macOS Big Sur 11.3 no longer allows you to drag Podcast episodes out

[darkpaw]

The Podcasts app no longer lets you drag episodes onto your desktop.

I like to keep episodes of certain podcasts in case they ever get removed, and this has been fine forever, until 11.3. It's no longer possible.

I now have to find the file itself, which is in /Users/<username>/Library/Group Containers/<random characters>.groups.com.apple.podcasts/Library

There is zero reason for Apple having removed this ability. Perhaps the Product Managers at Apple are just being mean to their many millions of customers?

At some point I'm going to have to stop buying their stuff because they break my workflow with every software release.

 

[cervus]

You're right. That's a bad change. Also, so far, with Big Sur 11.3.1, I haven't yet found a way to create a playlist with episodes from different podcasts. The new "station" thing doesn't allow that. Has anyone figured out how to make your own playlist with two episodes from Podcast A and two episodes from podcast B? Thanks.

The Podcasts app no longer lets you drag episodes onto your desktop.

I like to keep episodes of certain podcasts in case they ever get removed, and this has been fine forever, until 11.3. It's no longer possible.

I now have to find the file itself, which is in /Users/<username>/Library/Group Containers/<random characters>.groups.com.apple.podcasts/Library

There is zero reason for Apple having removed this ability. Perhaps the Product Managers at Apple are just being mean to their many millions of customers?

At some point I'm going to have to stop buying their stuff because they break my workflow with every software release.

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[NoBoMac]

Has anyone figured out how to make your own playlist with two episodes from Podcast A and two episodes from podcast B?

Not really. Had to roll my own solution.

In iTunes, was using Smart Playlists to sync to my phone all episodes between two dates. Now, I have a script to move podcasts I've downloaded via Podcasts on Mac to an external drive. And a second script to read the Podcasts database and find the oldest X episodes I've downloaded and move them from external to a temp area, where I drag/drop to an app on the phone that can play podcasts (was using Readdle Documents, now trying Downcast).

On phone, using Downcast to download news/info podcasts that update daily (or semi; stuff that have a shelf life).

Not as convenient as letting Apple Podcasts to manage everything, but what with Podcasts taking steps backwards since being removed from iTunes, and seeing huge battery usage, at least only have to deal with one app for playback.

 

[cervus]

Not really. Had to roll my own solution.

In iTunes, was using Smart Playlists to sync to my phone all episodes between two dates. Now, I have a script to move podcasts I've downloaded via Podcasts on Mac to an external drive. And a second script to read the Podcasts database and find the oldest X episodes I've downloaded and move them from external to a temp area, where I drag/drop to an app on the phone that can play podcasts (was using Readdle Documents, now trying Downcast).

On phone, using Downcast to download news/info podcasts that update daily (or semi; stuff that have a shelf life).

Not as convenient as letting Apple Podcasts to manage everything, but what with Podcasts taking steps backwards since being removed from iTunes, and seeing huge battery usage, at least only have to deal with one app for playback.

Thank you very much for all those details. But I should have mentioned that I use a Nano 7G for listening to podcasts. Simple, simple, simple, and apparently just messed up by Apple.

 

[nickribush]

The Podcasts app no longer lets you drag episodes onto your desktop.

I like to keep episodes of certain podcasts in case they ever get removed, and this has been fine forever, until 11.3. It's no longer possible.

I now have to find the file itself, which is in /Users/<username>/Library/Group Containers/<random characters>.groups.com.apple.podcasts/Library

There is zero reason for Apple having removed this ability. Perhaps the Product Managers at Apple are just being mean to their many millions of customers?

At some point I'm going to have to stop buying their stuff because they break my workflow with every software release.

Thank you. I get to Library, then there are four folders: ApplicationSupport, Cache, Caches, Preferences. But there are no podcasts in any of those...

 

[nickribush]

OK, I see. They're in the Cache folder, with weird file names like 1E342CD1-9E44-402E-9B9A-05ED67811BCC.mp3. WTF. Then I sorted them by date modified and found the ones I wanted because I knew when they'd been uploaded. When I drag them to my desktop they disappear from the cache. Then I have to rename them. Why the hell did Apple do this? Was so much easier to drag out of the app. (I'm on Big Sur.)

 

[darkpaw]

OK, I see. They're in the Cache folder, with weird file names like 1E342CD1-9E44-402E-9B9A-05ED67811BCC.mp3. WTF. Then I sorted them by date modified and found the ones I wanted because I knew when they'd been uploaded. When I drag them to my desktop they disappear from the cache. Then I have to rename them. Why the hell did Apple do this? Was so much easier to drag out of the app. (I'm on Big Sur.)

You should copy them from the Cache folder, not move them. If you move them and rename them, the Podcasts app probably won't find them. Maybe it will realise they've gone and let you download them again, or maybe it won't, and it might mess up the library? Who knows?

Yeah, the names are stupid. They're GUIDs, which is easier for the app to deal with. Each episode would get a unique ID, so there's no file issues. (Imagine two podcasts having the same name and episode name; what would the file be called?)

That Cache folder is only updated when the Podcasts app is open and new episodes are downloaded. They won't just appear in that folder without launching the Podcasts app first. Just bear that in mind.

Back to the point, though - it is supremely annoying that I have to jump through these stupid hoops to get at an episode of a podcast. This is not user-friendly at all. As I said, I might have to stop using their software if they're going to keep breaking things. Apple software no longer "just works".

 

[hagent]

I wrote a small js script to resolve this problem you can check it out. It is just one command "npx github:hagent/export-macos-podcasts" which can be run from terminal app (node.js 14 or higher is required). It should export all files from cache folder to "~/Downloads/PodcastsExport/[CURRENT_DATE]" folder with readable names. I hope it will be useful for someone, there is more description in https://github.com/hagent/export-macos-podcasts. It's rather short and clear so there is no of cause anything harmful in it. I wrote it for myself and I don't use podcasts app a lot so I'm not sure how convenient it would be for everybody.

 

[nickribush]

I figured out my own workaround. I did not update my MacBook Air to Big Sur, so I can still drag podcasts onto my desktop there. Then it appears on my iMac desktop. Neanderthal solution but it works!

 

[AndreasVG]

I wrote a small js script to resolve this problem you can check it out. It is just one command "npx github:hagent/export-macos-podcasts" which can be run from terminal app (node.js 14 or higher is required). It should export all files from cache folder to "~/Downloads/PodcastsExport/[CURRENT_DATE]" folder with readable names. I hope it will be useful for someone, there is more description in https://github.com/hagent/export-macos-podcasts. It's rather short and clear so there is no of cause anything harmful in it. I wrote it for myself and I don't use podcasts app a lot so I'm not sure how convenient it would be for everybody.

Hey,

I have just cloned your repo, run the script and it's awesome! Thanks for going to the trouble of creating and sharing this script. In my case I have a lot of MP4 podcasts so I modified your script and it worked like a charm for these also.

 

[Connie G]

I am having the same problem. I upgraded from an IOS that still had iTunes so I could get used to the new version before buying a new laptop in the fall. I can't write scripts so I can't fix it myself. I want another MacBook, but being able to drag and drop Podcasts to a backup drive and back to my laptop and to add a date in the description so I can find them on my backup drive later is a deal breaker for me with the new laptop.
I did go to the Apple Product Feedback and suggest that they fix it.
https://www.apple.com/feedback/ Then I chose MacBook and added my feedback.

 

[chabig]

I use PodCast Archiver (from the App Store).

 

[Connie G]

Thank you Chabig that is what I need.