Live Transcribe - Real-time transcriptions & notifications

Live Transcribe enhance the accessibility of everyday discussions and ambient sounds for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, utilizing only your Android smartphone.

On most devices, you can access Live Transcribe by following these steps:

1.Launch the Settings app on your device.

2.Select Accessibility.

3.Tap on either Live Transcribe or Sound Notifications based on the feature you wish to use.

You may also initiate Live Transcribe or Sound Notifications through the accessibility button, a gesture, or Quick Settings.

Real-time transcriptions

• Receive live transcriptions in more than 120 languages and dialects. You can add personalized terms that you frequently use, such as names or items from your home.

• Set your device to vibrate when someone mentions your name.

• Type responses during conversations.

• Utilize external microphones with wired headsets, Bluetooth headsets, or USB microphones for improved audio quality.

• On foldable phones, display transcriptions and your typed replies on the outside screen for easier communication with others.

• Opt to keep transcriptions saved for up to 3 days. Saved transcripts will remain on your device for this duration, allowing you to copy and paste them elsewhere. By default, transcripts are not stored.

Sound Notifications

• Be alerted about significant sounds in your environment, such as a smoke alarm ringing or a baby crying.

• Include custom sounds to receive alerts when your devices beep.

• Review sounds from the previous 12 hours to understand what was occurring around you.

Requirements:

• Android version 12 or newer.

Live Transcribe were developed in partnership with Gallaudet University, a leading institution for the Deaf and hard of hearing community in the US.

Use Live Transcribe offline

Download languages for offline use

Download languages for offline use for when internet connection is limited like in travels or in places with low connection. It also saves your cellular data plan.

Important:

- On selected Android devices and all Pixel devices that run on Android 12 or later, you can download multiple languages, like English, French, and more for offline use.

- On selected Android devices that run on Android 8, 9, 10, or 11, you can download English for offline use.

1. On your device, open Live Transcribe .

2. At the bottom, tap Settings  > More settings.

3. Scroll to "Primary language" and "Secondary language."

- Available for download:

If this symbol appears at the end of a language, it means that the language is available for you to download.

If this symbol doesn’t appear at the end of a language, it means it’s not available for you to download.

- Downloading: Means you’re downloading the language.

- Done: Means that the language is already downloaded.

Set offline mode preference

To ensure you get an uninterrupted transcription experience, Live Transcribe automatically enables offline transcription. If you’d like to change it to Online, follow the below steps.  

1. On your device, open Live Transcribe .

2. At the bottom, tap Settings  > More settings.

3. At the bottom, tap Advanced > Offline transcriptions.

4. Turn off Transcribe offline.

Tips:

When you turn Transcribe offline on, you can always use offline mode for the languages you’ve downloaded, even when there’s an internet connection.

When you turn Transcribe offline off, Live Transcribe will automatically switch between online and offline for the languages you’ve downloaded depending on your network stabilities.

Permissions notice

Microphone: Access to the microphone is necessary for Live Transcribe and Sound Notifications to convert spoken words and environmental sounds into text. The audio is not saved after processing.

Notifications: Access to notifications is required for Sound Notifications to alert you of various sounds.

Nearby devices: Live Transcribe needs permission to access nearby devices in order to connect with your Bluetooth microphones.