Google Podcasts on Android, iOS, and web now lets you add shows by RSS feed

Last month, Google Podcasts hit 50 million installs on the Play Store, and it’s now letting you “Add by RSS feed” across all platforms. 

Since launch, Google Podcasts has only surfaced shows that podcasters submitted for inclusion in its directory. Closely aligned with Search, this strategy made sense. 

Google is now letting you add any podcast via its RSS feed. To start, navigate to “Activity” in the bottom bar of the mobile client, and then the “Subscriptions” tab at the right. The overflow menu here houses a new “Add by RSS feed” option. It brings up a simple box to type or paste a URL. You’re taken to the show page afterwards and automatically subscribed. Additions will sync across sign-in devices.

On the web app, the navigation drawer features a new “Add by RSS Feed” option. Google says this “means you can now listen to more podcasts, including premium shows.” Some podcasts offer exclusive feeds to paying supporters. 

This addition makes Google Podcasts a more suitable player for more people. It’s a power feature especially for an app that is otherwise very straightforward and focused. The feature is widely available today. 

More about Google Podcasts:

• Google Podcasts for Android adds Cast button to Now Playing screen
• Assistant’s ‘Your News Update’ coming to Google Podcasts, adds more natural TTS voice
• Google Podcasts on the web now shows your subscriptions on the homepage
• Google Podcasts for iOS adds CarPlay support