> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.podigee.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.podigee.com/documentation/create-and-publish/publishing-and-distribution/understand-your-rss-feed.md). # Understand your RSS feed Learn what your RSS feed contains, how it pages episodes, and how platforms learn about new ones. Your RSS feed is the file that podcast apps and directories read to show your podcast and its episodes. Podigee builds the feed for you from your podcast settings and your published episodes. You never edit the feed by hand. When you know what the feed contains, you can decide what to enter in Podigee and what listeners see in their apps. ## How it works * Podigee creates one feed URL for each audio format of your podcast. The **Feeds** tab of the podcast shows the MP3 feed first. Select **Show alternative feeds** to see the other formats. Use the MP3 feed when you submit the podcast to a directory. * The feed lists published episodes only. An unpublished or scheduled episode is not in the feed. * The feed lists the newest episodes first. The setting **Number of feed items** on the **Feeds** tab decides how many episodes one feed page contains. Older episodes are on further pages that podcast apps can follow. * Podcasts that are restricted to invited listeners have a blocked feed that directories do not index. Each invited listener uses a personal feed URL instead. * When you publish an episode, Podigee updates the feed and notifies podcast apps and directories that support instant feed updates. Apps that do not support instant updates read the feed on their own schedule. * Some podcasts serve MP3 only. For them, Podigee redirects requests to another format feed to the MP3 feed. ## Example You publish an episode on Monday at 09:00. The feed lists it at 09:00. Shortly after, Podigee notifies the platforms that support instant updates. A listener whose app refreshes at 09:30 sees the new episode. Platforms that do not support instant updates read the feed on their own schedule. ## Feed contents The podcast part of the feed contains these values. The table names the Podigee field that fills each value, where a customer can change it. | Feed value | Source in Podigee | | ----------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Title, description, language, category, explicit flag | Podcast details | | Author, owner name, and owner email | Podcast details. The owner email defaults to the account email | | Cover image | Podcast cover image | | Link | Website URL, or the podcast site when no website URL is set | | Publication type (episodic or serial) | Podcast details | | Podcast globally unique identifier (GUID) | Generated once by Podigee. Stable for the life of the podcast | | Import lock | **Prohibit import** setting. On by default | | Trailer | The trailer episode. For serial podcasts, the latest trailer of each season | | Podcast recommendations | **Podcast recommendations** list on the **Feeds** tab (podroll) | | Apple Podcasts claim token | Claim token set on the Apple Podcasts tile | | New feed URL | Redirection section in the podcast settings, used when you move to another host | | Funding and location | Donation links and locations in the podcast details | | Spotify Open Access | Partner ID and test mode on the **Feeds** tab (restricted podcasts only) | Each episode item contains these values. | Feed value | Source in Podigee | | ---------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Title, subtitle, description, show notes | Episode details. Podigee expands text snippets | | Publication date | Episode publication time | | Link | External URL when set. Otherwise the episode page | | GUID | Generated once per episode | | Episode cover | Episode cover | | Season and episode number | Shown for serial podcasts. The episode number also when **Episodes numbers in feed** is enabled | | Episode type (full, trailer, bonus) | Episode details | | Audio file, file size, and duration | Encoded audio in the feed format. MP3 when the format is missing | | Chapter marks | Chapter marks of the episode, in two formats | | Transcript | Transcript of the episode, in JSON and VTT | | Keywords, author, explicit flag | Episode details | | Spotify Open Access entitlements | Per-episode entitlements (restricted podcasts only) | ## Limits and defaults | Item | Value | Notes | | ----------------------------- | ---------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Episodes per feed page | 500 for a new podcast | **Number of feed items** offers 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 250, 500, 1000, and **All episodes** | | Audio formats with a feed | MP3, AAC, Opus, Vorbis | The MP3 feed is the one to submit | | Feed for unpublished podcasts | Blocked | Directories do not index it | | Default feeds | Can be switched off | **Disable default feeds** in the podcast settings. Custom feeds stay available | ## Important decisions * Keep **Number of feed items** small. The **Feeds** tab warns against a high value. Apps follow the paging links for older episodes. * **Deactivate feeds** under **Disable default feeds** removes your feed URLs. Platforms that use the default feed no longer receive updates. Use this only when every platform uses a custom feed. * Leave **Prohibit import** on unless you move the podcast to another host. It tells other hosts that they must not import your podcast without your consent. ## Related tasks * [Manage podcast feeds](/documentation/create-and-publish/hosting-and-management/manage-podcast-feeds.md) * [Create custom feeds](/documentation/create-and-publish/hosting-and-management/create-custom-feeds.md) * [Clone or redirect a podcast](/documentation/create-and-publish/hosting-and-management/clone-or-redirect-a-podcast.md) * [Publish your podcast to directories](/documentation/create-and-publish/publishing-and-distribution/publish-your-podcast-to-directories.md) * [Set up Spotify Open Access](/documentation/create-and-publish/publishing-and-distribution/set-up-spotify-open-access.md) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.podigee.com/documentation/create-and-publish/publishing-and-distribution/understand-your-rss-feed.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.