# NWPB — user reviews > 68 indexed App Store user reviews of NWPB by Washington State University, rated 4.20/5 from 104 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nwpb/id472024661/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nwpb/id472024661.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 61 · 4★ 23 · 3★ 8 · 2★ 5 · 1★ 7 ## What do users think of NWPB? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 👍 Great content and programming - 👍 Reliable when it works - 👍 No ads or pop-ups - 👍 Good for staying connected while traveling - 👍 Pleasant interface and design - 👍 Easy to use - 👍 Good sound quality - 👍 Access to local and national news - 👍 Diverse programming options **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent streaming interruptions - 🐛 App crashes often - 🐛 Sleep timer issues - 🐛 Audio skips or stops - 🐛 App freezes - 🐛 Noisy audio fluctuations - 🐛 Difficult navigation - 🐛 Inconsistent performance - 🐛 Poor compatibility with iOS updates - 🐛 Small buttons and unclear interface - 🐛 No offline listening option **Commonly reported bugs** - Streaming cuts out frequently - Sleep timer resets or doesn't change - App randomly closes - Audio randomly stopping and playing - System becomes frozen - Streaming function not working - App crashes - Cannot find previously listened programs - Random volume changes between stories - Update fails to connect to network - Livestream no longer delivers audio - App doesn't respond to iOS control center - Native alarm disabled when NWPR is playing - No alarm clock feature in newer versions - Constantly buffering stream, causing skips and pauses - Small buttons and poor menus - Display does not dim and lights up room when docked **Most requested features** - Fix streaming interruptions - Improve sleep timer functionality - Allow changing sleep timer without exiting app - Make app more intuitive for program scheduling - Add offline download/listening feature - Improve compatibility with iOS control center - Add dark mode - Improve alarm clock functionality - Allow background playback for alarm clock - Make display completely dark for alarm clock - Improve button size and spacing - List local news on demand ## Newest reviews (13 of 68) ### 4/5 — Unreliable *2025-11-27* Great app when it works. Sometimes it will not let you change the sleep time. One night I had it set for 4hours. The next night I set it for 2 hours and pressed save. Over 2hours later the app was still going. I checked and it had reset itself back to 4 hours and would not let me change the time. The only way to change it was to completely close the app and start over. If not for this irritating issue it would be 5 stars. Follow up. App still defaults to its own sleep time. Only now it is 2 1/2 hours instead of 4. Subtracted one star. Update: App has improved. The only issue I have now is that if you set a time on the sleep timer you cannot change it without completely exiting the app and starting over. You can scroll the number to what ever you want. The time returns to the previous setting. Update: There have been some improvements. You can now change the sleep timer with no issues. But it still defaults to 2 1/2 hours. So be sure to check it every time you use it. ### 4/5 — Unreliable *2025-10-19* Great app when it works. Sometimes it will not let you change the sleep time. One night I had it set for 4hours. The next night I set it for 2 hours and pressed save. Over 2hours later the app was still going. I checked and it had reset itself back to 4 hours and would not let me change the time. The only way to change it was to completely close the app and start over. If not for this irritating issue it would be 5 stars. Follow up. App still defaults to its own sleep time. Only now it is 2 1/2 hours instead of 4. Subtracted one star. Update: App has improved. The only issue I have now is that if you set a time on the sleep timer you cannot change it without completely exiting the app and starting over. You can scroll the number to what ever you want. The time returns to the previous setting. ### 4/5 — Could use improvement. *2025-08-11* I like the NWPB program and the fact that you can listen to it through the app but i have frequent problems with the audio randomly stopping and then playing again after about 30 seconds causing whatever i was listening to to be skipped. As well as the app randomly closing itself so that i have to stop what I’m doing to re-open the app to continue listening. I hope these issues can be fixed in the future otherwise it’s a lot smoother to listen through the radio. ### 3/5 — Unreliable *2024-07-14* Great app when it works. Sometimes it will not let you change the sleep time. One night I had it set for 4hours. The next night I set it for 2 hours and pressed save. Over 2hours later the app was still going. I checked and it had reset itself back to 4 hours and would not let me change the time. The only way to change it was to completely close the app and start over. If not for this irritating issue it would be 5 stars. Follow up. App still defaults to its own sleep time. Only now it is 2 1/2 hours instead of 4. Subtracted one star. ### 3/5 — Unreliable *2024-06-17* Great app when it works. Sometimes it will not let you change the sleep time. One night I had it set for 4hours. The next night I set it for 2 hours and pressed save. Over 2hours later the app was still going. I checked and it had reset itself back to 4 hours and would not let me change the time. The only way to change it was to completely close the app and start over. If not for this irritating issue it would be 5 stars. ### 3/5 — Screwy sleep timer. Is there a 90 minute default? *2023-11-09* I set the sleep timer for one hour. Slid slide switch to on. Touched save. One hour shows on screen. App turns off after 30 minutes. Open sleep timer again. Now it is set for 1hr 30 min. Without me touching it. Reset to one hour. Same thing happens again. This repeated three times in one night. ### 4/5 — NWPB APP *2023-03-30* I enjoy the TV and radio programs I obtain while using this APP. Unfortunately, there are occasions when I have a problem getting to The Newshour. During these times, I open the APP, choose The Newshour, a Masterpiece or other type of advertisement runs, and then the system becomes frozen. I shut down the IPad, restart, and go through the routine listed above again. Normally I am able to get the Newshour and all is well. Yes, it’s a first world problem, but exceedingly frustrating none the less. ### 3/5 — App *2023-01-20, version 4.5.72* I hope with this latest update the app crashes will end. Some days are better than others. ### 4/5 — My All Day Station *2020-11-08, version 4.4.31* I like the weekend lineup of programs, folk, Scottish, Early & baroque, film. Over the air radio is alive and viable. Streaming is not functioning. ### 4/5 — Reliable source on the go *2020-07-13* I use it all the time while traveling around in my car without cut outs. Super! But at home I regularly have to restart as it turns off. Why? ### 5/5 — Useful *2020-03-03, version 4.4.31* And pretty. ### 5/5 — Excellent news service *2019-11-14, version 4.4.9* I listen to NWPB every morning walking the dog , and in the evening while getting dinner ready. Definitely the most used app on my phone . ### 3/5 — Random volume changes *2019-08-28* Since upgrading to 4.4.9, if I listen to an on demand news show, the volume randomly changes between stories. Sometimes it maxes out, other times it's entirely silent and has to be restarted This is the second time I've been burned by an upgrade. It seems the developers don't believe in QA. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Streaming still doesn’t work! *2023-03-04* I have been using this app for years to stream NWPB. A few months ago the streaming function stopped working. I tried several fixes to no avail, and ended up streaming the station through a different NPR app. So I was excited for the update that just occurred. But still, the streaming does not work, despite good Wi-Fi, good, cellular connection strength and a late model iPhone ### 1/5 — Seems to be down a lot… *2022-06-23* Don’t get me wrong: I am an NWPB supporter and will never leave them…but there are frequent instances when the app doesn’t work. I don’t know if the problem is with the app or the streaming service, but it’s frustrating to faithful listeners like me. Please get on top of these problems so that they don’t recur…and so that I don’t have to go to that “other” NPR station in Seattle. ### 1/5 — Nope *2021-10-26, version 4.5.25* Can't find the program I was listening to. This app is a mess and not intuitive at all. They have a schedule list of what was and is playing on the radio. Can I select my program there directly. Nope! Can I find it anywhere else in the app. Nope! ### 1/5 — Sad app *2015-09-28, version 2.4* Small buttons, stream stops, seems to return to classical music when you restart, no ability to download and listen later, selection process more complex than it needs to be, more small buttons ### 1/5 — Practically worthless *2014-10-07, version 2.4* There are many flaws to this app (small buttons, poor menus, etc), but worst is its inability to simply stream the station. It's constantly buffering the stream so you regularly hear skips, pauses, and even complete disconnects. I've finally deleted the thing in hopes of another version and have simply bookmarked the NWPR website. The stream works there. ### 1/5 — Old app, better. *2014-07-21, version 2.4* Unfortunately, this app is not an improvement. I didn't like the old one. It appears to small on phone and is hard to manipulate. There are several sister radio stations around the country with nice, functional, user friendly interfaces. ### 2/5 — Unreliable *2026-01-09* Great content but streaming cuts out very frequently - especially annoying when trying to listen to the news on All Things Considered. This has been going on for quite some time. Please fix this! ### 2/5 — Worthless *2023-09-01* Too often this app will not work. I open the app, touch the arrow in the lower left corner. It changes to the pause symbol. There is no sound. Volume is almost maxed. Phone is not muted. All other apps that use Wi-Fi are working fine. But not this one. ### 2/5 — Not a fan *2019-10-21, version 4.4.9* The stars are for their effort, but I have not found this app to be very intuitive when looking for program scheduling. ### 2/5 — Glitches out too often *2019-08-02, version 4.4.9* It’s a simple radio on demand app but it glitches out too often. Not a review of Northwest Public Radio or its content, just the buggy app. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Best option to listen to local NPR *2025-04-11* While this app isn’t perfect, few are. This is the best, most reliable, app to listen to NWPB and I love that it doesn’t have ads and pop ups like TuneIn. ### 5/5 — Great App *2024-05-27* Love the NWPB app. I idea my iPhone for all listening-podcasts, books, NPR on NWPV app. Especially enjoy weekend programming. I also appreciate having PNW news and info at my finger tips. It's a great app. Thanks NWPB! ### 5/5 — Radio *2023-09-28, version 4.6.7* Great radio station love listening to it ### 5/5 — Love NWPR *2020-08-24, version 4.4.31* My connection to the audio is great when using the app! ### 5/5 — Hoped that it would be better *2020-08-21, version 4.4.31* Set the sleep feature for 2 hours. After about 15 minutes the music stopped. When I checked to see what was going on I noticed that the app had paused and the sleep time was changed to 2 1/2 hours. No one touched the phone. Other than that minor issue, the music is great. Follow up: The above situation has not happened in a while. So I assume they solved the problem. Therefore I am changing my rating from 3 stars to 5. Excellent app. Keep up the good work. ### 5/5 — Great app *2020-06-22, version 4.4.31* Better than Portland’s ### 5/5 — Well designed! *2020-06-20, version 4.4.31* The app reflects an intelligent designer(s). I appreciate the ease of using them app and its appearance. Thanks! ### 5/5 — Enjoyable classical music and reliable news *2020-06-07* I'm enjoying the great evening music stream on this app. Streams flawlessly on wireless. The buttons work fine and I wear glasses and have arthritis in my hands. The menus give lots of ways to listen. Wish the local news could be listed in on demand. Good work NWPB! ### 5/5 — Home!! *2020-05-10, version 4.4.31* I work in Tennessee and miss the familiar voices from my Home NWPR station. I love, love, love this app. There is no place like home! Thank you NWPR. ### 5/5 — Great information purveyor *2020-03-21* Choices available include reading, audio, or video; current or recent past (possibly more remote past - haven’t tried for that yet); and regional, national, or world focus. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-31.*