How to Delete Episodes from Podcasts on iPhone

If your iPhone storage keeps filling up with downloaded podcasts you’ve already listened to, you’re not alone. Many podcast apps (including Apple Podcasts) automatically download new episodes, which can quickly take up gigabytes of space. The good news? You can easily delete episodes from Podcasts on iPhone and free up storage in just a few taps.

Table of Contents

In this guide, we’ll walk you through multiple methods—whether you want to delete a single episode, remove all downloads from a show, or automatically clear old episodes.

Why Delete Podcast Episodes on iPhone?

There are a few important reasons you may want to delete old podcast episodes:

Free up storage space: Podcasts are audio files that range from 30 MB to over 150 MB per episode. Multiply that by dozens of episodes, and you can easily lose several gigabytes.
Keep your library organized: Removing shows you’ve finished keeps the app cleaner and easier to navigate.
Save mobile data: If you have automatic downloads enabled, clearing them helps reduce background data usage.
Improve performance: Less clutter means faster searches and smoother playback.

How Much Storage Do Podcasts Use?

Here’s a quick look at how much space podcasts may consume:

Type of Episode	Average Size	Hourly Estimate
Low quality (64 kbps)	~30 MB per hour	1 GB ≈ 33 episodes
Standard (128 kbps)	~60 MB per hour	1 GB ≈ 16 episodes
High quality (256 kbps)	~120 MB per hour	1 GB ≈ 8 episodes

If you’re subscribed to several shows, it’s easy to see why storage fills up quickly.

Step-by-Step: How to Delete a Single Podcast Episode

Follow these steps to delete one episode you’ve already played or no longer need:

Open the Podcasts app on your iPhone.
Tap on Library at the bottom.
Select Shows or Episodes.
Find the episode you want to delete.
Swipe left on the episode title.
Tap Delete (trash can icon).

That’s it—the episode is gone, and you’ve reclaimed space.

How to Delete All Downloaded Episodes from a Show

Sometimes you want to wipe all episodes from a specific podcast. Here’s how:

Open Podcasts app.
Go to Library > Shows.
Select the podcast show.
Scroll down and tap Downloaded Episodes.
Tap Edit in the top-right corner.
Select all episodes.
Tap Delete.

This will clear all downloads for that show while keeping your subscription intact.

How to Bulk Delete Podcasts on iPhone

Want to delete in bulk without going show by show? Use Settings:

Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
Scroll down and tap Podcasts.
You’ll see a list of downloaded episodes organized by show.
Tap on a show.
Select Edit and then delete multiple episodes at once.

This is the fastest way to free up space if you have dozens of shows.

How to Automatically Remove Played Episodes

If you don’t want to delete episodes manually, set up automatic removal:

Open the Podcasts app.
Go to Library > Shows.
Select the show you want.
Tap the ••• (More) button.
Choose Settings.
Toggle Delete Played Episodes to ON.

From now on, any episode you finish will automatically be deleted.

How to Stop Podcasts from Auto-Downloading Episodes

If you’re tired of storage being consumed by automatic downloads:

Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and tap Podcasts.
Under Automatic Downloads, toggle it OFF.

This way, episodes won’t download unless you manually choose them.

How to Check iPhone Storage Used by Podcasts

Want to see how much space podcasts are taking?

Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
Scroll until you find Podcasts.
Tap it to see storage usage per show.

This breakdown helps you decide which shows to keep and which to clear.

How to Delete Podcast Downloads from the Settings App

You don’t always need to open the Podcasts app. You can delete directly from Settings:

Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
Select Podcasts.
Tap the show with episodes you want to remove.
Tap Edit and delete specific episodes.

This is especially useful if the Podcasts app is lagging or crashing.

How to Offload the Podcasts App Without Losing Subscriptions

If you rarely use Podcasts but want to keep your subscriptions saved:

Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
Tap Podcasts.
Select Offload App.

This removes the app but keeps your data and subscriptions in iCloud. When you reinstall, everything is restored.

Using iCloud to Manage Podcasts Across Devices

If you have multiple Apple devices:

Make sure iCloud sync is enabled.
Go to Settings > Podcasts.
Toggle Sync Podcasts to ON.

Now, when you delete an episode on your iPhone, it will also be removed from your iPad or Mac.

What Happens When You Delete a Podcast Episode?

The downloaded file is removed from your iPhone storage.
Your subscription to the show is unaffected.
You can always re-download the episode later if it’s still available.

Can You Recover a Deleted Episode?

Yes—deleted episodes aren’t gone forever. You can:

Go to the podcast show page.
Scroll through the list of episodes.
Tap the download icon next to any episode you previously removed.

Common Issues When Deleting Podcasts

Episodes reappear after deletion → Check if auto-download is enabled.
Podcasts not deleting from storage → Restart your iPhone and retry.
App crashing during deletion → Delete episodes from Settings > iPhone Storage instead.

Pros and Cons of Auto-Deleting Episodes

Pros:

Saves storage automatically.
No manual cleanup needed.
Keeps library tidy.

Cons:

You may lose episodes you wanted to re-listen to.
Requires re-downloading if you delete by accident.

Best Practices for Managing Podcasts on iPhone

Enable Delete Played Episodes to save space.
Turn off Automatic Downloads for shows you only occasionally listen to.
Regularly check iPhone Storage for Podcasts usage.
Download episodes on Wi-Fi to avoid cellular data overages.

Conclusion

Managing podcasts doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By learning how to delete episodes from Podcasts on iPhone, you can keep your device storage clean and your library organized. Whether you delete episodes one by one, clear entire shows, or enable automatic deletion, you’re in full control.

Take a few minutes to adjust your settings today—you’ll enjoy more space for photos, apps, and other content while still keeping your favorite podcasts handy.

Key Takeaways

Podcasts can quickly consume iPhone storage.
Delete single episodes by swiping left in the Podcasts app.
Clear entire shows from Settings > iPhone Storage.
Enable Delete Played Episodes for automatic cleanup.
Subscriptions remain intact even after deleting episodes.

FAQs

1. How do I delete a single podcast episode on iPhone?

Swipe left on the episode in the Podcasts app and tap Delete.

2. Can I delete all episodes from one show at once?

Yes. Go to Library > Shows > Downloaded Episodes > Edit, then select and delete.

3. Will deleting podcasts unsubscribe me from a show?

No. Deleting removes the files but keeps your subscription.

4. Can I recover deleted podcast episodes?

Yes. Go to the show page and re-download episodes anytime.

5. How do I stop podcasts from auto-downloading?

Go to Settings > Podcasts and toggle off Automatic Downloads.