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Install and update the Listenbox desktop app

Download Listenbox for macOS or Windows, connect your account and team, and keep the app up to date for YouTube imports.

Updated

The Listenbox desktop app brings your YouTube recordings into a podcast. This guide covers installing it on macOS or Windows, connecting your Listenbox account, and updating it.

Why YouTube import needs an app

Listenbox had to shut down in 2025 because its old server-based import system could not keep up with YouTube's changing anti-bot restrictions. Downloading from YouTube at scale is fragile. The desktop app downloads and prepares recordings on your computer, then uploads them to Listenbox for hosting.

Keep the app running whenever you want it to import new recordings. Your published episodes and feeds stay available when your computer is off. Read the Listenbox story for more background.

Choose your download

Open the official Listenbox releases and find the latest desktop release. Expand Assets if the files are hidden. Choose the installer for your computer; the version number in its name changes with each release. The YouTube import guide also offers a download button for your operating system.

  • Mac with Apple Silicon: macOS 13 or later; download Listenbox-<version>-macos-arm64.dmg.
  • Windows PC with an Intel or AMD processor: Windows 11; download Listenbox-<version>-windows-x64-setup.exe.
  • Windows PC with an ARM processor: Windows 11; download Listenbox-<version>-windows-arm64-setup.exe.

On a Mac, open Apple menu → About This Mac and check Chip. The macOS download is for Apple Silicon; there is currently no Intel Mac installer. On Windows, open Settings → System → About and check System type to choose x64 or ARM64.

Download the .dmg or -setup.exe file. The source-code archives, XML files, and JSON files listed alongside it are not app installers. You do not need a GitHub account to download the app.

Install on macOS

  1. Open the downloaded .dmg file.
  2. Drag Listenbox into Applications in the disk-image window.
  3. Eject the disk image and open Listenbox from Applications.
  4. If macOS asks whether to open an app downloaded from the internet, choose Open.

The macOS release is signed and notarized. Run the installed copy from Applications so it can be updated in place.

Install on Windows

  1. Open the downloaded -setup.exe file.
  2. Follow the installer and choose Open Listenbox when it finishes.
  3. Later, open Listenbox from the Start menu.

The installer installs the app for your Windows user and does not require administrator access. Windows installers currently do not have a publisher certificate, so you may see a Windows protected your PC SmartScreen message. If this happens, confirm that the file came from the official releases linked above, then choose More info → Run anyway to continue. If your computer's administrator blocks installation, ask them to approve the app.

Connect your account and team

You need a Listenbox account and a paid podcast plan on the team you will use. If you are new, open the dashboard, choose Create account, and set up your team and plan first.

  1. In the desktop app, choose Sign in to Listenbox. It opens your browser.
  2. Sign in to your Listenbox account in the browser if asked.
  3. Check the team shown on the connection page. Use the team selector if you need a different team. You need owner or write access to connect the app.
  4. Review the requested access and choose Connect desktop.
  5. Return to the desktop app. It loads your podcasts and lets you import into the team you authorized.

If the request expires or is denied, return to the app and start sign-in again. Signing in to Listenbox does not connect a YouTube publishing destination; that has its own Google authorization flow.

Next, follow Import YouTube videos as a podcast to create a podcast from a public playlist or channel, check playback, and share its feed.

Update the app

Keep Listenbox up to date: YouTube changes can affect whether recordings can be imported.

  1. With Listenbox focused, open Settings using ⌘ , on macOS or Ctrl , on Windows.
  2. In Updates, choose Check for Updates….
  3. Follow the updater's download and installation prompts. Let Listenbox finish stopping any work when it needs to restart.
  4. Reopen the app if needed and check the version under Settings → Updates. Select your podcast and choose Sync now to continue an unfinished import.

Enable Automatically check for updates in the same settings to have the app check for new releases while it is running. On Windows, changes to this setting take effect the next time you open Listenbox. On macOS, you can also enable Automatically download and install updates.

If an update cannot be installed, or your copy has no update controls, install the latest release manually:

  1. Choose Quit from its menu-bar icon on macOS or system-tray icon on Windows. Wait for it to quit; closing the window alone leaves the app running.
  2. Download the matching installer from Listenbox releases.
  3. On macOS, drag the new app into Applications and choose Replace. On Windows, run the new -setup.exe installer.
  4. Open Listenbox again and check the version in Settings.

Installing over the existing app keeps your local settings and unfinished import progress. Your hosted podcasts remain in your Listenbox account.

If installation or updating fails, email hello@listenbox.app with your operating system, the installer filename or app version, and the error message.