YouTube Music rolls out manually adding podcasts via RSS [U]

Abner Li | Nov 14 2023 - 3:14 pm PT

With Google Podcasts shutting down in 2024, YouTube Music is getting the ability to add podcasts via RSS feed. This is now rolling out for the first users.

Update 11/14: YouTube Music is widely rolling out the ability to add a podcast via RSS. We’re seeing the option on Android and the web today but not iOS. (You should be able to add from music.youtube.com/library/podcasts and then listen on the iPhone.)

Original 11/9: The current podcasting capability in YTM requires podcasters to upload video versions of episodes. In our experience, not many shows have done that since there is some effort required.

As part of shutting down Google Podcasts, YouTube Music said it would introduce the traditional ability for end users to add a show via RSS. This is now starting to roll out (via Podnews) on Android and the web.

Once live, going to YouTube Music’s Library tab and tapping the Podcasts filter (in the top carousel) will show a new “Add podcast” FAB in the bottom-right corner. A sheet lets you select “Browse top podcasts: Find podcasts on YouTube” or “Add podcast by RSS feed: Add private or public URL.”

Your addition will then appear alongside other podcasts. It’s a straightforward capability and will greatly aid the transition from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music.

Update: Another look at the experience — thanks, Dee! — shows how podcasts you add feature a RSS icon. On the show page, YTM notes how “This podcast was added via RSS feed.”

This is not yet widely available on the accounts we checked. Meanwhile, the broader podcasts feature in YouTube Music should be seeing broader international availability at this point.

Google Podcasts will be “discontinued” sometime in 2024. Before that, a “simple migration tool” will let you move existing subscriptions to YTM. For podcasters, YouTube will allow for RSS uploads instead of requiring a video version, which should aid podcast discovery on the platform.