[Enhancement]: Allow uploading of RSS feeds (as .xml files or similar) #2326

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opened 2026-02-20 10:18:15 -05:00 by deekerman · 2 comments

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 10:18:15 -05:00

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Originally created by @JJGerace on GitHub (Oct 25, 2024).

Type of Enhancement

Web Interface/Frontend

Describe the Feature/Enhancement

Allow users to manually upload a .xml file/the RSS feed from their local filesystem, in order to match/import the metadata within to an existing podcast entry on ABS.

Why would this be helpful?

ABS is a great podcast manager because it allows forming a podcast directly from loose audio files.

However, not all audio files have well formatted id tags that ABS can easily parse. Manually editing these id tags, or editing the metadata within ABS can be very tedious.

Much quicker is to point ABS toward the RSS feed for these files and "match" the episodes to entries within to import metadata. However, not all RSS feeds have a publicly available URL: a forward thinking user may backup a premium RSS feed (from a service like substack or patreon) ahead of their subscription expiring. Or a podcast could be unlisted and its RSS feed link removed (this has happened to an old podcast I have backed up).

This feature would also allow ABS to functionally export and import RSS feeds to save metadata of podcasts, which is a form already used and understood by all podcatchers (it already can "open RSS feed"s as a functional export).

Future Implementation (Screenshot)

This could be implemented with an "upload" button put adjacent to the current field. After clicking "upload" the user would be prompted to select an .xml file from their filesystem to upload (just like how the OPML .xml upload works currently).

Audiobookshelf Server Version

v2.15.1

Current Implementation (Screenshot)

The current version is the same as the included mockup except missing the "upload" button.

Originally created by @JJGerace on GitHub (Oct 25, 2024). ### Type of Enhancement Web Interface/Frontend ### Describe the Feature/Enhancement Allow users to manually upload a .xml file/the RSS feed from their local filesystem, in order to match/import the metadata within to an existing podcast entry on ABS. ### Why would this be helpful? ABS is a great podcast manager because it allows forming a podcast directly from loose audio files. However, not all audio files have well formatted id tags that ABS can easily parse. Manually editing these id tags, or editing the metadata within ABS can be very tedious. Much quicker is to point ABS toward the RSS feed for these files and "match" the episodes to entries within to import metadata. However, not all RSS feeds have a publicly available URL: a forward thinking user may backup a premium RSS feed (from a service like substack or patreon) ahead of their subscription expiring. Or a podcast could be unlisted and its RSS feed link removed (this has happened to an old podcast I have backed up). This feature would also allow ABS to functionally export and import RSS feeds to save metadata of podcasts, which is a form already used and understood by all podcatchers (it already can "open RSS feed"s as a functional export). ### Future Implementation (Screenshot) This could be implemented with an "upload" button put adjacent to the current field. After clicking "upload" the user would be prompted to select an .xml file from their filesystem to upload (just like how the OPML .xml upload works currently). ![2024_10_25_03_23_46_Audiobookshelf](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/943171c7-aa39-4418-8c9b-48b9c8c45416) ### Audiobookshelf Server Version v2.15.1 ### Current Implementation (Screenshot) The current version is the same as the included mockup except missing the "upload" button.

deekerman added the

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2026-02-20 10:18:15 -05:00

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 10:18:16 -05:00

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@pwinnski commented on GitHub (Oct 30, 2024):

If the filenames match those defined in an OPML file, does uploading an OPML file and pointing to an already-existing directory not work? Or does it download duplicate files? I haven't tested this myself.

@pwinnski commented on GitHub (Oct 30, 2024): If the filenames match those defined in an OPML file, does uploading an OPML file and pointing to an already-existing directory not work? Or does it download duplicate files? I haven't tested this myself.

deekerman commented

2026-02-20 10:18:17 -05:00

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@JJGerace commented on GitHub (Oct 30, 2024):

If the filenames match those defined in an OPML file, does uploading an OPML file and pointing to an already-existing directory not work? Or does it download duplicate files? I haven't tested this myself.

If I'm not mistaken, OPML files just export a list of subscriptions and a link to their RSS feeds. It doesn't contain episode information nor detailed metadata. I bring it up because it's an example of how ABS can accept an upload of an XML file from a UI/client side perspective.

Here I'm proposing that ABS accept upload of an archived RSS feed (which are also XML files), for metadata matching purposes. Because not all RSS feeds are accessible via the internet (it may require a lookup with the wayback machine or a user may have archived it).

@JJGerace commented on GitHub (Oct 30, 2024): > If the filenames match those defined in an OPML file, does uploading an OPML file and pointing to an already-existing directory not work? Or does it download duplicate files? I haven't tested this myself. If I'm not mistaken, OPML files just export a list of subscriptions and *a link* to their RSS feeds. It doesn't contain episode information nor detailed metadata. I bring it up because it's an example of how ABS can accept an upload of an XML file from a UI/client side perspective. Here I'm proposing that ABS accept upload of an archived RSS feed (which are also XML files), for metadata matching purposes. Because not all RSS feeds are accessible via the internet (it may require a lookup with the wayback machine or a user may have archived it).