How to Search Podcast Transcripts in iOS 18

Apple Podcasts in iOS 18 allows users to search directly within automatically generated episode transcripts. This functionality lets listeners locate specific words, names, or topics within an episode and instantly jump to that exact timestamp in the audio playback.

Searching Inside a Podcast Transcript

Users can search transcripts by following these steps:

  1. Open the Podcasts app on an iPhone running iOS 18.
  2. Play an episode and tap the Now Playing bar at the bottom to expand the full player screen.
  3. Tap the Transcript icon (a speech bubble with quotation marks) in the bottom-left corner.
  4. Once the full-text transcript appears, tap the Search icon (magnifying glass) located at the bottom of the screen.
  5. Enter the keyword or phrase in the search field.
  6. Use the up and down navigation arrows to cycle through the highlighted matches, then tap any sentence to begin audio playback from that exact moment.

Additional Transcript Capabilities

  • Time-Synced Playback: Transcripts automatically scroll and highlight text in real time as the episode plays.
  • Text Selection: Users can touch and hold any section of the transcript to copy text or share quotes.
  • Multi-Language Support: Apple automatically generates transcripts for podcasts in English, Spanish, French, and German, with more languages expanding over time.
  • Creator-Provided Transcripts: If a podcast creator uploads their own custom transcript, Apple uses that version instead of the auto-generated text, and it remains fully searchable.