YouTube Music (YT Music) is Google’s music streaming service tied closely to YouTube. It offers a vast library of songs, albums, remixes, and official music videos, all personalized with Google’s recommendation engine.
The platform is largely known for music, but can you use YouTube Music for audiobooks and podcasts? Well, yes, you can use YouTube Music for podcasts, but not directly for audiobooks.
While you can listen to podcasts on YouTube Music and add them to your library, you can’t directly listen to audiobooks within the app.
In this write-up, we’ll explain how to access podcasts on YouTube Music, the limitations regarding audiobooks, and alternative platforms better suited for audiobooks.
Podcasts on YouTube Music
Podcasts were fully integrated into YouTube Music from April 2024, following the discontinuation of Google Podcasts. There is a dedicated Podcasts tab or section in the YT Music app and on the web that shows featured podcast episodes and categories.
You can browse between Comedy, Business, Lifestyle, and many other sections in the app.
Accessing podcasts on YouTube Music
Below is the procedure for using the YouTube Music podcast section:
- Open/access YouTube Music: Launch the YouTube Music app on your phone or go to music.youtube.com on a web browser.
- Go to podcasts: In the app’s Home tab or the Explore tab, look for a Podcasts category or tab.
- Browse or search: You’ll see featured podcasts and categories. Browse these or search directly for a specific show by name.
- Save presentations you like: When you find a podcast show you want, tap its title to open the show page. Then tap the Add to Library button, usually a plus icon. This saves the show to your library and is equivalent to subscribing.
- View your favorite Podcasts: Go to the Library tab and look for Podcasts. You’ll see your subscribed shows listed here. New episodes will automatically appear in a New episodes list in your library.
- Listen to episodes: Once you select a podcast in your library, you’ll see its episodes. Tap an episode to play it.
- Download for offline: To save an episode for offline listening, tap the download icon, a downward arrow or cloud icon next to that episode. The downloaded episodes will appear in your Downloads section or library.
Listening to podcasts from other platforms via YouTube Music
If your favorite podcast isn’t listed on YouTube Music, you can still subscribe, follow, and listen to it by using its RSS feed. Use these steps to do so on the mobile app:
- Go to the Library, tap Podcasts at the top.
- Tap Add podcast, a plus sign or “+” icon, and choose Add a podcast by RSS feed.
- You’ll be asked to enter the podcast’s RSS URL. You can find it on the podcast’s website.
- After you enter the RSS link and accept the disclaimer, YouTube Music will add the show to your library.
Episodes added via RSS have a special RSS badge next to them. Once added, these function like regular podcasts: you can play them in the YouTube Music player.
If later that podcast becomes officially available on YouTube Music’s directory, remove the RSS version from your library to access it directly.
Note: RSS-added podcasts won’t have some YouTube-specific features. For instance, during playback, you can’t switch to a video version or see comments, and you cannot like/dislike or share them in the app.
Audiobooks on YouTube Music
YouTube Music does not have a dedicated audiobook section or store. There is no official marketplace on YouTube Music for buying or streaming audiobooks.
Google keeps audiobooks in a different app rather than integrating them into YouTube Music. Hence, you cannot directly find or play commercial audiobooks in YouTube Music the way you do with podcasts.
It’s worth noting that you can save your audiobook on the platform. Since YouTube Music allows uploading your audio files, you can upload your files (for example, MP3 files of an audiobook you own) into your YouTube Music library.
These uploads will then appear just like any other track, but will not be in an “audiobook” dedicated section.
Because YouTube Music is not designed for audiobooks, most audiobook listeners use specialized apps. Here are some popular alternatives you should consider:
- Google Play Books: This is the official audiobooks app from Google, not YouTube Music. The app provides access to a catalog of digital selections you can purchase directly or listen to if you already own them.
- Audible from Amazon: One of the most popular subscription audiobook services. It lets you stream thousands of titles from major publishers. You can play the offerings directly from their app on your smartphone or tablet, available for both Android and iOS.
- Libby: An app created by OverDrive that lets you borrow free ebooks and audiobooks with a library card from participating local libraries. This is a legal and cost-effective way to enjoy reading/listening.
- Apple Books: Here you can buy and listen to audiobooks directly within the intuitive Apple Books app that comes preinstalled. It has a massive built-in bookstore with thousands of major audiobook bestsellers and classics.