Apple Podcasts App Features You Get with iOS 18 Update

With every new iOS update, Apple introduces new features to its native apps. While the Apple Podcasts app was neglected for years, it has received several new upgrades with the iOS 18 update. In this guide, I will cover all the new Apple Podcasts app features you get with iOS 18 update. 

1. Chapter markers in the timeline

My favorite new upgrade to the Podcasts app with iOS 18 is the support for chapter markers during scrubbing. When you scrub the podcast timeline, you will see the chapter markers. You will get haptic feedback whenever the scrubber passes over a chapter marker, making it easier to navigate to a new chapter. 

2. Dynamic scrubbing speed

Another timeline scrubbing improvement—one that very few people know about—is the ability to adjust the scrubbing speed. By default, timeline scrubbing is fast but lacks precision.

You can change this on the fly without messing with settings. When scrubbing the podcast timeline drag your finger down once to reduce the scrubbing time to half. Drag once again to initiate quarter-speed scrubbing. 

Drag once more to turn on Fine-Speed scrubbing, which lets you scrub the timeline to an exact second. The best part is that you can switch between these scrubbing speeds live. 

3. Precise sharing with timecode

YouTube has a feature that lets you share a video with a precise timecode. Several third-party podcast apps have offered this feature and with iOS 18 update, the native Podcasts app also supports this. When sharing a podcast episode tap the From Start button and choose the exact time your podcast playhead is at to share it with a precise timecode. 

You can also share an episode with a precise timestamp using the podcast transcript. Long-press on a transcript paragraph, and you will get the option to share the podcast from that timecode. 

4. Improved Search

The Apple Podcasts app has received a much-needed improvement to its search functionality. Previously, users had to enter the full query to get any results. Now, it displays live search results as you type. 

In addition to podcast titles, the search now includes chapter titles, descriptions, and episode notes, making it easier to find podcasts even if you don’t remember the exact name.

5. Delete and rearrange the Continue Playing section

The Podcasts app shows two playlists in the Now Playing interface. First is the Queue, which contains the episode you have manually added, and second is the Continue Playing section that shows suggested podcasts by Apple based on your listening history.

Previously, the Continue Playing section was non-editable. With the iOS 18 update, you can now remove or rearrange the episodes in this playlist just like you could for the episodes in the Queue section. 

That’s it. These are the five new Podcasts app features you get with the iOS 18 update. Which is your favorite feature? Let us know in the comments below.