How to Use Live Captions with Microphone Audio in Windows 11
Windows 11 Live Captions can transcribe your microphone audio directly on your screen, making spoken content accessible in real-time.
This powerful accessibility feature displays spoken words as text on your screen, whether that’s from a video, a call, or even your own voice. For example, you can use Live Captions with microphone input to see a transcription of a conversation happening around your PC or during a video conference call.
You can enable Live Captions and select microphone as the audio source within Windows 11 settings, ensuring you never miss a word.
Enable Live Captions by pressing Windows key + Ctrl+L, then click the gear icon in the Live Captions bar. Go to Preferences and turn on “Include microphone audio” to transcribe your microphone input.
What Are Live Captions?
Live Captions turn spoken words into text that appears on your screen in real-time. They work with most audio from your device, like videos, calls, or apps. Microsoft added this feature in Windows 11 build 22557.
How to Turn On Live Captions
You can turn on Live Captions quickly by pressing these keys on your keyboard together:
Windows key + Ctrl + LAlternatively, you can access it through Windows Quick Settings. Here’s how:
- Click the Quick Settings area at the bottom-right of your screen (near the clock).
- Click the Accessibility button. It looks like a person inside a circle.
- Find and turn on Live Captions.
How to Include Microphone Audio with Live Captions
Want Live Captions to pick up what your microphone hears? Follow these steps:
- Turn on Live Captions by pressing
Windows key + Ctrl + L. - In the Live Captions bar that appears on your screen, click the Settings button. It looks like a gear icon.
- Choose Preferences.
- Find the option called Include microphone audio and turn it on.
Here’s an example of what the settings look like:
Now, your computer will caption sounds picked up by your microphone. It will also caption other audio playing on your device.
Extra Tips
- You can move the Live Captions bar anywhere on your screen by dragging it.
- Change the caption language if you want to see captions in a different language.
- Turn off Live Captions anytime by pressing
Windows key + Ctrl + Lagain. - For more info about Live Captions and how to customize them, check out this Microsoft Support page.
Summary
- Live Captions help you see spoken words as text on your screen in real time.
- You can include your microphone’s audio. This captions sounds around you or your voice.
- It’s easy to turn on and off. Use a keyboard shortcut or Quick Settings.
- You can customize captions to fit your needs. This includes moving the caption bar and changing languages.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.
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