How to Get Live Captions for a Zoom Lecture
Live captions for Zoom lectures can make a big difference when the professor speaks fast, the audio is quiet or English is not your first language. Zoom has captions built in, and if they are not available in your class, your browser or computer may be able to caption the sound for you. Here is how to get them.
Turn on captions in Zoom
If the host hasn’t turned captions off or limited them, you can turn them on yourself from the meeting toolbar:
- Zoom desktop app: click Show captions.
- Zoom mobile app: tap Show CC.
- Zoom in a web browser: click Show Captions.
Zoom explains the steps and requirements in its guide to viewing captions in a meeting or webinar.
Check the speaking language
Each participant sets the language that is spoken in the meeting, and Zoom remembers it for future meetings. If this setting doesn’t match the language of the lecture, the captions will be inaccurate. For an English lecture, choose English. See Zoom’s guide to managing automated captions.
If you don’t see the captions button
- The host may have limited captions to the host and co-hosts. In that case you can send a request to turn them on, and the host approves or declines it.
- Captions may be turned off in your school’s Zoom account. Ask your instructor or your school’s IT help desk.
- Make sure your Zoom app is up to date.
Can you save Zoom captions?
No. Zoom captions are shown live only and can’t be saved or downloaded. A host or admin can turn on meeting transcripts and decide who is allowed to save them. Zoom explains this in its FAQ about meeting captions and transcripts. If you need the text after class, ask your instructor whether a transcript or recording will be shared.
Other ways to get live captions
If Zoom captions are not available, your browser or operating system may be able to caption the sound on your computer:
- Google Chrome Live Caption. Captions speech that plays in Chrome, for example if you join Zoom from your browser. Turn it on in Chrome settings under Accessibility. See Google’s Chrome Help page.
- Windows live captions. Available in Windows 11, version 22H2 and later, and captions audio that plays on your PC. Press Windows key + Ctrl + L to turn it on. See Microsoft’s live captions page.
- Live Captions on Mac. Available on Mac computers with Apple silicon, but not in all languages, countries or regions. Turn it on in System Settings under Accessibility. See Apple’s guide.
These captions appear on your screen only, and the other people in the class don’t see them.
When you want to keep the text: LectureHelper
Captions disappear as the lecture goes on. If you want to keep the text, LectureHelper works in Google Chrome with lectures in English. Open your Zoom class, open LectureHelper and click “Video / Online Class”. Speech from the class appears as live text, and the lecture is saved in your account. After class you can get a summary and study notes, translate words or the whole text, and save everything to Word. The Free plan includes 3 hours of lectures a month, and you don’t need a card. Paid plans are available only to US residents. Read more on our page for international and ESL students.
Captions can be wrong
Automatic captions and text can contain mistakes, especially with accents, background noise, names and technical terms. Check important details, like dates and assignments, in your course materials or with your instructor. If you need captions because of a disability, contact your school’s disability services office: Zoom itself recommends a human captioner or service when you need captions for accessibility or compliance.
Ask your instructor first
Turning on captions in Zoom is part of the meeting. A separate tool that records or transcribes the class is different: check your school’s rules and ask your instructor for permission before you use one.
Related articles
- How to Translate a Lecture in Real Time: Free Options for Students
- How to Follow Fast Lectures When English Is Your Second Language
- How to Take Notes in College as an International Student
LectureHelper turns your English Zoom lecture into live text, translates words you don’t know, and makes a summary and study notes after class. The Free plan includes 3 hours of lectures a month, no card needed.
Try LectureHelper