How to Enable Closed Captioning and Live Transcription in Zoom

Make your meetings much more accessbile

Accessibility has been an important and ongoing discussion as users advocate for more options to help them understand each other in online environments.

Zoom, a leadingvideo conferencingapp, took a significant step by adding closed captioning and live transcription to its service. These features drasticallyimprove accessibility for deaf, blind, or hard-of-hearingparticipantsand communication with non-native English speakers.

It’s now easier to understand what someone in the same Zoom meeting is saying and respond to them while making everyone feel included.

This guide explains how you can enable closed captioning and live transcription in Zoom.

How to Enable Zoom Closed Captioning or Zoom Live Transcription

As the host/co-host of the meeting or webinar, you can provide closed captions through manual or third-party methods for all participants. However, for a webinar, only the host/panelist can provide manual captioning.

If you can’t provide closed captioning, you can use live transcription. However, the latter has its limitations. For example, it only works in English, and its accuracy is affected by:

Note: The live transcription feature isn’t available to every Zoom user just yet. You’ll need to complete arequest formand then wait for an email with instructions on enabling live transcription.

You can provide closed captions for three different types of users in your Zoom account:

You can enable closed captions in Zoom for your use.

Note: If the Closed Captioning option is grayed out, it means the feature has been locked at account or group level. Request your Zoom administrator to enable the feature for you.

With Closed Captioning enabled, you can opt to allow other features such as:

You can also provide Closed Captioning for users in a group so they can see the captions during the Zoom meeting.

You can allow all participants in your Zoom account to access and use the Closed Captioning feature during the Zoom meeting.

Zoom Rooms shouldn’t be confused with Zoom breakout rooms. The latter are sessions split off from the main Zoom meeting.

On the other hand, Zoom Rooms is a digital setup that connects people in a physical space with others working remotely to hold virtual meetings.

Use Closed Captioning or Live Transcription in a Zoom Meeting

With the Closed Captioning and Live Transcription features enabled in Zoom, you can now use the features during the webinar or meeting.

If you don’t want to type the meeting captions yourself, you can choose a participant to do it.

How to Use Closed Captioning in Breakout Rooms

You can assign only one participant as the captioner, but you have to do this before opening the breakout rooms. Consequently, only one breakout room session can have the closed captions.

Once you’ve assigned a captioner, open the breakout rooms and move the captioner to a breakout room. The captioner can select the Closed Captions icon in the breakout room and start typing the captions.

The participants in that breakout room can select theClosed Captionicon and then chooseShow SubtitleorView Full Transcriptto view the closed captions.

When the captioner and all other participants return to the main Zoom meeting from the breakout rooms, they’ll have to repeat the same steps to type the captions and view subtitles or transcript, respectively.

Note: The Live Transcription feature isn’t available for Zoom breakout rooms. The meeting host can use a captioning service to provide closed captions in breakout rooms.

Make Everyone Feel Included

Since the global pandemic began, remote webinars, meetings, and video conferencing have become popular among individuals and groups.

Zoom’s closed captions and live transcription features provide digital accessibility for all meeting participants and ensure everyone feels included.

Was this guide helpful? Share with us in a comment below.

Elsie is a technology writer and editor with a special focus on Windows, Android and iOS. She writes about software, electronics and other tech subjects, her ultimate goal being to help people out with useful solutions to their daily tech issues in a simple, straightforward and unbiased style. She has a BCom degree in Marketing and currently pursuing her Masters in Communications and New Media.Read Elsie’s Full Bio

Welcome to Help Desk Geek- a blog full of tech tips from trusted tech experts. We have thousands of articles and guides to help you troubleshoot any issue. Our articles have been read over 150 million times since we launched in 2008.

HomeAbout UsEditorial StandardsContact UsTerms of Use

Copyright © 2008-2024 Help Desk Geek.com, LLC All Rights Reserved