Google Podcasts Set to Shut Down Soon: Users Advised to Transition to YouTube Music

Google is set to shut down its Podcasts app in the U.S. within days, prompting users to migrate their subscriptions to YouTube Music by April 2. The move is part of Google’s broader strategy to consolidate its audio services under YouTube, which gained podcast support globally by the end of 2023 and added the ability to upload RSS feeds in February.

With over 500 million installations globally on Android devices, the Google Podcasts app has provided a user-friendly interface for podcast discovery and listening for over half a decade. However, Google announced last September its plan to phase out the Podcasts app in early 2024.

Transitioning podcasting to YouTube not only streamlines Google’s efforts but also taps into the growing popularity of video podcasts. Spotify recently partnered with Universal Music Group to introduce video podcasts to U.S. users, following tests in 11 other markets.

While Google aims to shut down the Podcasts app in the U.S. by April 2, users will have additional time until July 2024 to migrate their subscriptions using the app’s export feature. Google has not provided a timeline for the shutdown in other regions but plans to discontinue Google Podcasts globally in 2024.