Why Does Apple Podcasts App Keep Crashing? (11+ Ways To Fix)

Apple Podcasts app is one of the world’s most popular podcast streaming services.

Thanks to its user base and creators, Apple Podcasts have been serving Apple users for years. But after the iOS 15.2 update, many users report the Podcasts app crashing randomly. So what do you do in a situation like this?

We have covered over 11 tips to help you play Podcasts without crashing. But before that, let’s talk about why does Podcasts app keep crashing.

Why Does Apple Podcast App Keep Crashing? (And Solutions)

After the iOS 15.2 update, the Apple Podcast keeps crashing for some users, leaving no room to listen to their favorite podcasts. While the issue has been fixed for the most part in iOS 16, many users still suffer from it. Your Podcasts app keeps crashing due to a software bug. 

However, there are multiple ways to fix the Podcasts app crashing. While it is uncommon for Apple applications to be buggy, it can happen due to poorly written code. Since it is an application problem, usually, the company solves it by simply sending you an update on your iPhone or the app itself.

But if you’re looking to fix the issue yourself, here are the 13 different ways to use Podcasts regularly. 

1. Restart Your iPhone

Once you find your Podcasts app not working, the first step is to restart your iPhone. Restarting helps with many issues, and it is a general rule of thumb to restart your iPhone once you get any application-related issues. Restarting your iPhone will fix the crashing of Podcasts in most cases. 

It is the most effective and simplest solution you can do to prevent your Podcasts app from crashing. However, the method of restarting differs from application to application, so here are some general steps you can take to shut your iPhone down:

• Locate the settings app on your home screen and open it. 
• Once you’re into settings, scroll down to “General” and open it. 
• In the General tab, scroll down to the bottom till you see a blue colored button that says “Shut Down,” and click it
• Wait for the iPhone to shut down completely. 

Once your iPhone is shut down, please wait for a few settings and hold the side power button to turn it back on. In most cases, a simple restart like this will start your Podcasts app regularly without any crashing bug. 

Remove the Podcasts App From the Ram

Force quitting the Apple Podcasts app is the easiest and most effective way to prevent the app from crashing. Sometimes, your application might keep crashing, and the best way to fix it is to force quit the app from your phone’s Ram from the recent menu tab. 

Here’s how you do it:

• If you have an iPhone X or above: swipe up from the bottom of your iPhone till you see the recent menu. 
• If you have an iPhone 8 Plus or earlier, double-press the home button to reveal the recent menu. 
• Once on the recent tab, close the Podcasts app, and force quit it. 

Now you should open Podcasts again, and you might see it working properly. If this method does not fix the crash, keep reading on. 

Reinstall the Apple Podcasts App

As you keep downloading apps on your iPhone, it collects data and accumulates it to a level where apps might get bugs in the code. Application bugs are very common, and reinstalling the app might help you prevent the crash from helping. So here’s how you reinstall the Podcasts app:

• Go to your iPhone’s home screen and locate the Podcasts app icon. 
• Long press the icon, and you will see a cross on the upper edge of the icon, which means delete.

• Click on delete and confirm the action. 

• Once the app is deleted, go to the Apple App Store and search for “Podcasts.”

• Download the app again and open it. 

Reinstalling is another method that usually solves podcast app crashing issues, as the data can get corrupted sometimes. 

Free Up the Storage

If your phone doesn’t have enough storage, you might see most of the installed apps crashing. Having storage on your phone doesn’t just hold data; it is also responsible for launching the apps. Hence, you might have low storage if you need help opening multiple applications on your iPhone. 

There are many ways to free up the storage, but here are some recommended ways:

• Shift your images, videos, and documents to iCloud.
• Delete irrelevant apps and games that take up all of your data.
• Delete images and videos that you don’t need. 

After you free up the storage, restart your phone to see if it fixed the Podcasts application. 

Update the Podcasts App

If you’re constantly having crash messages and the Podcasts app is not working properly, you should also check whether there’s an update on Apple’s App Store. The applications are often fixed with just an update since that eliminates any existing bugs. Moreover, you must update the app if you’re on iOS 15.

Here’s how to do it:

• Open the Apple’s App Store
• Search for Apple Podcast and click on the little “Update” button that you see instead of the installing icon.
•  It only takes a few seconds, depending on your internet connection. Once the update is completed, open the Podcasts app again. 

Reset the Network Settings

Apple’s complex settings have a feature called “Reset Network Settings,” which is ideal for situations where the apps are crashing, or anything weird happens. If your Podcasts application is constantly crashing, resetting network settings might help you regain access to the app. 

Here’s how to reset the network settings:

• Open the Settings app and click “General.”

• Once you’re in the General settings, scroll down till you find an option called “Reset.”

• Tap “Reset Network Settings.”

• Enter your password and click “Confirm.”

Now all you need to do is to wait for the process to be completed. Once your iPhone starts back again, connect to your WiFi or turn on your data to start the Podcasts app. 

Restart the WiFi Router

Another common problem that many online apps have is the need for internet access. Most online apps will stop working if you deprive them of the internet. Hence, your WiFi might not be working, and once it’s refreshed, you will notice that the Podcasts app will start working again. 

Networks have regular glitches, and once it mismatches with a certain app on your iPhone, chances are that the app will stop working. So before making big decisions like talking to Apple Care, you should turn off your router and reconnect it. 

Another possible fix is to turn the Airplane mode on your iPhone and then turn it off again. Since the network is refreshed, you might avoid the Podcasts app crash. 

Update Your iPhone

As we’ve already discussed, the main Podcasts app crashing bug happened in iOS 15.3. If your iPhone is still on the 15th version, chances are that it’s causing the crash. Hence, you need to check the version of your iOS and update it to the latest version. 

The latest version usually eliminates all the bugs and errors that cause apps to crash. So here’s how you can do it:

• Go to Settings > General > Software Update

• Let the iPhone search for the latest version; if one is available, you must download and install it.

• Once the update is downloaded, your phone will install it and might restart.

Updating your iPhone is one of the best ways to prevent the Podcasts app from crashing. 

Cool Down iPhone

Apple’s iPhones tend to heat up a lot, especially in summer. Their build quality is made of aluminum and a similar build can dissipate a lot of heat, increasing the iPhone’s temperature. However, as the temperature rises, your iPhone limits the processing power that crashes the apps. 

A heating iPhone will crash Podcasts and any other app that requires more processing power than the iPhone can deliver at that moment. Let your iPhone cool down if you’re out on a sunny day and listening to podcasts while walking in the park. 

You can either unplug the iPhone from the charging or turn off mobile data to quickly let it cool down. 

Check Apple System Status

Did you know Apple allows users to look at different Apple services and their server statuses? Well, Apple’s service might rarely be down, and it’s one of the most probable causes of your Podcasts app crashing. Fortunately, Apple provides its official website where you can check the status of each software. 

You can visit Apple’s official website of System Status and find “Podcasts.” If it’s green, then the application is working from Apple’s end, and you should spend your time looking for other fixes. 

Reset Your iPhone

One of the best ways to fix almost every error on your iPhone is to reset it. While resetting your iPhone will delete all of its data, you can back it up on the cloud. Resetting your iPhone will eliminate all bugs and glitches, keeping the Podcasts app from running safely. 

Here’s how to reset your iPhone:

• Go to Settings > General > Reset. 

• Select “Reset All Settings” since that will delete everything and return your phone to its factory mode. 

• Please wait for the reset process and set up your iPhone like it’s brand new. 

Resetting all settings of your iPhone should let you enjoy your podcasts again since it eliminates all the errors and bugs in general. 

Talk To Apple Support

If nothing seems to work, you should contact Apple Support. Apple loves taking feedback, and you should get an answer for them about the crashing issue. By reporting the error, you will inform Apple about the issue they might need to be aware of. Visit Apple’s Customer Support website and give feedback. 

After a while, you should get an update from Apple and hopefully a fix for the issue. 

Final Verdict

The Podcasts app is quite popular but can cause sudden errors and bugs. Hence, we have discussed over ten solutions that you can incorporate and fix the app yourself. If most solutions don’t work, consider resetting your device to see if the app works. 

If resetting doesn’t fix the issue, you should talk to Apple support or find an alternative podcast service like Google Podcasts or Spotify. 

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