Publishing desk · 2026-10-25
Audio plays, but seeking fails: make a useful hosting support record
Separate playback from seeking and give your host a reproducible example.
Apple lists support for HTTP HEAD and byte-range requests among podcast hosting requirements. A working play button alone does not check every delivery behaviour.
Use one published episode as your example. Note the public audio URL, the listening app, the approximate point you tried to seek to and what happened. Repeat once with an ordinary browser player, without signing into the hosting account. Record observations rather than calling the hosting service broken on the strength of one app.
For example, a report saying “the episode starts, but seeking to the middle restarts playback in this player” gives support something to reproduce. Ask the host to check request handling for that exact media object, including HEAD and byte-range behaviour. Avoid downloading the file repeatedly or changing account-wide delivery settings while the cause is unknown.
Try this check
Sources and editorial notes
- Apple Podcasts — RSS feed requirements · reviewed 2026-10-23
A practical note prepared with AI assistance and checked against the linked source before scheduling. Examples are illustrative, not reports from a customer account. This is evergreen guidance, not a news announcement. The publication date records its release; the source-review date remains separate.