Steve McLendon A Google product manager admits he’s sad to see Google Podcasts go to a software grave. He believes that the app’s simplicity, one of its core strengths, contributed to its downfall: “The podcast experience could improve the user experience in a way that I don’t think Google Podcasts could ever really deliver.”
The company shut down Google Podcasts on April 2 after launching the app in 2018. YouTube Music will be the new home for podcasts on Google. While some users long for the simpler experience of podcasts’ RSS feed grabbers, McLendon has his sights set on a future where algorithmic discovery and video podcast editing will be central to the user experience.
“Google is probably notorious for having a lot of different products that do similar things,” he said. “So, which one are we actually investing in?” While McClendon wants to create a user experience that makes pure podcast listeners feel welcome, he’s also excited about the possibilities of multimedia. For example, if someone watches a bunch of NBA game clips on YouTube, their YouTube Music account might recommend some basketball podcasts.
How to move from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music
McLendon’s team launched a tool to help Google Podcasts users transfer their show subscriptions to YouTube Music. The feature is still only available for U.S. users, but McClendon said the company eventually plans to roll it out internationally. It’s worth noting that users must complete this migration before Google stops providing data in July.
First open the app on your Android or iOS device and switch to the Home tab. Since announcing it was shutting down its Podcasts app, Google has started showing a notification at the top of the app’s home screen that provides a quick link to export your subscriptions.Find this notification at the top and select Export subscription. (In a browser, the same option should appear in Discovery Program Tab. ) If you want to switch everything to YouTube Music, select exit button. Tapping this button on your phone will automatically open the YouTube Music app and confirm which account you want to use to complete the change.after click Transfer to… button and YouTube Music will double-check whether you want to add the RSS feeds for all podcasts to your library. Then the process begins.
This tool was able to migrate all 12 of my podcast subscriptions in one minute. (If you’re a podcast fanatic with hundreds of subscriptions, it might take longer.) After that, you can listen to your favorite shows by clicking on YouTube Music podcast At the top of the Home or Library tab. If you don’t see the Podcasts option right away, you may need to scroll left on the gray button. If you’ve used YouTube Music, you know that if you want to listen to music while your phone’s screen is locked, you need a paid subscription. Thankfully, that’s not the case with podcasts. Even if you don’t have a subscription, you can stream or play downloaded shows while your screen is locked.
Alternative podcast listening options
Frustrated by this change and looking for another minimalist podcast app? The Overcast app is a powerful option for iPhone users that mirrors the streamlined nature of Google Podcasts. Pocket Casts is another well-designed app that might suit your taste, and is available on both Android and Apple devices.
Fortunately, if you decide not to use YouTube Music and want to leave the Google Podcasts ecosystem entirely, you can still keep your show subscription.Follow the same steps listed in the previous section; when you reach the YouTube Music export options, find the Accessibility option labeled Export to another application and press download. This process will save the OPML file to your device.
In the Overcast app, you can upload this subscription list via: set up and scroll down to Import OPML. The migration process from Google Podcasts to Pocket Casts is a bit tricky, but still doable. Open the Files app on your smartphone and locate the downloaded OPML data file. Select a shared file and send it to Pocket Casts. This should transfer your show subscriptions to the new app.
Update, April 2, 2024, 8 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to reflect that Google Podcasts is now officially gone.