iOS 17.4 Includes Podcast Transcripts

The iOS 17.4 beta that Apple seeded to developers yesterday introduces major app ecosystem changes in the European Union, but there are also a handful of other features that have been overshadowed. Once such new addition is a transcript option in the Apple Podcasts app, which is similar to the lyric feature in Apple Music.

podcast app transcript
Recent uploads in the Podcasts app have a new transcript icon, and if tapped, it shows a full transcript of the entire podcast. As with ‌Apple Music‌, the transcript scrolls as the episode plays.

Transcripts are automatically generated, but appear to be fairly accurate. The transcripts take just a few seconds to generate when a new podcast is played, so they can be useful for determining whether the content in a show is something worth the time to listen to. Searching for a specific word or phrase is supported, and tapping on that word or phrase jumps to that spot in the episode.

Note that not all podcast episodes have transcripts right now, but Apple says that transcripts for back catalog episodes are being added over time. Transcripts are available in English, French, German, and Spanish, and podcast hosts also have the option to upload their own transcripts rather than using the automatically generated version.

iOS 17.4 is available to developers at the current time, and Apple plans to release it to the public in March. Other features include sweeping updates in Europe, hints of new features coming to the updated CarPlay experience, and more, with details available in our iOS 17.4 beta 1 feature guide.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

Popular Stories

iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Feature

All iPhone 17 Models Again Rumored to Feature 12GB of RAM

Tuesday April 29, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station. The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM. ...

Top Rated Comments

steve09090 Avatar
17 months ago
Super handy feature. So many times I have gone to the podcast website to try and find a transcript on a small part I want to copy for information.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darngooddesign Avatar
17 months ago
Excellent for people with hearing issues.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TychoX Avatar
17 months ago
I wonder if third-party iOS apps will be able to access the transcripts as well, or if this will be exclusive to Apple's Podcasts app.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icanhazmac Avatar
17 months ago

Check for live caption. It could do the same and works for all app. Enable it in accessibility setting.
Thanks for the info but that option is probably not useful if you are trying to cut and paste a bit into something else.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sos47 Avatar
17 months ago
i like it. getting information is faster when reading the transscript. i do that on YT on many channels
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reason077 Avatar
17 months ago
Ok, but have they fixed the bug in the Podcasts app where the “continuous playback” setting keeps silently turning itself back ON every few days? This has been infuriating me for the past 2 years or so and is still present in iOS 17.3 :mad::mad:
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)