How transcripts work on Apple Podcasts and Spotify (and how to use yours)

Both Apple Podcasts and Spotify now create their own automatic transcripts. That's great for accessibility, but it raises a fair question: if you've added a transcript on RSS.com, which one do listeners actually see, yours, or the platform's? The short answer is it depends on the platform, and this article explains what each one does and what you need to do to get your transcript shown.

What RSS.com does with your transcript

When you add a transcript to an episode, either by generating an AI transcript (paid plans) or pasting in your own, we save it as a WebVTT file and include it in your RSS feed using the Podcasting 2.0 <podcast:transcript> tag. (As of March 2026 we use VTT only; plain-text and SRT are no longer supported.)

That feed transcript does two things automatically:

• It shows on your RSS.com podcast page and web player as a follow-along, clickable transcript.
• It's picked up by Podcasting 2.0 apps (Pocket Casts, Podverse, Fountain, and others) straight from your feed, no extra steps.

What happens on Apple Podcasts and Spotify is more specific. Here's each one.

Apple Podcasts

Apple generates its own transcript by default. Since iOS 17.4 (March 2024), Apple automatically transcribes new episodes shortly after they publish, labeled "Automatically generated." This is on by default and needs nothing from you. Apple currently does this for podcasts in English, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish, in 170+ countries and regions (Apple's announcement).

Apple can use the transcript from your feed instead, but you have to switch it on. This is the step most people miss. Apple reads the transcript we put in your feed (it prefers VTT, which is what we produce), but it keeps showing its own version until you tell it to use yours:

• Add your transcript on RSS.com (it goes into your feed automatically).
• In Apple Podcasts Connect, open your show, go to the Availability tab, and set the transcript option to "Display transcripts I provide."

Apple then shows your transcript, labeled "Provided by [your show name]" (Apple's transcript guide). Apple's auto transcript can't be edited inside Apple, but on RSS.com you can edit your transcript any time.

Spotify

Spotify generates its own transcripts too — for eligible shows. Spotify rolled out auto-generated, time-synced transcripts in September 2023. They appear automatically on shows Spotify considers eligible (currently a rolling set of English, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese shows, hosted on Spotify or elsewhere). Not every show is eligible yet.

Spotify does not use the transcript in your RSS feed. This is the key difference from Apple. Spotify only displays its own auto-generated transcript or one you upload directly inside Spotify for Creators. The <podcast:transcript> tag we put in your feed isn't read by Spotify.

To show your own transcript on Spotify, upload it in Spotify for Creators (how Spotify handles transcripts): the file must be VTT or SRT, max 5 MB, with timestamps. You can download your VTT from RSS.com and upload it there. Note: enabling Spotify's auto-generated transcript later will replace the file you uploaded.

Other apps

Apps built on Podcasting 2.0 (Pocket Casts, Podverse, Fountain, and more) read the <podcast:transcript> tag directly from your feed, so the transcript you add on RSS.com already works there with no extra setup.

At a glance

• Apple Podcasts: auto-generates its own by default; shows yours if you turn on "Display transcripts I provide" in Apple Podcasts Connect → Availability.
• Spotify: auto-generates for eligible shows; does not read your feed transcript, upload yours directly in Spotify for Creators.
• Podcasting 2.0 apps (Pocket Casts, Podverse, Fountain): read your feed transcript automatically.

Troubleshooting

• My transcript won't save / "VTT is not valid." VTT has strict formatting rules, a stray space or missing timecode breaks it. See Why am I getting an error when editing a transcript? (tip: an & symbol must be written as &).
• Apple still shows its auto transcript. Check the Availability → "Display transcripts I provide" setting in Apple Podcasts Connect, without it, Apple keeps showing its own.
• My transcript isn't on Spotify. Spotify won't pull it from your feed, upload it in Spotify for Creators, or wait for your show to become eligible for Spotify's auto transcripts.
• The language is wrong. AI can misdetect language. Regenerate the transcript and check your podcast's language setting (we support 14 languages).
• My episode has dynamic ads. A transcript reflects the audio at the time it was generated, so dynamically inserted segments may not match word-for-word.

Still stuck? Email support@rss.com with your show and the episode and we'll take a look.