Live Captions can convert spoken audio into text in real time, providing an additional way to follow conversations, meetings, videos, phone calls and other spoken information.

For people with hearing loss, captioning can be particularly useful alongside hearing aids, cochlear implants, remote microphones and other assistive listening technology.

This guide explains how to turn on and use the built-in captioning features available in Windows 11, macOS, iPhone and iPad.

What are Live Captions?

Live Captions use automatic speech recognition to display spoken words as text on your screen.

Depending on the device, captions can be generated from:

• videos and streamed media
• online meetings
• podcasts and other computer audio
• phone or FaceTime calls
• speech picked up through the device microphone
• face-to-face conversations

Because the captioning is built into the operating system, it may also work in situations where the app or website you are using doesn't provide its own captions.

Important: Automatically generated captions may contain errors. Names, numbers, medical terminology and other important information should always be confirmed if accuracy is critical.

Windows 11 Live Captions

Windows 11 includes a built-in Live Captions accessibility feature.

Live Captions can display captions for audio playing through the computer and can also use the computer's microphone to caption nearby speech.

Turn on Live Captions in Windows 11

Quick method

Press:

Windows key + Ctrl + L

Using Windows Settings

1. Open Settings
2. Select Accessibility
3. Select Captions
4. Turn on Live captions

The first time you use Live Captions, Windows may need to download the required speech recognition files.

Once installed, supported captioning can be processed locally on the computer.

Caption a face-to-face conversation in Windows

Windows can also use your computer microphone to caption speech occurring around you.

1. Turn on Live Captions
2. Open the Live Captions window
3. Select Settings
4. Enable the option to include microphone audio
5. Position the computer reasonably close to the person speaking

For best results, reduce background noise and avoid positioning the microphone too far away from the speaker.

Customise Windows captions

Windows allows you to change how captions appear.

You can adjust settings such as:

• text size
• text colour
• caption background
• caption position
• overall caption style

To change these options, go to:

Settings → Accessibility → Captions

Live Captions on Mac

Compatible Macs include a built-in Live Captions accessibility feature.

Live Captions can transcribe:

• Computer Audio – audio being generated by applications on the Mac
• Microphone Audio – speech occurring around the Mac

Live Captions on Mac require a compatible Apple silicon Mac.

Turn on Live Captions on Mac

1. Select the Apple menu
2. Open System Settings
3. Select Accessibility
4. Select Live Captions
5. Turn Live Captions on

A caption window will appear on the screen.

Choose what you want your Mac to caption

Within the Live Captions window you can select the audio source.

Computer Audio

Use this when you want captions for:

• online meetings
• videos
• webinars
• streamed audio
• podcasts
• other applications on your Mac

Microphone Audio

Use this when you want the Mac to caption someone speaking nearby.

This can be useful during:

• meetings
• consultations
• workplace conversations
• training
• small group discussions

Adjust the appearance of captions on Mac

You can customise Live Captions through:

System Settings → Accessibility → Live Captions

Options can include:

• font
• text size
• text colour
• background colour

Choose a combination that is comfortable to read for extended periods.

Live Captions on iPhone

An iPhone can become a very useful portable captioning device.

On supported iPhone models, Live Captions can caption both audio coming from the phone and conversations occurring nearby.

Turn on Live Captions on iPhone

1. Open Settings
2. Select Accessibility
3. Select Live Captions
4. Turn Live Captions on

The Live Captions control will appear on screen.

You can reposition it so that it does not interfere with the application you are using.

Using iPhone Live Captions for face-to-face conversations

One particularly useful application is using your iPhone to caption someone speaking directly to you.

1. Turn on Live Captions
2. Select the Live Captions control
3. Choose the option to listen through the microphone
4. Place the iPhone reasonably close to the person speaking
5. Read the transcription as it appears on screen

This can be useful at:

• reception counters
• medical appointments
• meetings
• shops
• restaurants
• workplaces
• classrooms
• community activities

Position matters

Try placing the phone closer to the person you want to hear rather than leaving it next to yourself.

Speech recognition works best when the device receives a clear speech signal with as little competing noise as possible.

Live Captions on iPad

Live Captions on a compatible iPad work in a similar way to the iPhone.

The larger screen can make an iPad particularly useful for longer conversations, meetings and appointments.

Turn on Live Captions on iPad

1. Open Settings
2. Select Accessibility
3. Select Live Captions
4. Turn Live Captions on

The Live Captions window can be repositioned and expanded to make the text easier to read.

When an iPad may be particularly useful

An iPad can work well for:

• workplace meetings
• medical consultations
• classroom activities
• training sessions
• group discussions
• longer face-to-face conversations
• presentations

For example, an iPad can be positioned on a table between participants so that the person using captions has a larger display available throughout the conversation.

Using Live Captions during phone and FaceTime calls

On supported iPhones and iPads, Live Captions can also assist during telephone and FaceTime conversations.

This can provide an additional visual reference while still allowing you to listen to the caller through:

• the phone speaker
• headphones
• AirPods
• compatible hearing aids
• other connected hearing devices

Having both the audio and captions available can reduce the need to rely entirely on one source of information.

Using captions for online meetings

Many meeting applications already include their own captioning.

Common examples include:

• Microsoft Teams
• Zoom
• Google Meet

You may therefore have two captioning options available.

Option 1 — Use the meeting application's captions

These may have advantages such as:

• identifying individual speakers
• direct access to each participant's audio
• meeting-specific transcription features

Option 2 — Use your device's Live Captions

Operating-system captions can be useful when:

• the meeting app does not provide captions
• captions have not been enabled by the meeting organiser
• you are watching content outside the meeting application
• you prefer your device's caption display

Try both options and use whichever provides the clearest and most useful result.

Improving caption accuracy

Live Captions depend on the quality of the speech signal received by the device.

Caption accuracy can be affected by:

• background noise
• multiple people speaking at once
• poor microphone positioning
• reverberant rooms
• rapid speech
• unfamiliar terminology
• names and addresses
• technical or medical terms
• poor internet or audio quality within an application

To improve results

Try to:

1. Move the microphone or device closer to the person speaking
2. Reduce unnecessary background noise
3. Ask people to speak one at a time
4. Encourage clear, natural speech
5. Face the person speaking where possible
6. Confirm important numbers, names or instructions

Captions and hearing aids can work together

Live Captions do not necessarily replace hearing technology.

They are often most effective when used as an additional source of information.

For example, you might:

• listen through hearing aids
• receive speech through a remote microphone
• stream audio directly to your hearing devices
• watch the speaker's face
• use Live Captions when speech is unclear

This is sometimes referred to as using multiple communication cues.

The aim is not necessarily to rely entirely on captions, but to provide additional information when listening becomes difficult.

Using Apple's Live Listen with captions

Compatible Apple devices can also provide Live Listen.

Live Listen allows an iPhone or iPad to act as a remote microphone for compatible listening devices.

For example:

Person speaking → iPhone microphone → hearing device

The phone can be positioned closer to the speaker, helping reduce the effects of distance and background noise.

Where supported, captions can provide an additional visual cue at the same time.

This can provide both:

Clearer audio + visual speech information

which may be significantly more useful than either strategy alone.

Are Live Captions completely accurate?

No.

Automatic speech recognition has improved substantially, but mistakes still occur.

Be especially careful with:

• people's names
• medication names
• addresses
• appointment times
• dates
• telephone numbers
• financial information
• technical terminology

If the information is important, ask the speaker to confirm it.

Live Captions should not be relied upon as the only communication method in emergency or other high-risk situations.

Which option should I use?

Troubleshooting Live Captions

Captions are not appearing

Check that:

• Live Captions are turned on
• your operating system is up to date
• your device supports the feature
• the correct audio source has been selected
• microphone access is permitted where required

Captions are inaccurate

Try:

• moving closer to the speaker
• reducing background noise
• improving microphone positioning
• turning down competing audio
• asking people to speak one at a time

Captions are too difficult to read

Check the accessibility settings on your device.

Increasing the:

• text size
• contrast
• background opacity
• caption window size

can make captions considerably easier to follow.

Need more help with hearing and communication?

Captioning can be an extremely useful accessibility tool, but it is only one part of improving communication.

At Hear Room, we can help identify where communication is becoming difficult and consider appropriate strategies including:

• hearing aids
• remote microphone systems
• assistive listening technology
• workplace communication solutions
• classroom technology
• captioning
• device connectivity
• communication strategies
• hearing rehabilitation

The right solution often combines several technologies rather than relying on one device alone.

Better communication is not always about making speech louder. Sometimes seeing what you didn't hear can make all the difference.