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[Enhancement]: Automatic podcast episode download should download episodes relative to your latest listened to episode #3098

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opened 2026-04-25 00:13:39 +02:00 by adam · 2 comments
adam commented 2026-04-25 00:13:39 +02:00
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Originally created by @husjon on GitHub (Nov 18, 2025).

Type of Enhancement

Web Interface/Frontend

Describe the Feature/Enhancement

When adding a podcast to ABS, especially a new one that you've never listened to, automatic download downloads and maintains the X amount of absolute latest episodes rather than the next X episodes relative to where you are in the series.

This makes it really hard to follow a series you're listening to from the beginning without having to go in an manually download the episodes.

Why would this be helpful?

It would make it easier to maintain where you are in the podcast series.
Take for example Tales from the Stinky Dragon which has about 200 episodes.
Since this is a long-running D&D campaign it makes no sense to start at the end.
One could of course download all the episodes but that would take up a lot of resources.

Future Implementation (Screenshot)

Quick mock-up with a checkbox to let the user choose if ABS should download the next X episodes rather than the X latest.

The info box could describe this more in details, e.g. "This will use your current listening position and download the next 3 episodes" (the number could be pulled from the "Max # of new episodes to download per check" input)

Image

Audiobookshelf Server Version

v2.30.0

Current Implementation (Screenshot)

The timeplan tab for a podcast series.

Image
Originally created by @husjon on GitHub (Nov 18, 2025). ### Type of Enhancement Web Interface/Frontend ### Describe the Feature/Enhancement When adding a podcast to ABS, especially a new one that you've never listened to, automatic download downloads and maintains the X amount of absolute latest episodes rather than the next X episodes relative to where you are in the series. This makes it really hard to follow a series you're listening to from the beginning without having to go in an manually download the episodes. ### Why would this be helpful? It would make it easier to maintain where you are in the podcast series. Take for example _Tales from the Stinky Dragon_ which has about 200 episodes. Since this is a long-running D&D campaign it makes no sense to start at the end. One could of course download all the episodes but that would take up a lot of resources. ### Future Implementation (Screenshot) Quick mock-up with a checkbox to let the user choose if ABS should download the next X episodes rather than the X latest. The info box could describe this more in details, e.g. "This will use your current listening position and download the next 3 episodes" (the number could be pulled from the "Max # of new episodes to download per check" input) <img width="824" height="757" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/290a81fe-9f89-407c-9502-0e5c80eaf77a" /> ### Audiobookshelf Server Version v2.30.0 ### Current Implementation (Screenshot) The timeplan tab for a podcast series. <img width="824" height="712" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/d993fb6b-75aa-48f4-a060-4efd18ff3751" />
adam added the enhancement label 2026-04-25 00:13:39 +02:00
adam commented 2026-04-25 00:13:39 +02:00
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@nichwall commented on GitHub (Nov 18, 2025):

Duplicate/related to https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/issues/4073

Audiobookshelf is not intended as a traditional podcast player and is designed as a local archive for files (with some limited deletion capabilities to only keep the most recent episodes). The server does not take any listen progress into account when downloading new episodes or deleting old episodes (such as with a multi-user setup). The server also does not track listen progress for deleted items, so if you delete an episode and then download it again, the episode will not be marked as listened/completed.

For more control over downloading (such as tracking where you are at, more download controls, tracking listen state after deleting files), you will likely find a better experience with a dedicated podcast app.

@nichwall commented on GitHub (Nov 18, 2025): Duplicate/related to https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/issues/4073 Audiobookshelf is not intended as a traditional podcast player and is designed as a local archive for files (with some limited deletion capabilities to only keep the most recent episodes). The server does not take any listen progress into account when downloading new episodes or deleting old episodes (such as with a multi-user setup). The server also does not track listen progress for deleted items, so if you delete an episode and then download it again, the episode will not be marked as listened/completed. For more control over downloading (such as tracking where you are at, more download controls, tracking listen state after deleting files), you will likely find a better experience with a dedicated podcast app.
adam commented 2026-04-25 00:13:40 +02:00
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@husjon commented on GitHub (Nov 18, 2025):

Audiobookshelf is not intended as a traditional podcast player

Are you with this saying that it will never expand on the podcast features?
I would assume seeing that there are quite some issues related to the podcast feature that people do want more functionality.

The server does not take any listen progress into account when downloading new episodes or deleting old episodes (such as with a multi-user setup).

Correct, which is what this feature request is all about, expanding on the existing feature set to add this and potentially more in the future.
Note, I am not saying right away, but some time in the future, I could even look into doing a PR for it when/if I have the time, for now I just want to bring it forth for discussion. :)

As you mention, for more control using external software to manage it is of course possible, but it is tedious as heck when it comes to multi-user setups especially with podcasts that can have new releases weekly or even multiple times per week.

@husjon commented on GitHub (Nov 18, 2025): > Audiobookshelf is not intended as a traditional podcast player Are you with this saying that it will never expand on the podcast features? I would assume seeing that there are quite some issues related to the podcast feature that people do want more functionality. > The server does not take any listen progress into account when downloading new episodes or deleting old episodes (such as with a multi-user setup). Correct, which is what this feature request is all about, expanding on the existing feature set to add this and potentially more in the future. Note, I am not saying right away, but some time in the future, I could even look into doing a PR for it when/if I have the time, for now I just want to bring it forth for discussion. :) As you mention, for more control using external software to manage it is of course possible, but it is tedious as heck when it comes to multi-user setups especially with podcasts that can have new releases weekly or even multiple times per week.
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Reference: starred/audiobookshelf#3098