Google recently announced plans to shut down its dedicated Google Podcasts platform by April 2024. Instead, podcast capabilities will be directly integrated into YouTube Music going forward. This changeover requires listeners to export their subscriptions over to YouTube Music ahead of time.
In Short:
- Google Podcasts shutting down fully by April 2024
- Features shifting to YouTube Music platform
- Listeners must export subscriptions to retain shows
- Migration tool now active for US-based users
- But some content may not successfully transfer
- Tool expected to roll out globally soon
- Importing available until July 2024 window
- Takeout & OPML file also optional export methods
- Worries of blending music and podcasts content
Over the last few years, YouTube Music has grown very quickly as a top music and audio platform. But with the recent addition of podcasts to YouTube Music, Google decided there was no longer a need for a separate Google Podcasts app.
In September 2022, Google announced that Google Podcasts would be shut down. It would effectively be replaced by the podcast capabilities within YouTube Music. Google said this changeover would be completed by April 2024.
Importing Google Podcast Subscriptions to YouTube Music
Until then, listeners need to transfer their subscriptions over to YouTube Music ahead of the shutdown. Google has now started helping with this process for users in the United States.
As of December 2022, podcast listeners in the US will see a “Export subscriptions” banner at the top of the Google Podcasts website or mobile app.
How to Transfer Subscriptions:
- Tap “Export” under the “Export to YouTube Music” section
- In YouTube Music, tap the “Transfer” button
This will bring all your Google Podcast subscriptions over to YouTube Music.
The Google support page mentioned this feature is initially only for US users. Google will likely share more details soon on when it expands to other countries.
Planning Needed Before Google Podcasts App Shuts Down
The Google Podcasts shutdown won’t happen until April 2024. But listeners will want to transfer subscriptions over the next year rather than lose them. The export tool makes this easy for those in the US, and hopefully worldwide users soon.
As more people adopt YouTube Music for their podcasts needs, Google Podcasts usage will continue declining over the coming months.
What Happens If Podcast Content Doesn’t Transfer?
When you export Google Podcast subscriptions to YouTube Music, some shows may not fully transfer over.
In these cases, YouTube Music may display a “Content unavailable” message instead of old episodes. This would mean at least some portion of the podcast failed to import to the new platform.
Hopefully YouTube Finds a Fix Before Shut Down
We hope YouTube is able to fix any migration issues well before Google Podcasts gets discontinued in April 2024. Listeners will be very unhappy if a lot of content ends up unavailable after transferring subscriptions.
When Will Export Tool Expand Globally?
For now, only listeners in the United States can export podcast subscriptions from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music.
But YouTube will likely open up this migration capability to more countries and regions in the coming weeks and months. Expanding globally soon is crucial so international users can also prepare before the shutdown.
Importing Still Possible Until Mid 2024
Per YouTube, people will have until at least July 2024 to continue transferring any remaining subscriptions over from Google Podcasts before it shuts down entirely.
So there is still a decent amount of time after the official April 2024 discontinuation. We expect YouTube to keep expanding the user base that can leverage the export tool during this transition period.
The more seamless YouTube can make the migration, the better for retaining listeners through Google Podcasts’ sunset.
Other Options for Exporting Podcasts
In addition to moving podcast subscriptions directly to YouTube Music, Google offers a few other alternatives:
Takeout Service
- Users can utilize Google’s Takeout feature to export an archive of their Google Podcast subscriptions and episode data. This creates a backup that could then be imported into another podcatching app.
OPML File
- Listeners can also download an OPML file containing their full list of podcast feeds/shows. This OPML format is commonly supported by many podcast apps.
Concerns Over Replacing Dedicated Podcast App
It was clear from the start that shutting down Google Podcasts and shifting people to YouTube Music would be an unpopular move. One common complaint is losing a dedicated podcast platform in favor of combining music and podcasts together.
Apple Still Separates Music and Podcasts
Unlike Spotify, Apple continues to keep its Apple Music and Apple Podcasts platforms completely separate. Google may come to regret moving podcasts directly into its music app.
Will Shutting Down Google Podcasts Backfire?
It remains to be seen whether bundling everything under YouTube Music will succeed long-term. Many Google products have already been canceled over the years. If podcast integration causes issues for music listeners, shifting back to a standalone app later on could be challenging after sunsetting Google Podcasts.
Final Words
Migrating Google Podcasts into YouTube Music marks the end of an era for the podcatching service. Listeners in the US can already start transferring their subscriptions using a dedicated export tool. While concerns exist over blending music and podcasts together, Google believes centralizing content under YouTube Music is the right long-term plan. Users still have over a year to evaluate alternatives if they remain unsatisfied.
Read More :-