How to Submit Your Podcast to Apple Podcasts in 2026

Apple Podcasts has stricter submission requirements than any other major platform — and the review process involves a human check, not just automated validation. A rejected submission does not just delay your launch by a day. It can add one to two weeks while Apple processes a resubmission. Most rejections come down to the same two issues: cover art dimensions and missing RSS feed fields. Fix those before you submit and the process is smooth. Overlook them and you are waiting.

What You Need Before Submitting

• An Apple ID: A standard Apple account used for the App Store, iCloud, and other Apple services. Free to create at appleid.apple.com if you do not have one.
• An active RSS feed: Your podcast must have at least one published episode available in the feed. The RSS feed URL must be publicly accessible.
• Cover art: 1400×1400 to 3000×3000 pixels, JPG or PNG format, square (1:1 aspect ratio). Apple enforces these specifications strictly – feeds with non-compliant cover art are rejected during review.
• Required RSS feed fields: Title, description, author name, and language. All standard podcast hosting platforms populate these fields automatically.
• Content category: Your show must be assigned to at least one category. Apple Podcasts provides a defined list of categories during submission.

Step-by-Step Submission Process

1. Go to podcastsconnect.apple.com in a web browser and sign in with your Apple ID.
2. On the Podcasts Connect dashboard, click the “+” button (or “Add a Show”) to begin a new submission.
3. Paste your RSS feed URL in the field provided and click “Validate.” Podcasts Connect will read your feed and display a preview of your show information including title, artwork, description, and episode list.
4. Review the preview to confirm all information is accurate. If there are errors – missing fields, cover art issues – the validator will flag them at this stage.
5. Click “Submit” to send your show for review.

Apple’s review process for new podcast submissions typically takes one to five business days. During high-volume periods (after major podcasting events or product launches), review times may extend somewhat. You will receive an email notification at the address associated with your Apple ID when your show is approved.

Common Rejection Reasons

Apple Podcasts rejects submissions for a defined set of reasons. Understanding them in advance helps you avoid the most common ones:

• Cover art does not meet pixel requirements: The image must be exactly square and at least 1400×1400 pixels. Images slightly off from square (e.g., 1400×1402) are rejected. Verify dimensions in your image editor before uploading to your podcast host.
• Missing required RSS feed fields: The RSS feed must include a title, author name, description, and language tag. If your hosting platform has not been fully set up with this information, the feed will fail validation. Fill in all fields in your podcast host settings before submitting.
• Explicit content tag mismatch: If your show contains explicit content (profanity, adult themes) but you have not marked it as explicit in your podcast host settings – or vice versa – Apple may reject the submission. Be accurate with your explicit content designation.
• RSS feed not accessible: If Apple’s crawler cannot reach your RSS feed URL, the submission cannot be processed. Verify the feed URL is publicly accessible by opening it in a browser with no account login required.
• Content policy violations: Apple Podcasts has content policies that prohibit certain types of content. Review Apple’s podcast content policies if your show covers sensitive topics.

After Approval: How Apple Podcasts Works

Once your show is approved, Apple Podcasts automatically checks your RSS feed for new episodes. You do not need to return to Podcasts Connect to submit new episodes – publishing to your podcast host triggers automatic import by Apple. New episodes typically appear on Apple Podcasts within one to two hours of being published to your RSS feed, though occasional delays of up to a few hours do occur.

If you need to update your show’s title, description, or cover art after approval, make those changes in your podcast host settings and they will propagate to Apple Podcasts automatically through the RSS feed, usually within 24 hours.

Apple Podcasts Connect Analytics

Podcasts Connect provides analytics on your Apple Podcasts audience including total plays, unique devices, average listening time per episode, and episode engagement (how much of each episode listeners complete on average). These engagement metrics are particularly valuable – average completion rate is a strong signal of content quality. Shows where listeners regularly complete full episodes tend to perform better in Apple’s recommendation algorithms.

Subscribing vs. Following

Apple updated its terminology from “subscribe” to “follow” in recent versions of the Apple Podcasts app. “Following” a show adds it to a listener’s library and triggers automatic downloads of new episodes (subject to the listener’s download settings). Encouraging listeners to “follow” your show on Apple Podcasts is the standard call to action that drives ongoing audience engagement on the platform.

Key Takeaways

• Submitting your podcast to Apple Podcasts requires an Apple ID, an active RSS feed with at least one published episode, and compliant cover art sized between 1400×1400 to 3000×3000 pixels.
• The submission process begins at podcastsconnect.apple.com, where you must paste your RSS feed URL and validate it before submission.
• Apple’s review process for new podcast submissions typically takes one to five business days, with potential delays during high-volume periods.
• Common reasons for rejection include non-compliant cover art dimensions and missing required RSS feed fields such as title, author name, description, and language.
• Ensure that your explicit content tag accurately reflects your podcast’s content to avoid rejection during the submission process.

Related Guides

• how to get on Spotify
• full podcast distribution guide
• audio quality and LUFS standards
• podcast file formats
• CoHarmonify Podcast Studio