Google Podcasts App Shutting Down: How to Transfer Your Subscriptions to YouTube Music?

Google Podcasts, a widely-used app boasting over 500 million downloads on the Play Store, is set to cease operations in the US starting April 2. The decision comes as Google shifts its focus towards audio and video podcasts integrated with YouTube Music. Despite the imminent closure, users are provided with a window until July 2024 to migrate their subscriptions to alternative platforms.

Closure Announcement of Google Podcasts and Migration Process:

Google had announced the closure of the Google Podcasts app in a blog post last year, with in-app notifications reminding users of the impending shutdown for weeks. Now, a warning on the app's home page encourages users to transfer their data to YouTube Music or other podcast services of their choice.

Migrating Subscriptions to YouTube Music

Here's a step-by-step guide to transferring your subscriptions to YouTube Music:

1. Open the Google Podcasts app and navigate to the Home tab.

2. Locate the Google Podcasts app shutdown notification and tap "Export Subscriptions."

3. Select "Export to YouTube Music."

4. You'll be redirected to YouTube Music to choose a Gmail account. Once confirmed, your subscriptions will be transferred (allow a few minutes for completion).

Potential Migration Issues

Be aware that not all podcasts might migrate seamlessly. You might see a "Content is unavailable" message. In such cases, manually adding the podcast using its RSS feed link is necessary.

Migrating to Third-Party Services

Moving subscriptions to a non-Google service requires a slightly more complex process. Users need to download an OPML file through Google Takeout.

Considerations and Manual Transfer:

While most subscriptions will migrate smoothly, some podcasts may not be available in YouTube Music, resulting in a "Content is unavailable" message. In such cases, users can manually add podcasts by providing the show's RSS feed link. Additionally, transferring podcasts to a third-party app requires downloading via an OPML file from Google Takeout.

Google's Reasoning Behind Closure:

Google cited its intention to enhance the podcast experience on YouTube Music, offering exclusive features tailored for both fans and podcasters. By investing in YouTube Music as a primary podcast destination, Google aims to provide a comprehensive audio-visual experience with unique capabilities in community engagement, content discovery, and seamless audio/visual transitions.