RSS Feeds
RSS feeds are how AutoPod distributes your content to podcast apps. Every stream, show, and group gets its own feed, updated automatically every two minutes.
How RSS feeds work
AutoPod generates RSS feeds and publishes them to rss.autopod.xyz. Podcast apps (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, etc.) poll these feeds periodically to check for new episodes. When a new episode appears in the feed, the podcast app downloads it and makes it available to subscribers.
You don't need to do anything when a new episode is published — the feed updates automatically.
Feed types
Stream feed
Includes all episodes from all shows on your station. This is your station-wide podcast feed.
https://rss.autopod.xyz/{your-stream-name}.rss
Use this when you want a single feed that covers everything your station produces.
Show feed
Includes episodes from a single show only. Each show gets its own feed automatically.
https://rss.autopod.xyz/show/{show-id}.rss
Use this when you want listeners to subscribe to a specific programme — most useful for podcast directory submissions.
Group feed
Includes episodes from multiple shows combined into a single feed. Groups are configured in the dashboard.
https://rss.autopod.xyz/group/{group-id}.rss
Use this when you want to bundle related shows together — e.g., all your talk shows, or all your daytime programming.
Finding your feed URLs
- Go to Stream Settings in the dashboard
- Your stream feed URL is shown in the settings
- For show feeds, go to any Show → the RSS feed URL is on the show detail page
What's in the feed
AutoPod RSS feeds are fully compliant with the Apple Podcasts specification and include:
| Element | Source |
|---|---|
| Feed title | Stream or show name |
| Feed description | Stream or show description |
| Feed artwork | Stream or show image |
| iTunes category | Configured in stream settings |
| Owner email | Admin email from stream settings |
| Episode title | Episode title |
| Episode description | Episode description |
| Episode audio | MP3 file URL with filesize and duration |
| Episode artwork | Episode image (falls back to show, then stream) |
| Episode date | Publication date |
| Presenter | From show metadata |
The feed also includes Podcast 2.0 namespace tags:
podcast:locked— Prevents unauthorised republishingpodcast:guid— Unique feed identifierpodcast:person— Host/presenter attribution
Configuring your feeds
From Stream Settings in the dashboard:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Stream name | Used as the feed title |
| Description | Used as the feed description |
| Image | Used as the feed artwork (recommended: 3000 × 3000px) |
| RSS filename | Custom slug for your feed URL |
| Admin email | Owner email shown in the feed (required by Apple Podcasts) |
| iTunes category | Podcast category for directory classification |
| Website URL | Link back to your station from the feed |
Excluding shows from RSS
If a show shouldn't appear in any RSS feeds (e.g., music-heavy shows with licensing restrictions), you can exclude it:
- Go to the show's Settings tab
- Enable Exclude from RSS
The show's episodes will still appear in the player and on your website, but won't be included in any RSS feed.
Feed update frequency
- RSS Generator runs every 2 minutes for stream and show feeds
- Group feeds regenerate every 25 minutes
- Podcast apps poll at their own frequency — Apple Podcasts typically checks every few hours, Spotify is faster
This means a new episode typically appears in podcast apps within a few hours of being published.
Custom feed URLs
If you use a custom domain for your RSS feeds (e.g., rss.yourstationname.com), you can configure a custom feed URL in stream settings. The feed content is identical — only the URL changes.
Tips
When submitting to Apple Podcasts or Spotify, submit the show feed (not the stream feed) so listeners only subscribe to one programme. A stream feed with 20 different shows can be confusing for podcast listeners.
Paste your feed URL into a browser to see the raw XML. Or use Podbase or Cast Feed Validator to check for issues before submitting to directories.
Apple Podcasts and Spotify both display your feed artwork prominently. Make sure your show has a high-quality square image (3000 × 3000px) before submitting.