🚗podcast prep before a long drive with bad signal

half of this exists because I got stranded with one episode left and zero bars

01
turn on auto-downloads for your top 3 shows
one of mine was marked non-episodic and just never downloaded. check the setting first
02
manually queue the next 4-5 episodes before you leave wifi
03
turn off remove played episodes after 24 hrs
Apple deletes finished eps a day later by default. killed a backup episode i wanted to relisten to
04
turn video downloads off if you don't need them
05
download everything on wifi, never cellular
burned through data outside signal range once, never again
06
queue one show you've already finished as a comfort backup
07
pack a wired backup pair, not just bluetooth
buds died at hour 4 on the dash charger. wired doesn't need a battery
08
charge the case, not just the buds
09
turn on Spotify's offline mode before you lose signal
the toggle does nothing retroactively, has to be on before the dead zone starts
10
screenshot where signal actually drops on your route
11
bring a cheap power bank
12
put your phone in airplane mode on the dead stretches
no bars anyway, it just saves battery from hunting for signal
13
leave one non-true-crime show queued for after
you'll want something lighter once the case wraps

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