Live captions in Windows 11 turn speech from PC audio into on-screen text. Standard captions require Windows 11 version 22H2 or later; translation requires a compatible Copilot+ PC running version 24H2 or later.
Set up live captions
- Press Windows + Ctrl + L, or open Settings > Accessibility > Captions and enable Live captions.
- On first use, review the on-device processing prompt and download the required language files.
- Play a short spoken video and confirm captions appear.
Adjust readability
In the captions window, open Settings > Position to choose a placement that keeps your content visible. For appearance, use Settings > Preferences > Caption style, then select or edit a style.
To caption nearby speech, enable Preferences > Include microphone audio. This option is off by default. Test it in a quiet room before relying on it during a conversation.
Understand the limits
Caption processing happens on the device, and generated captions are not saved. Treat the text as a reading aid and check important names, figures or instructions against the audio.
If language files will not download
Check your internet connection and whether Microsoft Store can download apps. In a managed workplace, Store access may be restricted; contact IT if downloads are blocked. If Store downloads work but caption setup still fails, report the problem through Feedback Hub.
