How to Change Playback Speed on SoundCloud (iPhone, iPad & Mac)
SoundCloud has no speed control. But with the free Soundy app you can play any track, podcast or DJ mix from 0.25× to 3×, with the pitch kept perfectly natural.
Quick answer: The SoundCloud app can't change playback speed. Install the free Soundy app, sign in with SoundCloud, play a track, open the full-screen player, and tap the speed icon (a speedometer) in the bottom toolbar. Choose any speed from 0.25× to 3×. The pitch stays natural, so nothing sounds sped-up or slowed-down in a bad way.
SoundCloud isn't just music: it's packed with podcasts, DJ sets, audiobooks, lectures and interviews. But the official SoundCloud app plays everything at a single fixed speed. There's no way to slow down a tricky mix to learn it, or speed through a long podcast to save time.
Soundy, a free, ad-free SoundCloud player for iPhone, iPad and Mac, adds proper playback speed control from 0.25× to 3×. And because it uses Apple's AVAudioEngine time-pitch processing, the pitch is preserved: no chipmunk vocals when you speed up, no muddy droning when you slow down. Here's how to use it.
Change SoundCloud playback speed in 5 steps
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Download Soundy free
Install Soundy from the App Store on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. It's free, with no ads, and speed control is included from the start.
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Sign in with SoundCloud
Open Soundy and tap Continue, then Sign In with SoundCloud. Authorize in the secure system browser to connect your account. No account yet? Create one free at soundcloud.com/signup.
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Play a track and open the full player
Find a track, podcast or DJ mix in Search or your Library and tap to play. A mini-player appears at the bottom of the screen. Tap it to expand the full-screen player.
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Tap the playback speed button
In the full-screen player's bottom toolbar, tap the speed icon. It looks like a speedometer. A menu of speed options drops down.
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Choose your speed
Pick any speed from 0.25× to 3× in 0.25× steps. A checkmark marks the active speed, and the speed icon turns orange whenever you're at anything other than 1×. The pitch is preserved automatically, so voices and music stay natural.
Every speed you can choose
Soundy offers 12 speed presets in even 0.25× steps, so you can go from a crawl to triple speed:
- Slower: 0.25×, 0.5×, 0.75×, great for transcribing lyrics, learning a DJ mix, or language practice.
- Normal: 1×, the original track speed.
- Faster: 1.25×, 1.5×, 1.75×, 2×, 2.25×, 2.5×, 2.75×, 3×, perfect for getting through long podcasts, audiobooks and lectures quickly.
What playback speed control is great for
Podcasts & audiobooks
Bump long-form audio up to 1.5× or 2× to finish it in less time without missing a word. The preserved pitch keeps every voice clear. Pair it with Soundy's Vocal Booster equalizer preset for maximum clarity.
DJ practice & music learning
Slow a mix to 0.5× or 0.75× to catch every transition, or transcribe a solo note-for-note. Because the pitch doesn't shift, the notes you hear are the notes that were played.
Language learning
Slow down spoken-word tracks to follow along, then gradually raise the speed back toward 1× as you improve.
Good to know: speed control keeps working with background playback, lock-screen controls and AirPlay, on iPhone, iPad and Mac, so your podcast keeps flying along even with the screen off.
SoundCloud playback speed: FAQ
Can you change playback speed on SoundCloud?
Not in the official SoundCloud app, which has no speed control at all. With the free Soundy app for iPhone, iPad and Mac you can play any SoundCloud track from 0.25× to 3×, which is ideal for podcasts, audiobooks, lectures and DJ practice.
How do I speed up a SoundCloud track in Soundy?
Play a track, tap the mini-player to open the full-screen player, then tap the speed icon (a speedometer) in the bottom toolbar. Choose a speed such as 1.25×, 1.5× or 2× from the menu. A checkmark marks the active speed.
What speed range does Soundy support?
Soundy offers speed presets from 0.25× to 3.0× in 0.25× increments: 0.25×, 0.5×, 0.75×, 1×, 1.25×, 1.5×, 1.75×, 2×, 2.25×, 2.5×, 2.75× and 3×. 1× is normal speed.
Does changing the speed make voices sound like a chipmunk?
No. Soundy preserves the pitch when you change speed, using Apple's AVAudioEngine time-pitch processing. Vocals, music and speech stay on their natural pitch whether you slow down or speed up.
Is playback speed control free in Soundy?
Yes. Speed control is completely free in Soundy, along with the 10-band equalizer and every other feature. There are no ads and no in-app purchase required.
Does the speed setting stay when I switch tracks?
Yes. Your chosen playback speed applies to the tracks you play and is remembered between sessions, so podcasts and audiobooks keep playing at your preferred speed until you change it back.
Does speed control work on iPad and Mac?
Yes. Soundy runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac, and playback speed control works the same on all three. It also keeps working with background playback, the lock screen and AirPlay.