How to enable Live Captions on Windows 11

Windows 11 now lets you show live captions from videos, audios, and microphones, and here's how to use the feature.

Avatar for Mauro Huculak
@Pureinfotech
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Windows 11 Live Captions
Windows 11 Live Captions
  • To enable Live Captions on Windows 11, open Settings > Accessibility > Captions and turn on “Live Captions.”
  • Once enabled, you can use the Windows key + Ctrl + L keyboard shortcut to turn on the feature.
  • Alternatively, the Quick Settings flyout includes an option to start Live Captions.

On Windows 11, “Live Captions” is a feature available starting with version 22H2, and it is an accessibility feature that permits anyone to better understand audio by viewing captions of spoken content.

Captions are automatically generated on-device from any content with audio. The feature can appear at the top or bottom of the screen or in a floating window. You can resize the caption window and personalize the experience. In addition, you can also get captions from an open microphone, which can be helpful during in-person conversations. (Captions are only supported in English (U.S.) content.)

This guide will teach you the steps to enable, configure, and use Live Captions on Windows 11 22H2.

Enable Live Captions on Windows 11

To enable “Live Captions” on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings on Windows 11.

  2. Click on Accessibility.

  3. Click the Captions tab.

  4. Turn on the Live captions toggle switch.

    Enable Live Captions on Windows 11

  5. Click the “I agree” button to allow local voice processing.

Once you complete the steps, Live Captions should appear on the screen.

Configure Live Captions on Windows 11

Live Captions lets you customize the experience. You can decide where the captions will appear on the screen, it’s possible to filter inappropriate language, and you can even get captions of spoken words from a microphone.

To customize Live Captions on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Start Live Captions.

  2. Click the Settings (gear) button in the top-right corner.

  3. Select the Position setting.

  4. Choose where to place the captions box, including “Top,” “Bottom,” or “Floating on screen.”

    Captions positions

    Quick tip: The floating option lets you move around the box anywhere on the screen.

  5. Click the Settings (gear) button in the top-right corner.

  6. Select the Caption options setting.

  7. (Optional) Choose the Filter profanity option to prevent profanity in captions.

  8. (Optional) Choose the Include microphone audio option to get live captions of spoken words through an open microphone.

    Captions options

You can also click the Caption Style option that opens the Captions settings page, where you can select different font sizes and colors for the captions. If you click the Edit button, you can create a custom caption style with different fonts, colors, backgrounds, and windows.

Use Live Captions on Windows 11

If you want to use Live Captions, this is a straightforward process. You can always turn it back on using the “Windows key + Ctrl + L” keyboard shortcut or click the Accessibility button in “Quick Settings” and then turn on the Live captions toggle switch. Or you can also enable the feature from the “Captions” settings page.

Once the feature is enabled, play a video or audio, and see how the captions appear on the screen.

About the author
Avatar for Mauro Huculak

Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.