When you want to listen to several podcast episodes in a row, autoplay can be helpful. But it can also be annoying if you accidentally start autoplay or if it stops you from listening to what you want to hear. If you want to have more control over how you listen to podcasts, you should learn how to turn off autoplay. This can make it easier to listen to podcasts without getting distracted.
Benefits of Turning Off Autoplay in Podcasts: More Control, Improved Focus, and Data Savings
Disabling Autoplay in Other Podcast Apps
To disable autoplay in other podcast apps, the following general steps can be used:
Open the podcast app on your device.
Navigate to the app’s settings or options menu.
Look for an option related to autoplay or continuous playback.
Toggle the autoplay option to the off position.
The exact steps for disabling autoplay in other podcast apps may vary depending on the app.
Here are a few examples:
Pocket Casts: Go to Settings > Playback and toggle off Autoplay.
Stitcher: Go to Settings > Advanced > Smart Speaker and AutoPlay and toggle off Autoplay.
Castbox: Go to Settings > Play > Auto Play and toggle off Autoplay.
Podbean: Go to Settings > Playback and toggle off Autoplay.
Podcast Addict: Go to Settings > Player > Advanced and toggle off Autoplay.
These steps may not be comprehensive for all podcast apps, but they should give a general idea of how to disable autoplay in other apps.
Preventing Autoplay on Podcast Websites
To turn off autoplay on podcast websites, follow these steps:
Open the podcast website in your web browser.
Look for the audio player or media player on the website.
Check if the player has an autoplay feature or setting. If it does, look for an option to disable autoplay.
If you can’t find an option to disable autoplay, try adjusting the settings in your web browser. For example, in Google Chrome, you can go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Sound and disable “Allow sites to play sound (recommended).
Here are examples of popular podcast websites and how to turn off autoplay on each site:
NPR: Click on the gear icon in the audio player and toggle off “Autoplay”.
WNYC Studios: Click on the gear icon in the audio player and toggle off “Autoplay”.
BBC Sounds: Click on the gear icon in the audio player and toggle off “Autoplay”.
The New York Times: Click on the gear icon in the audio player and toggle off “Autoplay”.
Podbean: Click on the gear icon in the audio player and toggle off “Autoplay”.
Why you should turn off autoplay
Among the possible benefits of turning off autoplay for podcasts are:
You have more control over what you listen to and when when autoplay is turned off. You can take your time to pick the episodes that most interest you and skip the ones that don’t.
Focus: Autoplay can be annoying, especially when you’re trying to concentrate on something else. If you turn it off, you don’t have to worry about a new episode starting in the middle of what you’re doing.
Better for your memory: If you choose each episode to listen to on your own, you may be more likely to remember what it was about. This is because you are more interested in the content when you choose it yourself instead of just letting it play in the background.
Saving data: Autoplay can use a lot of data, especially if you’re not paying attention and the app keeps playing episodes you’re not interested in. Turning off autoplay will save you data and keep your cellular provider from charging you for things you didn’t expect.
