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Please tell us which Apple Watch and watchOS version you have, and whether it's a cellular model.
Do I need an iPhone to use Outcast?
Not day to day. The Apple Watch app works on its own: you can search for podcasts, subscribe, download or stream episodes and play them, all on the watch, with your iPhone at home or switched off.
The iPhone app is an optional companion for browsing and managing your podcasts on a bigger screen. A few things are only on iPhone: adding a podcast by its feed URL, and importing or exporting OPML. Episodes always play on the watch, not the phone.
Can I download over cellular, or only Wi-Fi?
Both. On a cellular Apple Watch with an active plan, Outcast can download and stream over cellular when you're away from Wi-Fi. Without a cellular plan, the watch uses Wi-Fi.
To keep downloads to Wi-Fi only, open Outcast on your watch, go to Settings and turn off Download Over Cellular. Downloads that have already started aren't affected by the change.
Why are downloads slow when my iPhone is nearby?
When your Apple Watch is connected to your iPhone, the watch receives downloaded files from the phone over Bluetooth, which is slow. When it's disconnected, it uses Wi-Fi or cellular directly, which is much faster.
The simplest way to disconnect is to turn on Airplane Mode on your iPhone with Bluetooth off. Keep the watch screen on until the download finishes. While a download is running, Outcast rotates the screen now and then to help keep it awake.
Can Outcast play through the Apple Watch speaker?
No. Outcast plays through Bluetooth audio: AirPods, other Bluetooth headphones, or a Bluetooth speaker. Apple doesn't currently let third-party apps play long-form audio, such as podcasts, through the watch's own speaker.
How do I use AirPods or Bluetooth headphones?
If your AirPods are set up with your iPhone, they're already available on your watch. For other headphones, put them in pairing mode, then on the watch open Settings, then Bluetooth, and choose them.
When you press play in Outcast, the watch asks you to choose headphones if none are connected. If your headphones disconnect, playback pauses.
Your headphone controls skip forward and back by the intervals you've chosen in Outcast's settings. On AirPods, that's usually a double press to skip forward and a triple press to skip back.
How do I add a podcast by its URL?
In the iPhone app, open Browse, tap +, then Add URL, and paste the podcast's RSS feed address. If you've copied the address first, Outcast fills it in for you. The podcast then appears on your watch.
For a private feed that needs a username and password, Outcast asks for them when you add it. They're saved as part of the feed's address, so they're sent wherever that address goes. See our privacy policy.
How do I move my podcasts from another app?
Most podcast apps can export your subscriptions as an OPML file. Export from your old app, choose Copy to Outcast when asked how to open the file, and confirm the import. Your existing podcasts in Outcast are kept.
To export from Outcast, open Settings in the iPhone app and choose Export.
Does Outcast download new episodes automatically?
No. You choose which episodes to download, either on the watch or by picking them in the iPhone app. That keeps your watch's storage and battery for the episodes you want.
How do I free up space on my watch?
In your episode list on the watch, tap the trash button at the top to delete every played episode at once. To see every downloaded file and its size, open Settings in Outcast on the watch, then Files, and swipe to delete any of them.
Why don't I see chapters?
Chapters show for downloaded episodes whose audio files include chapter markers. They aren't available while streaming, and many podcasts don't include them. You can choose whether chapter controls appear on Now Playing in Outcast's settings.
What is the Podcast Server setting?
By default, Outcast fetches each podcast's list of episodes through the Outcast feed server, which is faster and uses less battery and data on your watch. You can choose Connect directly to podcast URL instead, and Outcast fetches feeds straight from the podcast's host. Episodes always download directly from the podcast's host.
Is Outcast a subscription?
No. Outcast is a one-time purchase in the App Store, with no subscription and no account. You can leave an optional tip from the app's settings. Tips don't unlock anything; they help pay for ongoing development.
Can I get a refund?
Apple handles all App Store payments, so developers can't issue refunds. You can request one from Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.