Troubleshooting and FAQ

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Feed URL Returns 404

Go to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes.

Then reload the feed URL.

Feed Opens, but Directory Rejects It

Check:

  • Podcast name, description, website, language, author, cover art, and category are filled.
  • At least one episode is published.
  • Episode media URL is public.
  • Cover art is square and within recommended dimensions.
  • The feed URL returns XML, not a preview page or admin page.
  • The media file uses a supported extension and MIME type.

Preview Works, but Podcast App Does Not Play Audio

Check the episode media URL in a private browser window.

For public podcasts, the file must be reachable without login.

For private podcasts, use the subscriber's tokenized feed URL.

Episode Is Saved but Missing From Feed

Check:

  • The episode post status is published.
  • The publish date is not in the future.
  • The episode belongs to the selected podcast.
  • Feed settings are not limiting the feed to fewer episodes than expected.

Duration Is Missing

The plugin may not be able to read duration immediately for every media host.

It tries a background duration backfill. If duration remains missing:

  • Use a WordPress Media Library upload when possible.
  • Confirm the media file can be downloaded by the server.
  • Check the Error Log.

S3 Upload Did Not Happen

Check:

  • S3 Buckets integration is enabled.
  • Credentials are correct.
  • Bucket exists.
  • Region or endpoint is correct.
  • R2 has a public domain.
  • Background jobs are running.
  • Error Log has no unresolved upload errors.

S3 Credentials Suddenly Fail

If WordPress salts changed, encrypted credentials may no longer decrypt.

Re-enter the S3 bucket settings and save again.

Podcast Player Is Not Inserted

Check:

  • Podcast Player plugin is installed and active.
  • The integration is enabled.
  • The episode was created after enabling the integration.
  • The episode has a valid audio URL.

Imported Feed Has No Episodes

The source feed may not contain valid audio or video enclosures, or it may block server requests.

Try opening the source RSS feed in a browser and confirm episode media URLs exist.

Private Feed Says Unauthorized

Check:

  • The podcast is private.
  • The URL includes the full token.
  • The token is active.
  • The token has not expired.
  • Usage limits have not been reached.
  • The token belongs to the correct podcast.

Subscriber Did Not Receive Email

Selfhost Podcasting uses WordPress mail. Configure SMTP or transactional email and test WordPress email delivery.

Can I Create More Than One Podcast?

Yes. Each podcast has its own feed URL, preview URL, settings, integrations, and episodes.

Can I Use External Audio URLs?

Yes, if the URL is a direct media URL using HTTP or HTTPS and the server allows access.

Can I Change the Podcast Slug Later?

Technically yes, but avoid it after submission. Changing the slug changes the feed URL and can break subscriptions unless handled as a migration.