How to Get a Transcript of an Apple Podcasts Episode
Check Apple's built-in transcript first. If it's missing or you need the full text as a file, copy the episode link and make a timestamped transcript with PodText.
By PodText TeamPublished
The short answer: Check the Podcasts app first. On iPhone, iPad, and Mac, many episodes have a free transcript you can read, search, and share from. Open the episode and scroll to its Transcript section, or choose View Transcript from the More menu. If there's no transcript, or you need the full text as a file, copy the episode's link and paste it into PodText. PodText creates a separate, timestamped transcript from the episode's public audio.
This guide is written by the PodText team, so it's a how-to for our own product and not an independent review. PodText isn't affiliated with or endorsed by Apple.
Does Apple Podcasts already have a transcript for the episode?
Often, yes. Apple automatically creates transcripts for episodes in its catalog shortly after they're published, and some shows supply their own. According to Apple's podcaster documentation, transcripts require iOS 17.4 or later and cover podcasts in English, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish.
Apple also notes that availability can vary by language and by country or region. The quickest check is to open the episode and look.
How to find and use Apple's built-in transcript
iPhone or iPad
- Open the Podcasts app and go to the episode.
- On the episode's details page, scroll down to the Transcript section. You can also tap the More button (•••) and choose View Transcript.
- While an episode is playing, tap the transcript button below the volume slider on the Now Playing screen.
Mac
- Open the Podcasts app and select the episode.
- Scroll to the Transcript section, or click the More button and choose View Transcript. During playback, you can also click View Transcript in the player.
Inside a transcript, you can search for a word or phrase and tap or click a paragraph to play from that point. Words are highlighted as the episode plays. Apple labels each transcript either "Automatically generated" or "Provided by" the show.
To take text out of the app, select a passage and copy or share it. Apple's documentation says you can share up to 200 words at a time, and shared text includes attribution and a link back to the episode.
When Apple's transcript may not solve your problem
Apple's transcript is free and built in, and for reading along it's often all you need. It falls short in a few situations:
- There's no transcript. Apple doesn't display transcripts for episodes outside its catalog, or for explicit episodes when content restrictions are on. A brand-new episode may not have one yet, and a show can ask Apple not to display them.
- The language isn't covered. Automatic transcripts are limited to the languages listed above.
- You need the whole text as a file. Copying and sharing work on selections, and Apple's download option lives in Apple Podcasts Connect, which is for the show's creators.
- Parts are missing. Apple doesn't display music lyrics, or segments that changed after transcription because of dynamically inserted audio.
- You aren't on an Apple device. Apple documents transcripts for the Podcasts app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. We couldn't confirm that its web player shows them.
How to copy the correct Apple Podcasts episode link
You need the link to one specific episode, not the show.
iPhone or iPad
- Open the episode's details page.
- Tap the Share button.
- In the share sheet, tap Copy.
Mac
- In the Podcasts app, find the episode.
- Click the More button (•••) and choose Copy Link.
Web (podcasts.apple.com)
- Open the episode's own page, not the show page.
- Copy the address from your browser's address bar.
An episode link looks like https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/math-vs-machine/id152249110?i=1000794039469. The ?i= part identifies the episode. Without it, you have a show link.
How to use the link with PodText
- Paste the link. Go to PodText's Apple Podcasts page and paste the URL into the link field.
- Check the episode. PodText shows the episode title and length so you can confirm it's the right one.
- Choose the language. Auto-detect is the default. You can also pick from 99+ languages, which helps when the audio mixes languages.
- Sign in. New accounts are created with Google and get 60 one-time credits, with no credit card required.
- Confirm and start. You'll see the estimated cost before anything runs: 1 credit per minute of audio, with partial minutes rounded up. You also confirm that you have the rights needed to process the content.
- Wait for the result. Processing runs in the background with a progress view, and the transcript opens in your account when it's ready.
PodText works from the publisher's public audio file for the episode, the same file the podcast's feed distributes. It doesn't use Apple's transcript, it doesn't ask for your Apple Account, and you don't download anything yourself.
The final cost follows the audio PodText actually processes. With shows that insert ads dynamically, that audio can run a few minutes longer than the listed length. If a transcription fails or you cancel it, the credits are refunded in full.
What you get after transcription
- A timestamped transcript split into paragraphs. Click a timestamp to jump to that point in the audio.
- Playback that follows the text, with the current passage highlighted.
- Search across the full episode, with matches highlighted.
- AI insights: a one-sentence overview, plus chapters, a summary, key points, and quotes. Chapters and quotes link to their place in the audio.
PodText doesn't label speakers, you can't edit the transcript inside the app, and there's no PDF export.
How to export or reuse the transcript
- Copy the full transcript in one step.
- Markdown keeps the episode title, chapter headings, and a timestamp at the start of each paragraph. It works well for notes and drafts.
- TXT is the plain text without timestamps.
- SRT and VTT are subtitle files with a timecode on every line. See SRT vs. VTT if you're not sure which one you need.
Before you quote someone, click the passage and listen. Names and numbers are where speech recognition most often slips. How accurate AI transcription is explains why.
Episode links versus show links
- An episode link (contains
?i=) goes straight to the confirmation step. - A show link (no
?i=) opens a list of the show's episodes from its public feed. You pick one and confirm it.
Either way, PodText transcribes one episode at a time. It doesn't import a whole show in a batch.
What to do if the link can't be processed
If PodText can't reach the audio, it tells you before any credits are charged. Common reasons:
- The episode is subscriber-only. Paid Apple Podcasts episodes don't have public audio PodText can reach.
- The link is incomplete. Make sure you copied an episode or show link from
podcasts.apple.com. - The show's feed can't be found or read. If the publisher lists the show's RSS feed, try the feed directly.
- A temporary error. Directory lookups are occasionally rate-limited. Wait a few minutes and try again.
If no link works and you have a legitimate copy of the recording, such as your own show's audio file, upload it instead. Files can be up to 1 GB and 6 hours long. Other link types are covered in how to transcribe a podcast from a link.
When to use Apple's transcript and when to use PodText
| What you need | Apple's built-in transcript | PodText |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free in the Podcasts app | 1 credit per minute; 60 free credits at signup |
| Where you read it | Podcasts app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac | A web browser on any device |
| Languages | English and 10 other listed languages | Auto-detect, or choose from 99+ |
| Taking text out | Copy or share selections; sharing is capped at 200 words | Copy everything; export Markdown, TXT, SRT, VTT |
| Speaker names | Shown when the show provides them | Not available |
| Summary and chapters | Chapters when the show provides them | AI summary, chapters, key points, quotes |
| Subscriber-only episodes | Available to subscribers | Not supported |
If you only want to read along or share a quote, Apple's transcript is the simpler choice. PodText is useful when there's no transcript, when the language isn't covered, or when you need the complete text as a file.
FAQ
Does Apple Podcasts provide transcripts?
Yes, for many episodes. Apple creates them automatically in supported languages, and some shows provide their own. You'll find them in the Podcasts app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Can I export an Apple Podcasts transcript?
As a listener, you can copy or share selected text from the app, but there's no full-transcript export. The show's creators can download transcripts in Apple Podcasts Connect. To get a complete file yourself, create a transcript from the episode link with a tool like PodText.
How do I copy an Apple Podcasts episode link?
On iPhone or iPad, tap Share on the episode's page and choose Copy. On Mac, click the More button and choose Copy Link. On the web, copy the address of the episode page. The link should contain ?i=.
What if Apple doesn't show a transcript?
Check that your device runs iOS 17.4 or later and that the episode is in a supported language. If there's still no transcript, paste the episode link into PodText.
Does PodText work with paid Apple Podcasts subscriptions?
No. Subscriber-only episodes don't have public audio, so PodText can't process them from a link.
Try it with an episode you have open
If Apple's transcript covers what you need, use it. If not, copy the episode link and paste it into PodText. You'll see the episode and its estimated cost before anything runs.
Sources
Apple's transcript and sharing details were checked against Apple's documentation on October 19, 2026:
