How to turn on live captions on Windows 11

2 min read · 6 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

Short answer

Press Windows + Ctrl + L. The first time, agree to the download of the language files. Windows then shows captions for any speech the PC plays, in a bar at the top of the screen. Press the same keys again to switch them off.

Live captions write out what is being said in a video, a meeting or a podcast, whatever program is playing it. Everything is worked out on the PC itself. Microsoft says that audio and captions never leave the device.

These steps are for Windows 11. The pictures are diagrams of the keys to press.

Step by step

  1. Win+Ctrl+LTurn live captions on or off

    Press Windows + Ctrl + L

    Or click the network, sound and battery icons on the taskbar, click Accessibility and switch on Live captions.

  2. Agree and download

    The first time, Windows asks for your consent to process speech on the device and downloads the language files. This needs an internet connection once.

  3. Play something with speech

    The captions appear in a bar at the top of the screen as soon as someone speaks.

  4. Move the caption bar

    Click the settings cog on the bar, then Position, and choose Above screen, Below screen or Overlaid on screen. The overlaid window can be dragged to wherever it is not in the way.

  5. Caption your own voice too

    In the settings of the bar, under Preferences, switch on Include microphone audio. Then what you say into the microphone is captioned as well, for example in a face-to-face conversation.

  6. Change how captions look

    Open Settings, Accessibility, Captions and choose a caption style with larger or higher-contrast text.

Good to know

Live captions need Windows 11 version 22H2 or later. They recognise around 20 languages and language variants, among them English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

Only speech is captioned. Music, applause and other sounds are not described.

Translation of other languages into English captions is limited to Copilot+ PCs with Windows 11 version 24H2 or later.

To type by voice instead of reading speech, see how to use voice typing on Windows 11.

In short: Windows + Ctrl + L, agree to the download, play audio. Position and microphone are in the bar's settings.

Sources
  • Microsoft Support: Use live captions to better understand audio

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