Enabling and Customizing Live Captions in Microsoft Teams

Introduction

Live captions in Microsoft Teams can be a valuable tool for users who are deaf, hard of hearing with have low vision. This guide will walk you through the steps to enable live captions and customize their appearance to improve accessibility.

Turning On Live Captions

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Start or Join a Meeting:

   • Open Microsoft Teams and either start a new meeting or join an existing one.

2. Access Meeting Controls:

   • Once in the meeting, locate the meeting controls at the top of the screen.

3. Enable Live Captions:

   • Click on the three-dot menu (...) labeled “More actions.”

   • Select Language and speech > Turn on live captions.

4. View Captions:

   • Live captions will appear at the bottom of the meeting window as participants speak.

Customizing Live Captions for Deaf Low Vision

Adjusting Font Size and Contrast

Microsoft Teams offers several customization options to make live captions more accessible for users with low vision.

1. Open Settings:

   • Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner of the Teams window.

   • Select Settings from the dropdown menu.

2. Navigate to Captions Settings:

   • In the Settings menu, go to Captions and transcripts.

3. Adjust Font Size:

   • Look for the option to change the font size of the captions. You can select from small, medium, or large font sizes based on your preference.

4. Change Caption Color and Background:

   • To improve contrast, you can adjust the color of the caption text and the background. This can help make the text more readable against different backgrounds.

Additional Accessibility Options

1. High Contrast Mode:

   • If you need even more contrast, consider enabling high contrast mode on your device. This setting can be found in the accessibility settings of your operating system.

2. Screen Reader Support:

   • Microsoft Teams is compatible with screen readers, which can provide additional support for users with low vision.

Shortcuts for Quick Access

• Turn on Live Captions: Ctrl + Shift + L

• Open Settings: Ctrl +,

• Navigate to Captions Settings: Alt + N (after opening Settings)

• Toggle High Contrast Mode (Windows): Left Alt + Left Shift + Print Screen

For more detailed information, you can refer to the official Microsoft Support page on using live captions in Microsoft Teams.

By Mohammad Zaripour