Back to Getting Started

First launch and setup

What happens the first time you open PolyPod — loading, the intro tour, account setup, and onboarding.

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Here’s what to expect from the first time you open PolyPod to the moment you’re ready to listen.

Loading screen

PolyPod shows a loading screen when it first opens. This usually only takes a few seconds.

If it takes longer than expected — or you’re offline — a Continue Offline button appears. Tap it to carry on without waiting. Cloud sync, recommendations, and sign-in won’t be available offline, but everything else works.

The intro tour

New users see a four-slide tour:

  1. Learn Languages Through Podcasts
  2. Find Your Perfect Podcast
  3. Built for Learners
  4. See Your Growth

Tap the dots at the bottom to jump to any slide, or tap Next to step through. Tap Get Started on the last slide to move on.

If you’re offline on the last slide, the button changes to Need Internet. You’ll get the option to Try Again (checks your connection) or Continue Anyway (proceeds without internet, with some setup limitations).

The tour only runs once. It won’t appear on subsequent opens unless you delete your account.

Account setup

You can either sign in or continue as a guest:

Sign in uses Apple Sign-In. Tap the button and follow the Apple prompt. An internet connection is required. For full details on sign-in and what happens if you already have data on the device, see Creating and managing your account.

Continue as Guest lets you use the core app without an account. You can always sign in later from your profile.

Onboarding

After account setup, you go through three quick steps:

  1. Choose a language — pick from the available grid. You can add more languages later (Premium required for multiple languages).

  2. Choose your level — Beginner (A1–A2), Intermediate (B1–B2), or Advanced (C1–C2). This shapes which podcasts get recommended to you.

  3. Follow some podcasts — five recommended podcasts are shown based on your level. Tap Follow on any you like. Following your first one triggers a confetti moment. You can skip this step entirely and find podcasts yourself later.

Once those three steps are done, you’re in the app.