Phones with fm phones with fm radio  are not as common as they used to be, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy listening to your favorite stations via an FM chip in your smartphone. It’s a feature that many people may not even know they have, and one that can help them stay informed and connected during disasters, power or internet outages, and more.

Despite NPR’s lobbying to have manufacturers activate the chips, they’ve refused, since doing so would interfere with their plan to make money by charging users for music and news. That’s a big reason why it’s so important to keep this feature alive.

In the Airwaves: The Coolest Smartphones That Bring FM Radio to Your Fingertips

While Google’s Android operating system does include support for the FM chip in some phones, it often goes unmentioned and locked, with many spec sheets leaving it out altogether; GSMarena, for example, doesn’t mention this capability on their listings. To access the chip, you’ll need an app like NextRadio and a wired pair of headphones or speaker to act as an antenna.

There are also FM adapters that you can use to connect your phone to an FM radio, allowing it to work just like you’d expect a traditional handheld radio. This method isn’t as convenient as using an app, but it can be useful if you don’t have any of the aforementioned apps and want to get back to basics. The only catch is that the adapters tend to be a bit pricey, but they’re definitely worth checking out if you’re interested.