Creating an RSS Feed in Warpwire and Publishing it in Apple Podcasts

In order for your podcast to show up in the Apple Podcasts app, you must create an RSS feed. Warpwire provides a tool for doing this. Below are step-by-step instructions. To complete this process you will need an Apple ID with which to access Podcasts Connect, Apple's Podcast Management Service (https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/). If you encounter issues in logging in to Podcasts Connect using your Apple ID or have questions about account setup, email Apple Support at podcastsupport@apple.com. You will also need to have available a square thumbnail for your podcast that is a minimum of 1400x1400 pixels, and a maximum of 3000x3000 pixels, or be able to create one using a photo editing tool such as Photoshop. This thumbnail should be saved at 96dpi.

If you have questions or encounter difficulty with this process, please contact the OIT Service Desk at https://oit.duke.edu/help.

  1. Log in to https://warpwire.duke.edu/
  2. Create a Media Library by creating the "+" icon in the upper right as shown here: 


  3. Click the ellipsis next to your Media Library name (see below). You should see "Share," "Analytics" "Copy," and "Settings" pop up. Click "Share".


  4. So that Apple Podcasts can access your files, change the permissions for the Media Library to Public by selecting "Share with everyone on the web (Public)" from the dropdown menu as shown below. When your Media Library is set to Public, it will have a light green background as shown above in the screenshots for Steps 2 and 3.


  5. By default, the person or account with which you've logged into Warpwire will be shown as the author of your feed on Apple Podcasts. To change the author, click on Settings. Then click the "Change" button, search for the author's name, and click their name when it appears. Only users within the Duke system may be listed as podcast authors.

    Perhaps your podcast is produced by a Duke program or department, and you want that name to appear as the podcast author, rather than the name of an individual. You can do that. Go to Settings/ Metadata Profiles and click the Add Profile button shown below:

    From the dropdown menu, select "iTunes Podcast":

    You'll see a list of 16 metadata attributes you can define. The eighth one down is "Author." Enter the name you wish to appear in Apple Podcasts as the author of your podcast. 


    After you enter the name of your podcast's Author, you'll need to fill in a few more required fields. First, under "Type," choose "Episodic" or "Serial." Episodic is for stand-alone episodes, and recommended play order will be newest to oldest. Serial is for narrative podcasts, and recommended play order will be oldest to newest.


    Next, under "Language," select the most appropriate choice from the drop-down list:

     
    Finally, under "Category," select the term that best fits your podcast:


    Once you've made all these changes, scroll down to the bottom of the metadata list and click "Save" as shown below:


  6. Apple podcasts includes a thumbnail image that will default to the first media file in your library. To change this, you can upload a custom thumbnail. This artwork should be square, a minimum of 1400x1400 pixels, and a maximum of 3000x3000 pixels. Make sure to save your thumbnail to 96dpi before uploading to Warpwire, as some users have experienced issues with Apple not recognizing other resolutions. To upload a custom thumbnail go to Settings/ Edit Thumbnail as shown below:


    In the window that appears, click the "+" icon as shown below, then browse to find the .jpg or .png file on your computer. Click "Change":


  7. Now you're ready to upload the audio or video files that comprise your podcast to your new Media Library. See Related Warpwire Documentation below for a tutorial on uploading to Warpwire.

  8. Warpwire will automatically generate a thumbnail for videos but not audio files. To add one for audio files, or a custom one for videos, go to Settings/ Edit Thumbnail. You will see a "+" button that will open up a finder window where you can browse your desktop to find and upload an image. 





  9. To facilitate access to your podcasts for users with disabilities, please add transcripts for your podcast episodes. To do this, copy and paste the text of the transcript into the Description field in Warpwire for each episode. Once you paste your text into the Description field, you'll see a "Save changes" button. Press it.




  10. Navigate back to your Media Library's Share settings:



  11. Click the RSS tab as shown in the image below, and click the word "copy":


  12. Check your feed using this Podcast feed validator that Apple recommends: https://podba.se/validate/. If your feed doesn't pass, or you have any questions about this process, take out a ticket with the OIT Service Desk at oit.duke.edu/help and someone will assist you.

  13. Log in to Podcast Connect using your Apple ID (https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/).

  14. Click the + icon next to "Podcasts"; then click "New Show" from the drop-down menu.


  15. Click "Add existing show (RSS feed)"


  16. Paste the RSS feed URL you copied in Step 11 and click the Add button below to complete the process. 


  17. Note that you can also share your RSS feed in other apps like Stitcher , Google Play, and TuneIn.

 

Related Warpwire Documentation

 

 

 

Article number: KB0028063

Valid to: June 18, 2025