What Is Live Captioning?
Live captioning converts spoken words to text in real time. Learn how streamers use it to improve accessibility and reach.
Add Live Captions to Your Stream →Last updated: March 20, 2026
Quick Answer
Live captioning is the real-time display of spoken words as on-screen text during a live stream. For streamers, it means showing captions as you talk — not after editing. Improves accessibility for deaf viewers, non-native speakers, and viewers in noisy environments.
Live Captioning Explained
Live captioning happens while you're live — no editing required. 1 in 8 Americans aged 12+ has some hearing loss (NIDCD, 2023). While streaming doesn't legally require captions, it's increasingly expected as an accessibility standard.
- Real-time, not edited
- Typically 85-95% accuracy for clear audio — varies by accent, background noise, and the quality of the AI model used
- Can be same-language or translated
- Improves accessibility for deaf, HoH, and non-native viewers
How to Add Live Captions
Step 1: Go to streamtranslate.live/control. Create a room.
Step 2: Copy the overlay URL. Add as OBS Browser Source at 1920×1080.
Step 3: Go live. Captions appear automatically. No plugin, no download, no GPU.
Captioning Stats
80% of people who use captions aren't deaf (Ofcom, UK). YouTube reports captions give 80% higher completion rate with captions (Verizon Media, 2019). For live streams, the effect is similar — viewers who read along stay longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is live captioning the same as subtitles?
Similar but different. Captions = same language (English → English). Subtitles can be translated (English → Spanish). StreamTranslate does both.
Can I add captions without OBS plugins?
Yes. StreamTranslate works as a browser source URL — no plugin needed.
Do captions work for all platforms?
Yes. StreamTranslate is platform-agnostic — works for Twitch, YouTube, X, and TikTok, Kick, Facebook Gaming, and more.
StreamTranslate Team
Published by the StreamTranslate team. We build real-time live stream translation tools for Twitch, Kick, and YouTube, X, and TikTok streamers.
Add live captions to your stream in 2 minutes
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