Podcasts have grown increasingly popular since their introduction into our daily lives as an essential source of entertainment, education, and connection – offering both intimacy and accessibility in one package.
At the forefront of this podcast revolution is Google Podcasts which has quickly become one of the premier platforms to discover, subscribe to, and listen to millions of shows around the globe.
Google Podcasts will no longer be available in the United States with great sadness. Remember when Google announced they’d shut down their Podcasts app in the US after April 2nd?
Well, things moved much quicker than anyone anticipated! On Thursday, April 4th itself, it officially shut down. When opening it now you will find only an error message saying that “Google Podcasts is no longer available”.
But podcast fans don’t despair: Google’s YouTube Music will serve as the new home for podcasts!
Don’t fret though: you still have until July 30th to transfer all your podcast data, such as subscriptions and listening history, into YouTube Music or another platform of your choosing.
Take your time exploring all available options, and get ready to keep listening to all your favorites in an entirely different spot!
Migrate Google Podcast To YouTube Music
Google is suggesting that exporting podcast lists to YouTube Music is the easiest and simplest option available to them, and has even developed a migration tool to facilitate this transition process.
Here are the steps you need to follow today to switch from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music.
- Prepare for YouTube Music: If you haven’t downloaded the YouTube Music app yet, visit your app store now to do so and make this your new podcast home.
- Sign In with Google: Make sure to log into Google within the YouTube Music app so your podcast subscriptions and listening history can easily transfer over. This way, podcast subscriptions, and listening history won’t need to be recreated again when adding music from another account.
- Visit Google Podcasts: Take one last look at Google Podcasts before departing its home. Launch its app and look closely at its top section on the home screen.
- Export Your Subscriptions: You should see a banner mentioning the Google Podcasts shutdown. Look for a button that says “Export subscriptions” or something similar. Click on it!
- Choose YouTube Music as Your New Home: To transfer, look under Export options for “Export to YouTube Music.” Selecting this button will start the transfer process.
- Welcome to YouTube Music: If your export was successful, YouTube Music should open automatically upon activating. If not, just locate and open it manually until you find a “Transfer” button; tap this to confirm the transfer of content.
- Give It Time: Transferring subscriptions can take some time, so be patient as the transfer happens. Grab some coffee, or listen to an excerpt of a podcast preview on YouTube Music while waiting – anything to pass the time is fine!
Congratulations! Once the transfer is complete, a confirmation message will appear. Head to the “Library” section of the YouTube Music app where your successfully transferred subscriptions await playback!
Migrating To Third-Party Service
Google Podcasts may be closing, but your subscriptions and listening history don’t need to disappear! Here is a handy guide on how to transfer them over to another podcast app:
- Gather Your Tools: Launch either Android or iOS apps of Google Podcasts and look for any notifications about its closure.
- Locate an Export Option: Look for a button or option marked “Export Subscriptions,” for instance.
- Choose Your Export Method: Instead of exporting your data directly to YouTube Music, opt to download an OPML file instead. This format enables you to easily import subscriptions and listening data into other podcast apps.
- Downloading the OPML File: Simply follow the on-screen instructions to download an OPML file directly onto your phone’s Downloads folder.
- Explore New Apps: Head over to your app store and choose your podcast app of choice from Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Pocket Casts among many popular options available.
- Once You Have Downloaded an App: When you’ve installed your chosen app, look for an import function within its settings that allows you to upload an OPML file and transfer your subscriptions (and possibly listening history) over.
Important note: Not all podcast apps support importing OPML files, so check your chosen app’s specs carefully to ensure this feature.
Conclusion
The curtain may be closing on Google Podcasts in the US, but the show must go on for your favorite podcasts! Don’t worry, you have until July 30th to transfer your subscriptions and listening history.
We’ve provided clear instructions for migrating your data to YouTube Music, Google’s recommended new home for podcasts.
