Google Podcasts is being replaced by YouTube Music — what you need to know before the transition

Google Podcasts is headed to the graveyard in 2024 as the search giant pivots to turning YouTube Music into users' one-stop shop for podcasts. This week, Google released its promised migration tool so users can export all their favorite shows to another app.

Google explained the migration tool in a support document first spotted by 9to5Google. When you open the Google Podcasts app, you should see a popup and banner disclosing the planned shutdown along with an "Export subscriptions" button at the top of the screen. The company also provided a more precise date for when Google Podcasts will stop working in the U.S. on Android, iOS and the web: April 2, 2024.

To export your podcast subscriptions straight to YouTube Music, first, make sure you have YouTube Music installed and updated. In the Google Podcasts app, select "Export subscriptions," then tap "Export" under "Export to YouTube Music."

Not a YouTube Music fan? You can export your podcast subscriptions to another app via downloading your data in the OPML file format. In the Google Podcasts app, go to Export subscriptions > Export to another app > Download to do so. That file can then be uploaded to another service, though the exact steps to do so will vary by app.

Google Podcasts users in the U.S. have until July 2024 to migrate, while Google has yet to announce a timeline for international users.

Unfortunately, YouTube Music — at least in its current state — is a bare-bones substitute rather than a true Google Podcasts replacement. Earlier this month, the YouTube Music team said it would add the “ability to mark a podcast as listened to so listeners can easily identify podcasts with which they’ve previously interacted.”

This feature, which is a staple of podcasting apps, will roll out “in the coming months.” YouTube Music also doesn't support notifications to alert users when new podcast episodes drop. Here's hoping Google can bring these and other common-sense features to YouTube Music before April. Or else the company can expect a lot of frustrated podcast listeners.

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Alyse Stanley is a news editor at Tom’s Guide, overseeing weekend coverage and writing about the latest in tech, gaming, and entertainment. Before Tom’s Guide, Alyse worked as an editor for the Washington Post’s sunsetted video game section, Launcher. She previously led Gizmodo’s weekend news desk and has written game reviews and features for outlets like Polygon, Unwinnable, and Rock, Paper, Shotgun. She’s a big fan of horror movies, cartoons, and roller skating. She's also a puzzle fan and can often be found contributing to the NYT Connections coverage on Tom's Guide