To enjoy podcasts in your car, you will need to download a podcast streaming app to your smartphone.
Spotify is a popular app choice for accessing podcasts. There is a monthly subscription fee required, but this gives you access to hundreds of different trending podcasts. If you know you will have mobile data on your journey, then you can listen to your podcasts via the Spotify app. But if you don’t have access to internet on your journey you can still use Spotify.
Before your journey, use the Spotify app to download the podcast. This should only take a few minutes, and once this is done, the podcast is saved to your app and you can play it on your car journey, even if you’re offline.
If you already use another subscription-based streaming service such as Apple Podcasts or Google Play Music, the same method applies.
Related: 10 Best Podcast Apps for your Listening Pleasure.
How can I Access Podcasts for Free?
We understand that not everyone wants to pay a monthly fee to hear podcasts, so here are two ways you can access some for free:
- YouTube – provided you have internet access on your journey, you can access thousands of podcasts on YouTube for free and stream them during your drive. Unfortunately, this method won’t work if you don’t have data.
- Downloading from the Internet – if you go to the podcast’s website via a computer, lots of them allow you to manually download the episodes to listen to. You can then connect your phone to your computer (using a phone to computer cable) and download the files. These will then be available to play offline during your journey through your phone.
How do I Connect my Phone to my Car?
How to Listen to Podcasts in your Car
Now that your podcast is ready to play, you can connect your phone to your car, in one of two ways:
1. Bluetooth Listening
The first way of connecting your phone is through Bluetooth. Many cars and phones nowadays have a Bluetooth option that can be quickly linked together. Once the Bluetooth connection is enabled, simply open your phone’s podcast app, and press play.
This connection requires no cables, as long as your phone is anywhere in the car, you will be able to play your podcast through the car speakers. This allows for hands-free use which should connect automatically when you get into your car.
2. Aux-Cable Listening
If you don’t have Bluetooth, don’t worry! Most cars have what’s known as an ‘aux-in’ port, which looks the same as a headphone jack. You will need to purchase a 3.5mm cable to connect your specific phone to the car jack, which you’ll be able to find online.
Head over to our troubleshooting page if you are seeing any issues with the podcast pausing while playing.
Summary
So, if you want to enjoy podcasts on your drives, there are two simple steps. Firstly, find an app or website which gives you access to podcasts and then connect your phone to your vehicle via Bluetooth or an aux cable. Now you can enjoy your favorite podcasts wherever you travel to!
