• by Ray Schultz , March 7, 2024

Apple Podcasts has added a transcript feature that allows users to read the full text of an episode.  

The goal is to add “an additional layer of accessibility to the Podcasts experience,” says Sarah Herrlinger, senior director, global accessibility policy & initiatives at Apple. 

Transcripts are available in English, French, Spanish and German for podcasts on the iPhone and iPAd with iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4. But translations are not being offered.  

Texts for new episodes will automatically be available shortly after they are published. Older podcasts will be transcribed over time. 

The transcripts include font and color contrast that make long-form text easier to scan and read, Apple claims. In addition, deaf or hard-of-hearing users can access transcriptions without having to press play on the episode, it adds.

“With transcripts, users can read the full text of an episode, search the episode for a specific word or phrase, and tap on the text to play the podcast from that point in the episode,” Apple writes. “As an episode plays, each word is highlighted, making it easy to follow along.” 

Users can access a transcript from the bottom-left corner on the Now Playing screen.