Automatically download and sync podcasts to apple watch?

[Soundhound]

I have a number of podcasts set to download new episodes, and I have them set to sync with my apple watch (iPhone 11, apple watch 5). The problem is that when the show up in the podcasts app on the iPhone they have the little cloud next to them and I have to click on that for the podcast to download. Only then can I sync it to the apple watch.

Is there a way for the new ones to actually download each day and sync to the apple watch? I know they both need to be connected to power to sync.

 

[mk313]

I’ve had the best luck by going into the podcast section of the watch app on the phone and choosing every show and playlist that I want so it will download the most shows automatically. Until I did that, automatic downloads was pretty hit or miss.

 

[Soundhound]

thanks! i’ll give it a shot. would be nice if they could make this stuff work correctly

 

[Buddy171]

I can not get podcasts to sync to my watch (3) from my phone (Xr) no matter what I do now. It was working for a while, now it doesn’t even try - no “updating” (or any message) indicator at the top of the screen. It’s so inconsistent. Really frustrating.

 

[sjinsjca]

I've had much better luck with iCatcher than Apple's standard podcast app. Well worth the $3, and it allows you to "sideload" DRM-free audiobooks too (with no annual fee, as some other apps charge).

 

[Buddy171]

I've had much better luck with iCatcher than Apple's standard podcast app. Well worth the $3, and it allows you to "sideload" DRM-free audiobooks too (with no annual fee, as some other apps charge).

Thanks for the recommendation. Been using it for a few days. Works great so far. Much better than Apple podcast or Overcast. Why the other apps have such a hard time transferring podcasts to the watch is beyond me. Especially the Apple app: they make the phone, the watch and the app yet they can’t get a simple function like this work reliably.
Anyway, thanks again this was a big help.

 

[madeirabhoy]

I've had much better luck with iCatcher than Apple's standard podcast app. Well worth the $3, and it allows you to "sideload" DRM-free audiobooks too (with no annual fee, as some other apps charge).

I hope you don't mind but can I ask you about what you said about catcher side loading audiobooks, as in how does it work from the audiobooks being on your Mac to getting them on the watch?

I have some DRM free audiobooks and although I can get them onto my phone using iTunes that means they are in amongst my music which I don't like. I assumed dropping them into books on my Mac would transfer them to my phone but weirdly it doesn't (although it does for books and pdfs) so I am wondering if icatcher would do it?

thanks in advance

 

[sjinsjca]

I hope you don't mind but can I ask you about what you said about catcher side loading audiobooks, as in how does it work from the audiobooks being on your Mac to getting them on the watch?

I wrote up the process here.

TL;DR: Just AirDrop from Mac to iPhone. You will be given the option of a few apps and destinations; choose iCatcher. Put the file where you want it. Once it's transferred to the iPhone, go to iCatcher, swipe right, send to Watch. Then just walk around with the phone in your pocket and it'll trickle over via low-power Bluetooth.

The battery cost of this is negligible, as I measured here.

The Watch is a marvelous platform for listening! The only issue is, it's a puny little thing and if you start to amass more than 50-70 items, at some point the file-listing might get a little crashy. Keep your content pruned and there's never an issue. Even if you really load it up, it's fine unless you start scrolling before it's had a chance to populate the list. I really abuse my Watch in this way and just love it to bits how well it plays my content.

 

[madeirabhoy]

I wrote up the process here.

TL;DR: Just AirDrop from Mac to iPhone. You will be given the option of a few apps and destinations; choose iCatcher. Put the file where you want it. Once it's transferred to the iPhone, go to iCatcher, swipe right, send to Watch. Then just walk around with the phone in your pocket and it'll trickle over via low-power Bluetooth.

The battery cost of this is negligible, as I measured here.

The Watch is a marvelous platform for listening! The only issue is, it's a puny little thing and if you start to amass more than 50-70 items, at some point the file-listing might get a little crashy. Keep your content pruned and there's never an issue. Even if you really load it up, it's fine unless you start scrolling before it's had a chance to populate the list. I really abuse my Watch in this way and just love it to bits how well it plays my content.

Much appreciated thanks. Works great so money well spent.