How to Copy Podcast Transcripts in iOS 18

Apple Podcasts in iOS 18 allows users to view synchronized transcripts and copy text excerpts directly to their clipboard. This guide covers how transcript copying works in iOS 18, the step-by-step process for selecting text within an episode, and the additional sharing features available to listeners.

Can You Copy Transcripts in iOS 18?

Yes. Apple introduced time-synced transcripts in iOS 17.4, and iOS 18 retains full support for selecting, copying, and sharing text excerpts directly from the Apple Podcasts app. Listeners can highlight specific sentences or paragraphs and paste them into notes, documents, or messaging apps.

How to Copy Text from a Podcast Transcript

To copy text from an episode transcript in iOS 18, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Apple Podcasts app and play an episode.
  2. Expand the Now Playing screen by tapping the mini-player at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Open the transcript view by tapping the Transcript icon (a quotation mark icon located in the bottom-left corner).
  4. Select the text by tapping and holding any word or phrase in the transcript.
  5. Adjust the selection handles to cover the exact quote or excerpt you want.
  6. Tap Copy from the pop-up context menu.

Once copied, the text is saved to your clipboard and can be pasted into any text field across iOS.

Additional Transcript Actions

Beyond copying standard text, the iOS 18 transcript menu provides several related tools:

  • Share: Selecting text also displays a "Share" option, which lets you send the excerpt alongside a timestamp link pointing directly to that moment in the episode.
  • Search: Tapping the search icon at the top of the transcript screen allows you to search for specific terms or phrases throughout the episode before copying them.
  • Translate: The context menu includes a "Translate" option to convert spoken excerpts into other languages supported by Apple Translate.

Transcript Availability Limitations

Transcripts are automatically generated for English, French, Spanish, and German episodes, or they can be uploaded directly by the podcast creator. However, text copying may not be available if an episode does not support transcripts, if the audio quality is too low for automated transcription, or if the show is distributed via certain password-protected private RSS feeds.