Before Updating to Catalina: Why You Should Use TuneSpan for Your Podcasts and Audiobooks

As you prepare to upgrade your macOS to version 10.15 Catalina, it's essential to be aware of the changes that will affect how your media files are handled by the new Podcasts and Books apps. In this article, we'll discuss the importance of using TuneSpan before updating to Catalina and what you need to know about the migration process.

One crucial consideration is the handling of spanned media files in the new apps. Spanning refers to the practice of breaking up large files into smaller parts to make them easier to manage and transfer. The problem lies in the fact that the new Podcasts app is unable to locate spanned files on its own, which means you'll need to manually find them when playing a podcast.

To avoid any issues with your podcasts, it's recommended to use TuneSpan to restore all your podcasts and audiobooks to the default iTunes Media folder before updating to Catalina. This will ensure that the files are properly migrated to the new apps and can be played without any problems.

When you play a spanned podcast using TuneSpan, you'll be prompted to locate the file manually. You can navigate to your Span Location to find the file and start playing it. Unfortunately, the new Podcasts app is not capable of finding these files on its own, so manual intervention is necessary.

Audiobooks will also be affected by the update. Spanned audiobook files will be copied to the new Books app storage location at '~/Library/Containers//Data/Documents/iBooks/Books/Audiobooks/' on your internal drive. This means that the files will remain in their original spanned locations, and the new apps will be able to play them properly.

On the other hand, spanned music, movies, and TV shows will be successfully migrated to the new Music and TV apps without any issues.

It's worth noting that TuneSpan does not currently support the new Music, TV, Podcasts, and Books apps in Catalina. While there is a possibility that future updates may bring support for these apps, it's unclear when this might happen.

In conclusion, if you're planning to update your macOS to version 10.15 Catalina, it's essential to use TuneSpan to restore your podcasts and audiobooks to the default iTunes Media folder before making the switch. This will ensure a smooth transition to the new apps and prevent any issues with playing your media files.

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