Learning how to get your podcast on Apple Podcasts means submitting your show’s RSS feed through Apple Podcasts Connect, verifying that you own it, and waiting for Apple’s review. Apple is stricter than some directories about feed formatting and artwork, so getting the details right the first time saves you a resubmission. Here is the full process.
What you need first
- A published episode live on your podcast host.
- Your RSS feed URL from that host. New to feeds? Read what an RSS feed for podcasts is.
- An Apple Account to sign in to Apple Podcasts Connect.
- Compliant cover art — square, high-resolution, and within Apple’s size range. See how to create podcast cover art.
If you are still at the planning stage, start with our complete guide to starting a podcast.
Step-by-step submission
- Copy your RSS feed URL from your podcast host’s dashboard.
- Go to Apple Podcasts Connect and sign in with your Apple Account.
- Choose to add a show by RSS feed and paste your feed URL.
- Apple validates the feed and shows you a preview pulled from your metadata and episodes — check the title, description, category, and artwork all look right.
- Verify ownership using the code Apple sends to the email address in your feed.
- Submit for review.
How review and approval work
Apple manually reviews new shows, so approval typically takes longer than some other directories — often a day or two. Once approved, your show appears in the Apple Podcasts app and on the web, and future episodes sync automatically from your feed.
Common reasons Apple rejects a feed
If your show is rejected or stuck, it is almost always one of these:
- Artwork problems — wrong dimensions, too low a resolution, or a non-square image.
- Missing required tags — title, description, category, language, or explicit flag not set correctly in the feed.
- An inaccessible feed — still private, or returning errors.
- Episodes that will not play — broken audio file links.
A good podcast host generates a clean, Apple-compliant feed for you, which is one of the reasons it is worth choosing carefully — compare options in our best podcast hosting platforms guide.
Optimise your Apple listing
Apple Podcasts is a major discovery surface, so make your listing work hard:
- Write a clear, natural show description that explains who the show is for.
- Pick the most accurate primary category — it strongly affects where you can be found.
- Use clean episode titles and useful show notes for each episode.
- Encourage ratings and reviews, which influence visibility.
Get listed everywhere else too
Apple and Spotify together cover most listeners, so once you are on Apple, follow our guide to getting your podcast on Spotify, then mop up the remaining platforms with our guide to submitting a podcast to all the directories.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to list a podcast on Apple Podcasts?
Yes. Submitting your show to Apple Podcasts through Apple Podcasts Connect is free. You only pay for your separate podcast host, and optionally for Apple’s paid subscription features if you choose to offer them later.
How long does Apple Podcasts approval take?
Because Apple reviews shows manually, approval usually takes a day or two, sometimes longer for a brand-new feed. If it stalls beyond that, recheck your artwork and feed tags, then contact Apple’s support if everything looks correct.
Do I need a Mac or iPhone to submit?
No. Apple Podcasts Connect runs in a web browser on any device. You only need an Apple Account to sign in, not Apple hardware, to submit and manage your podcast.
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