In September, Google announced its plan to close down its standalone podcasts app, Google Podcasts, in 2024. With the end of 2023 approaching, the company has launched a migration tool to enable U.S. users to transfer their existing podcast subscriptions to YouTube Music, which will be the new home for podcasts on Google.
Users have ample time to move their subscriptions since Google Podcasts will officially cease operation in April 2024. Although the current tool only supports U.S. users, Google intends to make it available in other markets soon.
Additionally, the company has shared the timeline for the Google Podcasts app’s shutdown. U.S. users will still be able to listen to their podcasts in the app until March 2024. Furthermore, even after the app is discontinued in April, users will have until July 2024 to migrate or export their subscriptions.
The new migration tool will be displayed in the app via a banner at the top of the screen in the coming weeks. Step-by-step instructions will also be available on Google’s support site. For those who prefer not to switch to YouTube Music, an option to export subscriptions to an OPML file will also be provided, which can be uploaded into any other third-party podcast app that supports uploads.
Previously, Google has been working to position YouTube as a primary destination for podcasts, as it launched a dedicated podcasts homepage last year and announced plans in February to incorporate podcasts into YouTube Music, which competes with Spotify and Apple Music.
The change will streamline Google’s efforts in the audio streaming market, allowing it to consolidate the listenership that’s currently spread across multiple apps. Though Google Play Music was shut down years ago, it took longer for the company to address podcasts.
To use the migration tool, users will click on “Export Subscriptions” at the top of the screen, then under “Export to YouTube Music,” they’ll tap “Export.” If they don’t have the YouTube Music app installed, they’ll be prompted to install it at that time. After reading the disclosure, users will tap “Continue” to complete the migration process.
Image Credits: YouTube
YouTube highlights that many popular podcasts are already available on YouTube, such as New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce and Murder, Mystery & Makeup with Bailey Sarian.
Going forward, listeners will also be able to add shows directly to their YouTube Music library via the podcast’s RSS feed. YouTube intends to support RSS uploads for podcasters, as previously mentioned.
To aid podcast listeners on YouTube Music, the company has incorporated “shelves” in the app for easier access to podcasts, as well as features like adding RSS feeds, automatic downloads, and a listening experience that allows users to resume where they left off. In the future, a “mark as listened” option will also be introduced.
