Apple Podcasts App, Content Setup

Transcripts on Apple Podcasts

Apple embeds accessibility into every aspect of our work, and we are committed to designing the best products and services for everyone. This spring, Apple is introducing transcripts on Apple Podcasts, making it easier for anyone to access podcasts.

How it works

With transcripts, your audience can read the full text of an episode, search the episode for a specific word or phrase, and tap the text to play from that point in the episode. As an episode plays, each word is highlighted, making it easy to follow along. Transcripts can also be accessed from the episode details page. Touch and hold a podcast episode to reveal an option to view a transcript.

Apple automatically generates transcripts after a new episode is published. Your episode will be available for listening right away, and the transcript will be available shortly afterwards. There will be a short delay while we process your transcript. If portions of your episode change with dynamically inserted audio, Apple Podcasts will not display the segments of the audio that have changed since the original transcription. Music lyrics are also not displayed in the transcripts.

Chapters

When your episode includes chapters, the transcript will use the chapter titles as section headers. Chapters make the transcript easier to navigate within an episode. Learn more about using chapters on Apple Podcasts. 

Speaker names

Speaker names make transcripts more accessible. Providing a VTT file allows you to identify every speaker with each line. Any time the speaker changes, their name will be displayed in the transcript view on Apple Podcasts.

Availability

Transcripts are available with iOS 17.4 for podcasts in English, French, German, and Spanish with back catalog episodes being added over time. Transcripts can be accessed in over 170 countries and regions.

Because private RSS feeds are not processed in Apple Podcasts Connect, transcripts are not displayed for episodes that are not distributed to the Apple Podcasts catalog. Learn more about ways to distribute your show to listeners. 

Transcript settings in Apple Podcasts Connect

When you submit your show to Apple Podcasts, transcripts will be automatically created. If you would like to provide your own transcripts, you can change the transcript setting for your show in the Availability tab on your show page in Apple Podcasts Connect. Transcripts make your podcast more accessible. Contact us if transcripts should not be displayed for this show. If transcripts are not displayed then your show will not be accessible to some audiences like users that are deaf or hard of hearing.

Custom settings for specific episodes

To adjust the transcript settings for an episode:

  1. In Apple Podcasts Connect, select the episode.
  2. In the Audio and Transcripts section, select the episode media you’d like to update.
  3. Click Edit.
  4. On the Episode Transcript Availability screen, choose “Use a custom setting for this episode.”
  5. Confirm the transcript setting you’d like to use and click Save.

Providing your own transcripts

If you choose to provide your own transcripts, we will ingest them via your RSS feed using the RSS transcript tag. Check to see if your hosting provider supports transcripts. 

For subscriber episodes, you can upload your transcript VTT or SRT file in Apple Podcasts Connect. 

At this time, Apple Podcasts accepts transcripts in English, Spanish, French, and German. All transcripts are subject to quality standards. Files that do not meet standards will not be displayed. 

Download and edit transcripts

Transcripts are available to download in Apple Podcasts Connect. You can make changes to the transcript, and submit it by linking the new file in your RSS feed. Check to see if your hosting provider supports transcripts. Be sure to update the episode settings to “Display transcripts I provide.” The updated transcript will display after we refresh your feed.

For subscriber episodes, you can upload your transcript VTT or SRT file in Apple Podcasts Connect.

Attribution

When a transcript is displayed in the Apple Podcasts app, attribution for the transcript is displayed. When Apple creates a transcript for your episode, the app displays "Automatically generated." When you provide a transcript, the app displays "Provided by <Show Name>."

Prepare your show for transcripts

To provide the best experience for your audience, make sure:

  • Audio quality is high and meets our requirements.
  • Your podcast’s language is set correctly in the RSS feed or in Apple Podcasts Connect. Learn how to update your metadata.
  • Your show and episode explicit setting is correct. Transcripts are not displayed for explicit episodes when content restrictions are turned on.
  • You include host and guest names in the show and episode descriptions to ensure accurate spelling of these names in the transcript.

If you’re providing your own transcripts, make sure:

  • You’ve provided the correct file type: VTT or SRT.
  • Your transcripts are free of spelling and punctuation errors, and include all segments of the episode.

Troubleshoot transcript availability

All transcripts are subject to quality standards. Files that do not meet standards will not be displayed.

If you don’t see a transcript for your episode:

  • Check your episode details in Apple Podcasts Connect to confirm if there’s an issue or warning message in the Audio and Transcripts section.
  • For new episodes, make sure it’s been at least 24 hours since your episode was published.
  • For older episodes, Apple Podcasts will transcribe these over time.
  • Make sure your audio quality is high and meets our requirements. Episodes with cross-talk, multiple languages, or loud music may be more difficult to transcribe.

Report a concern

If you notice issues with spelling, punctuation, or audio not matching, you can report them to Apple through Report a Concern.