Google Podcast shuts down on April 2 – and here’s what you can do about it

You can transfer your podcast data over to YouTube Music

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● Google Podcasts account● A smartphone● YouTube Music installed● Or third-party podcast platform installed● Internet connection

On April 2,GooglePodcasts will officially shut down for good in the United States, forcing its millions users to look for a new platform. This day has been a long time coming as the tech giant made the initialannouncement of the shutdownback in September 2023.

YouTube Musicwill take its place, and the company has rolled out multiple updates turning it intoGoogle’s main platform for audio content. A ‘podcast’ section was added, along with thumbnails, timestamps, and playlists. Other features include UI changes to help in the discovery of shows on the site, plus the ability to switch between audio podcasts and video seamlessly.

To help with the transition, Google is giving users a way to migrate their podcast data over toYouTubeMusic or supporting third-party services, although the latter can be a complicated process.

We recommend sticking with YouTube Music, since that’s the easiest transition. However, you have until July 2024 to transfer your data over to another platform,according to a Google support page. After that, you’re out of luck.

Quick steps for how transfer your data over to YouTube Music

Step-by-step guide detailing how to transfer data over to YouTube Music

A small box with a disclosure will rise from the bottom. Hit ‘Continue’ when it shows up. Data transferring may take several minutes to complete. The time it takes depends on how many subscriptions you have.

Transferring to a third-party service

Like before, tap Export Subscriptions on Google Podcasts, but this time, select Download under the Export for Another App section. Doing so will create an ‘OPML’ file that you’ll have to upload to a third-party platform.

The process of uploading an OPML file differs from app to app. First, you’ll have to find an app that actively supports the format, such as Podcast Addicts, Cast Box, or Pocket Casts. We recommend downloading the third option as Pocket Casts arguably has the cleanest-looking interface, with an import tool that appears right after it opens.

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Hitting Import at the top will take you right to your mobile device’s Downloads folder, where the OPML file can be found. From here, all you have to do is upload that file.

Again, if you want the most straightforward method, stick with the YouTube Music migration. A YouTube representative told us that Google Podcasts will be shutting down “for all global users this year,” however they couldn’t give an exact time frame of when this will occur.

While you’re listening, check out TechRadar’s list of thebest headphones for 2024.

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Cesar Cadenas has been writing about the tech industry for several years now specializing in consumer electronics, entertainment devices, Windows, and the gaming industry. But he’s also passionate about smartphones, GPUs, and cybersecurity.

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