Audio description and live captions are two different tools serving two different audiences. Here's how to understand both — and how StreamTranslate handles the caption layer of your full accessibility setup.
Add Live Captions to Your StreamAudio description is a narration track added to video content that describes what's happening visually — for blind and low-vision viewers who cannot see the screen. In broadcast TV and film, audio description tracks are recorded separately and played alongside the video. Audio description is fundamentally different from captions. Captions transcribe speech and audio for viewers who can see but can't hear. Audio description narrates visuals for viewers who can hear but can't see. Both are necessary for a fully accessible stream — but they serve completely different audiences.
For live streamers, audio description isn't a recorded track — it's a practice. Accessible streamers who want to serve blind and low-vision audiences narrate their visual actions verbally as part of their commentary: "I'm moving left on the map, about to enter the cave — there's a chest in the corner." This kind of descriptive commentary makes visual-heavy content meaningful for viewers who can't see the screen.
Narrates visual content for blind and low-vision viewers. Requires the streamer to verbally describe on-screen actions, UI elements, and visual context alongside their regular commentary.
Transcribes speech for deaf and hard of hearing viewers. Powered by our industry-leading speech AI. Rendered as a visual overlay via OBS browser source — visible on every platform.
A streamer who narrates visually AND has StreamTranslate captions covers blind/low-vision AND deaf/HOH audiences simultaneously. The most accessible streamers do both.
Layer 1 — Live captions: StreamTranslate running as an OBS browser source. Sub-second latency transcription via our industry-leading speech AI, plus translation into 125+ languages for non-English-speaking deaf and HOH viewers globally. This is the most impactful single accessibility change most streamers can make, and it takes under 10 minutes to set up.
Layer 2 — Verbal audio description: Make descriptive commentary a habit. Narrate what's on screen as part of your natural commentary. "I'm at the boss door, health bar is full" is helpful for blind viewers and adds context for everyone.
Layer 3 — Colorblind-friendly design: Make sure your caption overlay and stream graphics don't rely on color alone to convey meaning. High contrast, clear text, and accessible overlay design help all viewers.
Layer 4 — Community signals: Mention your accessibility features in your channel bio. Use the #DeafTwitch hashtag when relevant. Respond when accessibility is requested in chat. Accessible streamers build the most loyal communities.
Start with StreamTranslate's setup guide or check pricing.
Audio description is a narration track that describes visual content for blind and low-vision viewers — describing actions, expressions, settings, and on-screen text. It is different from captions, which transcribe speech for deaf viewers.
Live streamers who want to serve blind and low-vision audiences should consider verbal description of visual elements as part of their commentary. Some streamers narrate what is happening on screen alongside their regular commentary.
Captions serve deaf and hard of hearing viewers by transcribing speech. Audio description serves blind and low-vision viewers by narrating visuals. Together they create a fully accessible stream. StreamTranslate handles the caption layer.
StreamTranslate provides the caption layer — real-time transcription and 125+ language translation via OBS browser source. Audio description requires the streamer to narrate visual elements verbally. StreamTranslate then captions that narration for deaf viewers too.
A fully accessible stream includes live captions via StreamTranslate, verbal audio description for visual elements, colorblind-friendly caption and overlay colors, keyboard-accessible stream interface, and community practices that welcome disabled viewers.