YouTube Music To Release Auto-Downloads Feature For Podcasts: All Details – News18

YouTube Music, a Google-owned music streaming service developed by YouTube, is rolling out the capability to automatically download podcasts, as reported by 9to5google.

As per the report, auto-downloading for podcasts is available in version 6.21 of YouTube Music for both Android and iOS. To use this feature, go to a show’s page and click on the new settings gear icon, then select “Save to Library.” This step will reveal the ‘Turn on auto-downloads’ button, instantly downloading the latest episode to your device for offline listening.

According to the report, Auto-downloads work on a per-show (and per-device) basis so you have to enable them individually. In Google Podcasts, you can quickly toggle downloads on/off using the dedicated Auto Downloading page. In YouTube Music, you can manage downloaded podcasts by going to the Library tab, selecting Podcasts, and using the individual overflow menus.

“As of today, episodes you’ve finished listening to aren’t automatically deleted. It’s possible that files are deleted after a new episode is available/downloaded or after a set time increment, like a full day, but we aren’t able to test that just yet,” said 9to5google in its report.

The report also suggested that many users are eagerly anticipating the ability to subscribe via RSS on YouTube Music. This would transform it into a straightforward podcast player, eliminating the need for shows to create and upload video versions.

In related news, YouTube has now become the platform of choice for four out of every five people online in India while its short-video-making app called Shorts has grown in popularity, with 96 per cent aged 18 to 44 in the country using YouTube Shorts.

With an average of 70 billion daily views globally, YouTube Shorts continues to grow in popularity among viewers in India, according to the company.

Shorts watch-time now also surpassed devices with 88 per cent of online 18-44-year-olds watching short-form video content on a TV over the past 12 months in the country.