How to Transcribe an Apple Podcasts Episode

Updated 24 Apr 2026 · TranscriptX editorial

Quick answer: Apple Podcasts is a directory — the actual MP3 lives on the show's own host. Find the episode on the show's website or its RSS feed, grab the direct MP3 URL, paste on TranscriptX. Apple Podcasts Subscription (paid) episodes need to be downloaded from your logged-in Apple device first.

Step-by-step

1) Find the podcast's RSS feed

Every public podcast has an RSS URL. On Apple Podcasts web, click the show → scroll to the bottom — sometimes the RSS URL is listed. Or use a podcast RSS finder.

2) Grab the episode's MP3 URL from the feed

Open the RSS URL in a browser. For the episode you want, find the <enclosure url="..."> — that's the direct MP3 URL.

3) Paste the MP3 URL on TranscriptX

transcriptx.xyz → paste the MP3 URL.

Common things that break

Apple Podcasts Subscription (paid). Paid Apple Podcast Subscription shows distribute via Apple-authenticated URLs that external tools can't reach. Download in your podcast app, upload to Drive.
Show pulled from Apple but still running elsewhere. Apple removes shows sometimes. Check the show's own website — they'll usually still distribute via RSS even after delisting.
Private RSS feed. Some premium shows (Patreon, Supercast, etc.) give subscribers private RSS URLs with auth tokens embedded. Those work with us technically, but be cautious about leaking the token.
Dynamic ad insertion. Podcast ads get stitched in at fetch time. Your transcript will include whatever ads ran when we grabbed the file.

Related guides

Try it

3 free transcripts a month, no signup for the first one. Paste your Apple Podcasts link and go. Pricing if you need more.

FAQ

Why can't I just use the Apple Podcasts URL directly?

Apple Podcasts URLs (<code>podcasts.apple.com/...</code>) are web pages, not audio files. They direct users to Apple's app. We need the actual MP3 that the episode is backed by.

What's the easiest way to find the RSS feed?

Search for the show's own website — most have "Subscribe" buttons that list the feed URL. Or use <a href="https://castos.com/tools/find-podcast-rss-feed/" rel="nofollow">Castos' RSS finder</a>.

Does this work for Stitcher / other aggregators too?

Yes, same principle — the aggregator shows the episode, but the MP3 is hosted on the show's own host. Find the RSS, grab the MP3.

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