Spotify to Support Apple’s HLS Video Standard for Podcasts on Apple Platforms

Spotify announced on Thursday that it plans to embrace Apple’s HLS video technology. The adoption will allow Spotify-hosted shows to distribute and monetize their video podcasts on Apple Podcasts without requiring changes to existing setups. Apple recently introduced HLS, or HTTP Live Streaming, video technology on Apple Podcasts.

HLS technology automatically adjusts video quality in real time based on network speed. With the integration, Spotify listeners should experience consistently high-quality video regardless of their internet connection, whether on fast Wi-Fi at home or cellular data. This is expected to result in less buffering and fewer sudden drops in video quality.

Spotify plans to roll out these HLS upgrades later in 2026. The company also announced direct sales and new partner integrations as additional ways for creators to earn. Creators using hosting providers Libsyn, Podigee, Audioboom, Audiomeans, and Podspace can now publish video podcasts directly on Spotify.

These creators can earn revenue through the Spotify Partner Program. The expanded video podcast publishing feature for those hosting providers is currently live. It follows Spotify’s earlier announcement this year.

Earlier in 2026, Spotify lowered the requirements for video monetization. As of November 2025, nearly 500,000 shows had streamed a video podcast on Spotify. Over 390 million users had streamed a video podcast on Spotify by that time.

@techcrunch reported that as video continues to drive the growth of podcasting, Spotify’s ongoing improvements help creators reach and engage viewers who prefer visual content. The announcement on Thursday, May 14 2026 or immediately prior, reflects Spotify’s continued investment in video following its initial launch of video podcasts in 2020.

The company has doubled down on the format in the years since.