FAQ

iTunes does not host or cache podcast XML or media files. Podcasters host their media files and RSS feeds on their own web servers or by contracting with a third-party hosting provider. The iTunes Store houses a searchable directory of podcasts to which your podcast feed can be submitted.

iTunes does not accept test podcast feeds. Please test your feed by opening iTunes and choosing Subscribe to Podcast from the File menu. To diagnose problems with your feed, we also recommend Feed Validator

Podcasts cannot be created with iTunes. Mac users can use GarageBand for audio production and QuickTime, iMovie, or Final Cut Pro for video production. PC podcast makers can choose from a number of audio and video production programs and feed-creation tools.

If you have video files that can be played in iTunes but cannot be successfully ported to iPod, iPad, or Apple TV, the iTunes client application includes a Create New Version option in the File menu that will create a video that works on all Apple platforms.

You can also find this link by going to the iTunes Store, navigating to the podcast directory, and clicking the Submit a Podcast link under Podcast Quick Links.

The terms and conditions of the podcast directory are covered by your iTunes Store account. As a result, you must be logged in to an iTunes account in order to submit a podcast.

You need good metadata so people can find your podcast and decide whether to subscribe to it.

Your podcast’s metadata includes all of the information that describes your podcast for the potential subscriber, as well as for the iTunes search and browse infrastructure. The podcast’s category and subcategory determine where the podcast will appear in the browse tree. The title, author, and description are indexed by the iTunes search engine and used to determine relevance when compared with terms entered by the user in the Search Store field. A high percentage of users look for podcasts via search. If you don’t have good, robust metadata, your podcast will not be found in many searches. And when users do find your podcast, they may not have enough information to decide whether to subscribe.

Your podcast must have robust metadata to be eligible for featuring on the Podcasts main page or the iTunes Store main page.