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Many years ago (like, pre-2017) I downloaded several dozen lectures (plain .mp3 files) and imported them all into iTunes. Then I changed the "Media Kind" for all of those files to "Podcast", which had a number of useful features for me, chief among them:

  1. I could configure iTunes to sync only unplayed "episodes" to my iPod
  2. My iPod would remember my playback position if I stopped in the middle (useful when listening to 90+ minute lectures!)

When iTunes was split into separate Music and Podcasts apps, those files seem to have become inaccessible via either app. To be clear: I can still see the files, located in the same directory they always were (/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/Podcasts). But when running either the Music or Podcasts app in OS X 12.5 (Monterey), they are nowhere to be seen in those respective app's libraries.

  • How do I get these files to show up in Podcasts? There doesn't seem to be a way to manually import already-downloaded files.
  • Failing that, how can I change the Media Kind back to "Music" and re-import them into the Music app?
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You are correct in your assumption that the new Podcast app doesn't support manual import, it's all about the management of external streams now.

Regarding your own files, I think that the Media Kind of Podcast was purely in the old iTunes database as the relevant tag to dictate how the file was managed by iTunes. There is probably nothing specific in the internal ID3 tags of the MP3 files, but it wouldn't hurt to check and modify.

I think you have two options:

  • Manually move the files out of the old Podcasts folder to somewhere temporary, and then reimport to Music (ensuring the Preferences | Files | Copy Files... option is selected to make sure they are copied into the proper Music folder structure). Then enjoy the files as you would any music.

  • Again, manually copy the files to a temporary folder, and then look into turning the files into Audiobooks. They will then work in the Books app, both on Mac and iOS device (not sure about iPod, it would depend on its vintage). Being an Audiobook, it would support playback position continuity and chapters.

There are a few Audiobook apps in the App Store, most with a price tag, but one I used in the iTunes days is Audiobook Binder (Free), worth a try for a one-off. It will put together an .m4b file from a range of input. It shows its age by prompting you to point it at iTunes so it can import the book. This can be disabled in Preferences. Or if you forgot, it can be safely cancelled, and you can then open the .m4b in Books.

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From my own looking at this and experimentation (moved from Mojave to Monterey) I think reimport into Music.app is the best option.

If you use macOS Music.app column browse to see all with genre "podcast" you can select all then hit cmd-I. You'll see a prompt asking if you wish to multi-edit (yes). Then in Options select: 'remember playback position' 'skip when shuffling'

They will behave a bit more like old podcasts.

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