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[Enhancement]: Overwrite metadata for podcasts #2732
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opened 2026-04-25 00:09:59 +02:00 by adam
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Reference: starred/audiobookshelf#2732
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Originally created by @RenNagasaki on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025).
Type of Enhancement
Server Backend
Describe the Feature/Enhancement
Hey,
I'm currently testing ABS for the purpose of downloading podcasts and then play them in Plex (I like a single app for all my usages).
The problem is, many podcasts don't manage the metadata (or even worse, change the content over the course of the podcast)
I'd like:
Maybe make it an option, so people can actively decide if they want to use this.
I'd also be happy if someone has some other idea on how to realise this.
Why would this be helpful?
With this small addition to the big feature set of ABS people could use this tool to integrate podcasts back into the plex eco-system.
Future Implementation (Screenshot)
Audiobookshelf Server Version
v2.21.0
Current Implementation (Screenshot)
No response
@Vito0912 commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
Currently, embedding metadata into the files is already possible for book libraries.
I am not sure if I understood your request correctly, but do you want to use ABS just to get the metadata, embed it, and then use it with Plex?
Wouldn't software that does exactly this be better suited than a full media server?
@RenNagasaki commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
"I am not sure if I understood your request correctly, but do you want to use ABS just to get the metadata, embed it, and then use it with Plex?"
Not exactly, I also want/need the option for users to add podcasts. (My family should also be able to add new podcasts if they find one they like)
"Wouldn't software that does exactly this be better suited than a full media server?"
I'm with you on that, the problem is, I haven't found any software that gives the the ability to download podcasts AND embed the fitting metadata while also having a UI(with user management) for adding new ones.
I found stuff like pinepods or podgrab, but they have a far worse user experience regarding the UI and customization options.
And ABS has the advantage that I can ALSO include my books there which plex doesn't offer.
@advplyr commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
Abs automatically embeds metadata in the audio files it downloads for podcasts. As long as they are mp3 files. In some cases podcast feeds serve them as mp3s but they are actually not and ffmpeg fails to embed metadata and in that case it falls back to just downloading.
See https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/blob/fd84cd0d7f647705a49f300b9bdb940f9725e1a7/server/managers/PodcastManager.js#L125-L145
And see here for the meta tags that get embedded
https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/blob/fd84cd0d7f647705a49f300b9bdb940f9725e1a7/server/utils/ffmpegHelpers.js#L134-L156
@RenNagasaki commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
Is there an option which I have to toggle for that?
None of my 3 podcasts I used for testing have any edited metadata.
@advplyr commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
Can you share a podcast RSS feed and I will test it. You can also look at the logs to see if it is failing to embed.
@RenNagasaki commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
https://feeds.megaphone.fm/spontanorama
@advplyr commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
That embeds meta data. You can see it using the probe audio file feature in abs.
@RenNagasaki commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
Maybe I didn't explain it correctly.


The podcast files have some metadata info, it just swings between incomplete and completely unusable.
Example:
Episode: "An den Extremitäten der Größenskala"
This is the metadata for this file.
While "Code Red" has this amount of metadata
The problem is, plex depends on Album + Title Number to correctly order content.
It seems to me that ABS currently only keeps the existing metadata alive, but doesn't "correct"(Simple override) it.
@advplyr commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
No, Abs does override it automatically and writes new meta tags to the file based on the RSS feed content.
I know I shared code snippets but they should still be readable even if you don't code in JS.
I'm not sure what Title Number is but these are the exact meta tags Abs is writing
https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/blob/fd84cd0d7f647705a49f300b9bdb940f9725e1a7/server/utils/ffmpegHelpers.js#L134-L156
And I can see them working as expected when downloading that episode you mentioned:
@advplyr commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
Also, the podcast you shared doesn't have episode numbers. Not all podcasts have episode numbers and that is why podcast apps use the pub date which you can see is embedded in "Date" meta tag.
Here is a full episode from the RSS feed:
No episode number. Plex shouldnt be using episode numbers to sort
@RenNagasaki commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
Titlenumber should be what's called "track" in your code snippet.
Mhm, that's weird. My metadata is for sure not getting edited.

https://rss.nexx.cloud/QBKHY4RQMECBNN0
This podcast.
This info is not visible anywhere else.
@advplyr commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
Here is an example of a podcast with episode numbers. I had to look through a few to find one because many do not have them.
https://podcast.darknetdiaries.com/
Note
itunes:episodewhich is used as the "Track"@RenNagasaki commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
Mhhm, without existing "track" it simply sorts alphabetically.
@RenNagasaki commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
Jeah, I guessed as much, that's why I wrote in my post that if no episode exists, maybe use the index in the list of episodes sorted by date. So you create your own numbering if the podcast doesn't bother doing it.
@advplyr commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
This is how it worked originally but it added extra complexity because we have to check and possibly update the index on episodes any time a new episode is added or the pub date is manually edited.
It is very unlikely that gets added back in
@advplyr commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
And even if it did get added back in we wouldn't be automatically embedding meta tags when an update to the index gets made so it wouldn't fully solve your use-case either.
@RenNagasaki commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
Mhh, seems like I'll have to write a small script or software to periodically run over my podcast folder then.
@RenNagasaki commented on GitHub (Apr 28, 2025):
Thanks for responding and helping!