PM in response to Davi—hdbbxkak17gkd

Nope, Davi. I’m just a user like you. I know you’re frustrated, but the app didn’t completely change. The update did change some settings. That, to me, was a mistake without giving us a warning. The iOS 14.5 Podcasts app upgrade also had a couple bugs, which they fixed now. Simultaneously, the Apple Podcast Server fell behind with new episode updates, which finally caught up this past week. Now my 109 Shows across seven Stations are updating automatically and deleting, once played, just as they should.


I wish In its opening Podcast guidance Apple would suggest people use Stations instead of the Downloaded, Latest Episodes and Listen Now lists. It would solve a lot of problems people have.

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Podcasts Not Updating With New Episodes

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