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archived podcast

have been listening to a podcast called "av rant" for years. It is now listed as archived and won't let me subscribe even though there are current episodes being uploaded each week. iTunes started adding new episodes to an Av rant archived folder in my itunes media folder on PC a few weeks ago. I unsubscribed and deleted all the episodes hoping that it would clear things up, but now I can't resubscribe through itunes.

Windows, Windows 10

Posted on Feb 17, 2022 7:12 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 18, 2022 2:23 AM

I can see from your screenshot that the reason you cannot subscribe is because the button is locked (by the padlock icon). So that's what needs to be fixed.


Researching the "padlocked button" symptom, I found this discussion from 2018 that I think may solve the issue: iTunes Podcast Subscribed Button locked o… - Apple Community albeit that the person who asked the question (the OP) also found the answer. However, it's a bit short on specific detail, so I'll provide it.


The OP deleted the offending Podcasts (as you did) but then reset warnings etc. You can try the resets without deleting the Podcast feed, but if that doesn't work, I suggest that you delete the feed, then do the resets and then find the Podcast again.


Basically, you need to use iTunes' top bar menu to go into Edit/Preferences/Advanced and about halfway down the pane you need to click on the following:

    • Reset all dialogue warnings: Reset Warnings
    • Reset iTunes Store cache: Reset Cache
    • Reset podcast identifier: Reset Identifier


That last one is of particular interest, but I suggest that you reset them all.


Any luck?

6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 18, 2022 2:23 AM in response to wthomas69

I can see from your screenshot that the reason you cannot subscribe is because the button is locked (by the padlock icon). So that's what needs to be fixed.


Researching the "padlocked button" symptom, I found this discussion from 2018 that I think may solve the issue: iTunes Podcast Subscribed Button locked o… - Apple Community albeit that the person who asked the question (the OP) also found the answer. However, it's a bit short on specific detail, so I'll provide it.


The OP deleted the offending Podcasts (as you did) but then reset warnings etc. You can try the resets without deleting the Podcast feed, but if that doesn't work, I suggest that you delete the feed, then do the resets and then find the Podcast again.


Basically, you need to use iTunes' top bar menu to go into Edit/Preferences/Advanced and about halfway down the pane you need to click on the following:

    • Reset all dialogue warnings: Reset Warnings
    • Reset iTunes Store cache: Reset Cache
    • Reset podcast identifier: Reset Identifier


That last one is of particular interest, but I suggest that you reset them all.


Any luck?

Feb 17, 2022 11:50 AM in response to wthomas69

wthomas69 wrote:

It is now listed as archived and won't let me subscribe even though there are current episodes being uploaded each week. <...> I unsubscribed and deleted all the episodes ...

I've just had a thought after re-reading your post.

You were already subscribed (as you said) so the option to subscribe would not be there. Instead, it would say unsubscribe.


As for this:

have been listening to a podcast called "av rant" for years. It is now listed as archived

Is there any chance that the Podcast has been renamed, from AV Rant to Podcast Archives - AV Rant? If so, you would need to subscribe to the new feed (Podcast Archives - AV Rant) because the old feed would no longer be updated. As previously advised, check with the Podcast's producers.


Everything I wrote in my original post still applies.


Feb 17, 2022 11:43 AM in response to wthomas69

I can see the podcast you're referring to, and it appears as though one can still subscribe to it. I'm not convinced that it is "archived" (see below*)



* By the way, I assume that you mean that iTunes has been adding the episodes that you download to a folder named Podcast Archives - AV Rant (which should be in be parent folder named Podcasts) and the reason is not because they're archived but because that's the name of the Podcast (Podcast Archives - AV Rant).


As you can see, not only is the subscribe button available, but there is an episode from 11th Feb listed. One thing to note is that (unless iTunes has changed this) if you do not listen to any episodes from a Podcast series for (I think) five episodes, iTunes will stop downloading them. It should however, place an exclamation mark next to the series heading, which if you hover over it, will explain this and give you the option of continuing to download episodes. The stop-downloading option is there for the benefit of the Podcaster, to save them money.


If you still cannot subscribe, I suggest that you contact the Podcast producers, as ultimately, it will be down to them to solve this, not iTunes (Apple). All Apple does is list the Podcasts, they don't host them and have almost nothing to do with them.


In the meantime, check your windows Recycle bin to see if the deleted Podcast episodes are in there. If they are, use the recycle bin's Restore the selected items option to put them back where they were. You will then need to use File/Add Folder to Library to add them back into your iTunes Library. There is a remote possibility that this will solve your subscribe difficulty too.

Feb 17, 2022 6:46 PM in response to the fiend

yes, correct to all assumptions. There is a folder Podcast Archives - AV Rant in the podcast folder of itunes media, the last 4 episodes are there. In my list of podcasts it says not subscribed. When I click the gear for podcast setting it shows not subscribed and will NOT let me choose subscribe. I manually unsubscribed and removed from Library, which deleted both the original av rant folder and the archives - av rant folder from the podcast folder thinking this would help. I then searched for av rant on the store and was pointed to the podcast archives - av rant and manually clicked "get" on the 4 newest episodes. But still no subscribe button. Not sure if i will get new ones when released each week or will have to manually "get' them from store. I did contact the creators and they were unaware of the issue. I can not subscribe through the settings page or through the main podcast page in the store.

archived podcast

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