Frequently Asked Questions
Everything about listening, saving stations, and getting your own station on FMWise.
Listening & troubleshooting
How do I listen to a radio station on FMWise?+
Press the play button on any station card or station page. The live stream starts instantly in your browser — no account, app, or download needed. On desktop you can also press the space bar to pause and resume.
Why does a station show "Stream unavailable"?+
Broadcasters occasionally restart or move their stream servers. If a station fails, tap "Report broken stream" on the player or station page — our health checker will re-verify it. Most outages clear within hours.
Does playback work on mobile and in the background?+
Yes. The player uses your browser's native audio with Media Session integration, so audio keeps playing with the screen off and responds to lock-screen, Bluetooth headset, and steering-wheel controls.
What does the song title in the player mean?+
Many stations broadcast "now playing" metadata (ICY titles or HLS ID3 tags). When available, FMWise shows the current artist and track live, syncs it to your lock screen, and archives recent tracks on the station page.
Frequencies, cities & streams
What is the difference between an FM/AM frequency and an online stream?+
A frequency like "FM 97.9" is the station's terrestrial dial position in its broadcast region — you would need a physical radio nearby to tune it. FMWise carries the same station's official internet stream so you can listen from anywhere in the world.
How do I find stations in my city?+
Open a country page and use the "by City" links, or visit the city's Local FM/AM Frequency Dial table, which lists terrestrial stations sorted by real frequency. The homepage "Live Near You" rail also suggests stations near your location automatically.
Are the station streams free and legal?+
FMWise indexes publicly available broadcast streams published by the stations themselves. Listening is free; the audio remains the property of each broadcaster.
Favorites, sleep timer, PWA & car
How do favorites and listening history work without an account?+
Everything is stored privately in your browser's local storage — favorites stay in sync across open tabs. Visit /favorites to manage your list or pick up where you left off.
How does the sleep timer work?+
Choose 15–60 minutes from the clock icon in the player. When the timer ends, the volume fades out over a few seconds and playback pauses — your preferred volume is remembered for next time.
Can I install FMWise as an app?+
Yes — FMWise is a full PWA. In Chrome/Edge tap "Install" in the address bar or menu; on iOS use Share → "Add to Home Screen". You get an app icon, standalone window, and offline access to your saved station list.
Can I skip stations from my car or headphones?+
Yes. The next/previous track buttons on Bluetooth headsets, CarPlay, Android Auto, and media keys switch stations — forward through your favorites or tune a random top station.
For broadcasters
How do I add or update my station on FMWise?+
Use the submission portal at /submit — or "Claim / update this station" on your station's page. We verify the stream is live before publishing; no account or fee required. Submit a station →
Can I embed a player or badge on my station's website?+
Every station page includes an "Embed Player & Official Radio Badge" section with a ready-to-paste HTML badge and an iframe mini player that streams live and links back to your station page.