YouTube Music Adds Auto-Download Feature for Podcasts

After the news that Google is discontinuing Google Podcasts, they have introduced a new feature to YouTube Music.

YouTube Music will replace Google Podcasts in the coming months, with the latter being completely discontinued by 2024. Users are now reporting that they can see an auto-download option for podcasts in version 6.21 of YouTube Music (available for both Android and iOS).

Selected countries, including the US, have had access to podcast shows and episodes on YouTube Music since the beginning of 2023. Here’s how to enable auto-downloads:

1. Open the YouTube Music app.
2. Tap the Podcasts filter at the top of the home screen.
3. Visit a show page and tap the new settings gear icon to “Save/d to library.”
4. Slide up the “Turn on auto-downloads” button. If selected, the most recent episode of that channel will be downloaded to your device for offline listening.

Currently, YouTube Music does not offer auto-removal settings, a feature found in Google Podcasts. Google Podcasts allows users to set a time increment (after 24 hours, 7 days, 30 days, and 90 days) to remove completed episodes. Auto-downloads in YouTube Music work on a per-show and per-device basis, so you need to enable them for each show individually. Google may choose to add these missing features via a future update to YouTube Music. However, nothing is confirmed at this time.