Apple’s New Chapters Feature: What It Means for Your Podcast
Hey Reader
Apple just made a small update that could make a big difference to how people experience your podcast.
They’re officially rolling out support for chapters. Timestamps that break your episodes into labeled sections listeners can see and skip between directly in Apple Podcasts.
If you’ve logged into Apple Podcasts Connect recently, you might’ve seen a new message asking whether you’d like to “opt out” of automatic chapters. Let’s break down what that means, and whether you should use this feature or not.
What automatic chapters actually do
When you opt in, Apple will use AI to detect changes in your episode such as shifts in speaker, topic, or even music, and automatically mark those points as chapters.
In theory, that’s convenient. In practice, it’s worth pausing before you click “yes.”
Because while automatic chapters can save time, they’re also generic. They won’t reflect your show’s flow, tone, or structure. And if your podcast relies on storytelling, transitions, or tone changes, AI might mislabel or over-segment your episode, hindering your listeners' experience.
If you opt out, you’ll continue to control your chapters manually, either by adding them in your hosting platform or embedding them directly into your MP3 metadata.
Why this matters for indie podcasters
Chapters are more than timestamps, they’re a listener engagement tool.
They help people:
- Revisit specific moments in long episodes.
- Skip to segments that match their interests.
- Re-engage with your content later (instead of scrolling aimlessly through an audio file).
And if you name your chapters intentionally, they double as mini marketing hooks. Seeing “The 3-Minute Story That Changed Everything” is a lot more compelling than “Segment 2.”
How we’re already using chapters
In our in-house show, Kids vs Parents, we use chapters to mark each round of trivia: Kids Questions and Parents Questions.
It’s a simple addition, but it changes how people listen. If a question comes up in the car and the family isn’t sure who it’s for, they can glance at the screen and see exactly who should be answering. It makes the experience more interactive and keeps everyone engaged, which is exactly what great podcast design is supposed to do.
What to try this week
If you want to experiment, start by manually adding chapters to your next episode. Label key segments like the intro, story beats, or Q&A section, and think about how your listeners might use them.
Keep them short, clear, and conversational. You’re not just labeling timecodes, you’re improving how your audience navigates your show.
Apple’s update is a good reminder: podcasting isn’t just about what people hear, it’s about how they experience it.
So next time you publish, try adding chapters, even if it’s just two or three. You might be surprised how much smoother your show feels when your listeners know exactly where they are.
See you next time,
Steve
P.S.
I'll share more about timed links in a future edition.