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Random Jumps During Playback
Random Jumps During Playback

In rare cases, podcasts may unexpectedly jump forward or backward - here's why it happens and how to prevent it

Updated over 2 weeks ago

TL;DR:

  • In rare cases, playback jumps can occur while streaming podcasts

  • This affects all podcast apps, not just Snipd

  • Downloading episodes before listening prevents this issue

  • We recommend enabling auto-downloads for the best experience

What's Happening?

In rare cases while listening to podcasts, you might experience unexpected jumps in the audio - either forward or backward. We've thoroughly investigated this and found that it's an occasional issue that affects all podcast apps, not just Snipd.

Why This Sometimes Happens: Dynamic Ads

These rare jumps are typically caused by dynamic ad insertion (DAI). Here's what's going on:

  • When streaming a podcast, you're getting audio directly from the podcast host's server

  • Occasionally during your listening session, the server might switch to a different version of the episode with different ads

  • If these new ads have different durations, it can cause apparent "jumps" in playback

  • This happens when your current audio buffer runs out and loads the new version

Simple Solution: Download Your Episodes

The best way to avoid these rare jumps is to download episodes before listening. We recommend:

  1. Enabling auto-downloads in your app settings

  2. Downloading episodes when you're on WiFi

  3. Keeping your favorite shows on auto-download for seamless listening

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