# Increase information density (full title, possible description excerpt) in the episode lists on Inbox (optionally various other screens)
**URL:** https://forum.antennapod.org/t/increase-information-density-full-title-possible-description-excerpt-in-the-episode-lists-on-inbox-optionally-various-other-screens/3745
**Category:** Feature request
**Created:** [December 5, 2023, 10:50am UTC](https://forum.antennapod.org/t/increase-information-density-full-title-possible-description-excerpt-in-the-episode-lists-on-inbox-optionally-various-other-screens/3745 "2023-12-05T10:50:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@klint](https://forum.antennapod.org/u/klint)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2023, 10:50am UTC](https://forum.antennapod.org/t/increase-information-density-full-title-possible-description-excerpt-in-the-episode-lists-on-inbox-optionally-various-other-screens/3745/1 "2023-12-05T10:50:00Z")
**App version** : 3.2.0 (58081fe5b) ( Google Play)
**Problem you may be having, or feature you want** :
when reviewing my inbox, or any other screen that shows list of episodes, the title of the episode is often too short to have a clear view of the subject, IMHO. A longer title would be quite helpful.
**Suggested solution** :
Add an option to choose font size for lists of episodes, and show longer titles with smaller font size
**Screenshots / Drawings / Technical details** :
---
### Author:  [@ByteHamster](https://forum.antennapod.org/u/ByteHamster)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2023, 5:49pm UTC](https://forum.antennapod.org/t/increase-information-density-full-title-possible-description-excerpt-in-the-episode-lists-on-inbox-optionally-various-other-screens/3745/2 "2023-12-05T17:49:09Z")
I think we should rather decrease information density, AntennaPod feels kind of cluttered with all the things it displays at once.
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### Author:  [@klint](https://forum.antennapod.org/u/klint)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2023, 6:08pm UTC](https://forum.antennapod.org/t/increase-information-density-full-title-possible-description-excerpt-in-the-episode-lists-on-inbox-optionally-various-other-screens/3745/3 "2023-12-05T18:08:02Z")
Let’s make it configurable, then.
Because with the way I use the inbox, I lack information from the title to decide whether I should swipe to remove from the inbox or swipe to add to the playlist without needing to display the whole details of each episode. And keep the inbox neat and empty! 😊
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### Author:  [@thomasruge](https://forum.antennapod.org/u/thomasruge)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2024, 5:15pm UTC](https://forum.antennapod.org/t/increase-information-density-full-title-possible-description-excerpt-in-the-episode-lists-on-inbox-optionally-various-other-screens/3745/4 "2024-01-28T17:15:09Z")
Yes, please show more of episode title & description in portrait mode, similar to Google Podcast.
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### Author:  [@tonytamsf](https://forum.antennapod.org/u/tonytamsf)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2024, 7:57pm UTC](https://forum.antennapod.org/t/increase-information-density-full-title-possible-description-excerpt-in-the-episode-lists-on-inbox-optionally-various-other-screens/3745/5 "2024-01-28T19:57:56Z")
a compromise could be that if you long press the episode we can show the entire title?
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### Author:  [@thomasruge](https://forum.antennapod.org/u/thomasruge)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2024, 8:33pm UTC](https://forum.antennapod.org/t/increase-information-density-full-title-possible-description-excerpt-in-the-episode-lists-on-inbox-optionally-various-other-screens/3745/6 "2024-01-28T20:33:44Z")
Currently I can see 7 episodes per scroll of my screen. Fewer episodes per screen (3?) if more lines of the description could get displayed. Scrolling through 20 episodes is easier than a long pause on 20 episodes.
Alternately, possibly format Inbox view differently than Episodes?
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### Author:  [@keunes](https://forum.antennapod.org/u/keunes)
#### Post date: [March 19, 2024, 7:00am UTC](https://forum.antennapod.org/t/increase-information-density-full-title-possible-description-excerpt-in-the-episode-lists-on-inbox-optionally-various-other-screens/3745/7 "2024-03-19T07:00:31Z")
> [@thomasruge](#):
>
> Alternately, possibly format Inbox view differently than Episodes?
This would be my preferred option.
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### Author:  [@yzee-tech](https://forum.antennapod.org/u/yzee-tech)
#### Post date: [October 2, 2026, 10:38am UTC](https://forum.antennapod.org/t/increase-information-density-full-title-possible-description-excerpt-in-the-episode-lists-on-inbox-optionally-various-other-screens/3745/8 "2026-10-02T10:38:50Z")
**Hi All,**
Along the lines of what has been discussed in this thread, I’d like to ask for feedback on a feature request that has been open for a while: showing a short excerpt of the episode description in episode lists (GitHub issue #6985). Many podcasts only put a guest name or episode number in the title, so I often can’t tell what an episode is about without opening it.
I posted a concrete proposal with a mockup on the issue here:
>
>
> \### Checklist
>
> \- \[X\] I have used the search function for \[\*\*OPEN\*\*\](https://gi…thub.com/AntennaPod/AntennaPod/issues) issues to see if someone else has already submitted the same feature request.
> \- \[X\] I have \*\*also\*\* used the search function for \[\*\*CLOSED\*\*\](https://github.com/AntennaPod/AntennaPod/issues?q=is%3Aissue+is%3Aclosed) issues to see if the feature was already implemented and is just waiting to be released, or if the feature was rejected.
> \- \[X\] I will describe the problem with as much detail as possible.
> \- \[X\] This request contains only one single feature, \*\*not\*\* a list of multiple (related) features.
>
> \### App version
>
> 3.2.0
>
> \### Where did you get the app from
>
> Google Play
>
> \### Problem you may be having, or feature you want
>
> Show excerpt of episode description on episode list.
>
> Many podcasts have guest's name on episode title but when you don't know the guest you have no idea of the topic of the episode.
>
> Usually the first sentences of episode description tell who the guest is and what the episode is about.
>
> Take a look at Google podcast app or Beyondpod which show this info on episode lists.
>
> \### Suggested solution
>
> Create a setting to show or hide two lines of description on episodes list.
>
> \### Screenshots / Drawings / Technical details
>
> Please see screenshot of Google Podcasts that have this feature:
>
> !\[Screenshot\_20240310-170419\_1\](https://github.com/AntennaPod/AntennaPod/assets/25194822/a06b1a13-0e1f-42a4-8e84-3234bd42c21e)
>
> Without this feature the title with only guest's name would tell nothing to me about the episode.
In short:
- **Optional, off by default.** A “Show episode preview” switch under User interface. With it off, the lists look exactly as they do today.
- **Layout.** Episode title on one line, then the cover with the podcast name and a two-line plain-text preview next to it. The status icons, date, size, duration, progress bar, drag handle and long-press menu all stay.
- **Where the text comes from.** The shortest summary the feed provides (e.g. `itunes:subtitle`), falling back to the start of the show notes.
- **Performance.** This was the concern raised on the issue. The preview is converted to plain text and cut to 200 characters once, during feed refresh, and stored in its own small column. Lists read only that column, so no full descriptions are loaded and no HTML is parsed while scrolling.
I also have a working implementation on a branch of my fork, based on `develop`: [GitHub - yzee-tech/AntennaPod at episode-description-preview · GitHub](https://github.com/yzee-tech/AntennaPod/tree/episode-description-preview)
It passes the project’s checks (checkstyle, lint, unit tests, emulator tests) in my fork, includes a parser test, and I’ve been using it on my own phone. In the interest of transparency: the code was written with AI assistance, and I’ve tested it myself.
I haven’t opened a pull request because the issue still has the “Needs: Decision” label, and I understand from the contribution guide that I should wait for that. So my questions are:
1. Is this a direction the team would accept, at least as an optional setting?
2. Is there anything about the design or the approach you’d want changed before I open a PR?
I’m happy to adjust the design or the code based on whatever feedback you have.
Thanks!
