Header Banner
gadgethacks.mark.png
Gadget Hacks Shop Apple Guides Android Guides iPhone Guides Mac Guides Pixel Guides Samsung Guides Tweaks & Hacks Privacy & Security Productivity Hacks Movies & TV Smartphone Gaming Music & Audio Travel Tips Videography Tips Chat Apps

How to Customize the Back & Forward Skip Button Lengths in Apple Podcasts from 10 to 60 Seconds

Nov 6, 2018 03:53 PM
Jul 15, 2019 02:47 PM
Hand using a smartphone to control audio playback.
Tips for music lovers and podcast enthusiasts

Apple's stock Podcasts app in iOS remains my go-to for all of my podcast-listening needs, but skipping around during an episode can be frustrating. Scrubbing audio along the timeline is often an imprecise maneuver, which is why the skip buttons can be so useful and efficient. Without customizing skip lengths, however, you may find yourself tapping far more than you need to.

The skip back and forward buttons in the Podcasts app were set at 15 seconds in iOS 11 and lower, and this could not be changed. In iOS 12 and higher, the default skip lengths are different, where skipping backward is still 15 seconds but skipping forward increased to 30 seconds. Apple also made it possible to customize the skip times in iOS 12, a much-needed improvement.

Depending on the type and volume of podcasts you listen to (I consume dozens of long-form shows with many ad breaks), adjusting your skip buttons to a "Goldilocks" length can significantly improve your listening experience.

Open the Settings app, then find and tap on "Podcasts." Next, scroll down to the Skip Buttons section. "Forward" and "Back" are at their defaults, 30 and 15 seconds, respectively.

Settings menu on a mobile device displaying various app options.
How to Customize the Back & Forward Skip Button Lengths in Apple Podcasts from 10 to 60 Seconds
Settings menu on a mobile device displaying various app options.
How to Customize the Back & Forward Skip Button Lengths in Apple Podcasts from 10 to 60 Seconds

Tapping on these fields will allow for more time options: 10, 15, 30, 45, or 60 seconds. Choose which lengths you prefer for "Forward" and "Back," and your changes will be reflected when next you open and use Podcasts.

Skip back is usually a shorter length than skip forward since this is typically used to replay a missed word or sentence of dialogue. Think instant replay. For that reason, I like the 10-second length as I find that 15 seconds rewinds the audio a little too much for my taste.

The forward skip is where I prefer to dramatically extend the length of time to 60 seconds because, like most people, I typically fast-forward past the ads or intros which are usually a few minutes in length. Though it might seem like a minor thing — doubling the skip length from 30 seconds to 60 — when I'm pushing past the nonsense in my (far-too-large) daily feed, I'm eliminating dozens of taps on my iPhone. And that adds up.

How to Customize the Back & Forward Skip Button Lengths in Apple Podcasts from 10 to 60 Seconds
Settings menu for timer options with intervals of 15, 30, and 45 seconds selected.
How to Customize the Back & Forward Skip Button Lengths in Apple Podcasts from 10 to 60 Seconds
Settings menu for timer options with intervals of 15, 30, and 45 seconds selected.

After you make the adjustments in Settings, the new skip back and forward lengths are available across iOS where you have access to Podcasts controls, including the Now Playing screen in Podcasts, the lock screen player, the Notification Center player, and the Control Center card.

How to Customize the Back & Forward Skip Button Lengths in Apple Podcasts from 10 to 60 Seconds

From left to right, clockwise: Now Playing screen in Podcasts, the player in the lock screen or Notification Center, and the small and big Control Center cards.

Media playback interface showing a podcast titled "Stranger Things Podcast" and notifications on a mobile device.
Control Center interface on a smartphone displaying various settings and options.
Media playback interface displaying a paused audio track.
How to Customize the Back & Forward Skip Button Lengths in Apple Podcasts from 10 to 60 Seconds

From left to right, clockwise: Now Playing screen in Podcasts, the player in the lock screen or Notification Center, and the small and big Control Center cards.

Media playback interface showing a podcast titled "Stranger Things Podcast" and notifications on a mobile device.
Control Center interface on a smartphone displaying various settings and options.
Media playback interface displaying a paused audio track.

This article was produced during Gadget Hacks' special coverage on streaming, listening to, and creating music and podcasts on your smartphone. Check out the whole Music and Audio series.

Cover photo by David Chien/Gadget Hacks; Screenshots by Justin Meyers/Gadget Hacks

The next big software update for iPhone is coming sometime in April and will include a Food section in Apple News+, an easy-to-miss new Ambient Music app, Priority Notifications thanks to Apple Intelligence, and updates to apps like Mail, Photos, Podcasts, and Safari. See what else is coming to your iPhone with the iOS 18.4 update.

Related Articles

Comments

No Comments Exist

Be the first, drop a comment!