Google today rolled out its live caption transcription feature to version 89 of Chrome browser for desktop, as first spotted by XDA Developers.
Previously only available on some Pixel and Samsung phones, Live Captions uses machine learning to create a real-time transcription for videos or audio played through the browser, making online media more accessible for members of the Deaf community and other people with hearing loss.
Once enabled, Live Captions appear in a box in the bottom of the browser whenever you play audio or video that includes people talking. We tried it on YouTube videos and Spotify podcasts, and it worked well, although the words do appear after a slight delay and aren't always 100% accurate.
It's also worth mentioning that the feature only seems to work for spoken English at this time, but otherwise it's generally pretty good at transcribing speech where captions may not have been available. Here's how to get it working.
How to Enable Google Chrome's New Live Caption Feature
Launch Google Chrome on your desktop.
Click the customize button in the top-right corner of the browser window (the vertical column of three dots).
Click Settings in the dropdown menu.
Click the Advanced heading to expand the section, then select Accessibility.
Click the switch next to Live Captions to enable it. If you don't see the option, make sure you're updated to Chrome 89 (Settings -> About Chrome). If the browser's already up-to-date, quit the app and then relaunch it, and you should see the new Live Captions setting appear.
As soon as you enable Live Captions, Chrome will begin downloading speech recognition files, a process that should take only a few seconds. Once it's finished, you should see an automatic transcription whenever someone is talking in video or audio that's being played back through the browser.
You can expand the live transcription box to make it larger by clicking the small chevron at the bottom of the overlay, and drag it around the screen for better positioning. Captions will also appear if you mute the audio or have the volume turned down, allowing you to follow videos or podcasts without distracting anyone in the vicinity.
Apple is "drastically" cutting production of the iPhone Air and shifting focus toward the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models, Nikkei Asia reports.
The business publication claims to have learned of a major cut to iPhone Air production motivated by weaker-than-expected consumer interest, nearly to "end of production levels." Despite early reports of the iPhone Air selling out within hours of...
Wednesday October 22, 2025 4:44 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Back in 2012, an Apple retail employee named Sam Sung went viral because his name is similar to Samsung, one of Apple's main competitors. In a recent interview with Business Insider, he detailed that period in his life, how Apple responded, and he explained why he ultimately changed his name.
Someone posted an image of Sung's Apple business card on Reddit in 2012, and it spread rapidly....
Wednesday October 22, 2025 11:34 am PDT by Juli Clover
General Motors began phasing out support for CarPlay in its electric vehicles back in 2023, leading to complaints from iPhone users, but the company has no plans to back down.
In fact, GM is going further and plans to remove CarPlay from all future gas vehicles, too. In an interview with The Verge, GM CEO Mary Barra said that the company opted to prioritize its platform for EVs, but the...
Apple plans to launch a new type of iPhone every year for the foreseeable future, according to an Asia-based source.
The detailed information was shared by the account "yeux1122" in a blog post on the Korean platform Naver, citing domestic trend and component research companies.
Corroborating other reports, Apple will apparently launch its first foldable iPhone in 2026, featuring a...
Wednesday October 22, 2025 6:15 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more.
iOS 26.1 is currently in beta testing. The update will likely be released in the first half of November, and it is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer, but some...
Monday October 20, 2025 10:57 am PDT by Juli Clover
With the fourth betas of iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS 26.1, Apple has introduced a new setting that's designed to allow users to customize the look of Liquid Glass.
The toggle lets users select from a clear look for Liquid Glass, or a tinted look. Clear is the current Liquid Glass design, which is more transparent and shows the background underneath buttons, bars, and menus, while tinted ...
Wednesday October 22, 2025 10:48 am PDT by Juli Clover
iPhone Air demand failed to meet Apple's expectations and the company's supply chain is scaling back shipments and production, reports Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Suppliers are expected to reduce capacity by more than 80 percent between now and the first quarter of 2026, and some components with longer lead times will be discontinued ...
Apple's new iPhone lineup launched in the fall of 2027 will be called the "iPhone 20" models, rather than the "iPhone 19," according to research firm Omdia.
Speaking at a conference in Seoul (via ETNews), Omdia Chief Researcher Heo Moo-yeol corroborated rumors that Apple plans to move the launch of its standard iPhone to the first half of the year and provided some additional clarity about...
Monday October 20, 2025 1:02 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Even though we're at the fourth beta of iOS 26.1, Apple is continuing to add new features. In fact, the fourth beta has some of the biggest changes that we'll get when iOS 26.1 releases to the public later this month. We've rounded up what's new below.
Liquid Glass Transparency Toggle
Apple added a toggle for customizing the look of Liquid Glass. In Settings > Display and Brightness,...
This isn't too surprising to me. About four years ago when I was working through my Masters degree, I would upload my interviews to a private youtube channel for transcription (got done in about an hour I think it was). Same tech, same company and they have had a chance to refine it by now so I am sure it is much faster (obviously). Really cool stuff though, and really convenient.
