How To Tune In To Local Radio On Iphone

You can listen to radio on your iPhone in a number of ways, even though the iPhone does not include a radio tuner like some Android phones.
It's easy to listen to radio on your iPhone by downloading apps like iHeart Radio or TuneIn, as well as specific apps for radio stations like NPR One or Sirius XM.
You can also listen to Beats 1, a free radio station on Apple Music, or radio shows broadcasted as podcasts on your iPhone.
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Unlike some Android phones, the iPhone does not have any sort of AM or FM tuner built in, which means that you can't use your iPhone to dial into any local radio stations.

But that doesn't mean you're out of luck. There are a lot of apps you can use to stream radio stations to your iPhone – or stream online services that, for all intents and purposes, sound like traditional radio stations.

Here are a few of the best options to listen to radio on your iPhone.

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How to listen to iHeart Radio on your iPhone

If you want to listen to traditional FM radio, there's probably no better option than iHeart Radio, which gives you free access to more than 850 stations across the country (along with a huge library of podcasts), which you can search for or browse.

The iHeart Radio app is a popular way to listen to radio stations from around the country on your iPhone.

The iHeart Radio app can also use your location to find local radio programming for you.

How to listen to TuneIn Radio on your iPhone

Like iHeart Radio, TuneIn offers a free app that lets you stream radio stations from all around the country. The difference is that TuneIn also offers a premium app that puts a strong emphasis on sports, with MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL games broadcast live — along with music and news.

When you install the TuneIn Premium app, you get a one-week free trial, but after that it's $10 per month.

How to use Apple Music to listen to radio

When Apple launched its Apple Music streaming service in 2015, it also founded Beats 1, which is an internet radio station you can listen to for free in the Music app that comes with your iPhone.

There are a number of other internet streaming stations available in the Music app which you can listen to with a subscription to Apple Music. But Beats 1, located in the Radio tab of the app, is available for free.

Tap the Radio tab in the Music app on your iPhone to access Beats 1.

How to listen to radio on your iPhone with other apps

These three options just scratch the surface. If there's a specific radio station you want to listen to, you might find that there's an app specifically for that station. NPR fans, for example, should install the NPR One app, which streams a variety of public radio shows and podcasts.

The NPR One app lets you listen to public radio on your iPhone.

In addition, many radio shows are repackaged in podcast form. If you have a favorite talk radio show that you can't listen to in real time, check your favorite podcast app to see if it's published there, so you can listen to it on your own schedule.

Finally, if you subscribe to SiriusXM satellite radio, be sure to install the SiriusXM app, which gives you access to all the content from your satellite radio subscription via your iPhone.

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Dave Johnson

Freelance Writer

Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.