Chrome just introduced a powerful new accessibility tool — here's how it works

Chrome but introduced a powerful new accessibility tool — here's how it works

Google Chrome Live Captions on a video of a dog

(Image credit: Google)

Chrome 89 is rolling out to users and the browser update brings a number of helpful upgrades including reduced RAM usage for macOS users. The latest characteristic announced is a huge win for accessibility.

Chrome 89 includes a new Alive Captions feature that will provide instant captions for any video or audio content played through your browser (via The Verge).

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The feature will work on near whatsoever content online that has an audio component, whether you have the audio turned on or not. This includes videos shared on social media, personal videos on services similar Google Photos, or strictly audio content like podcasts or radio.

I spent some fourth dimension testing the feature and it holds up quite well in well-nigh circumstances. It tin get behind when the person on screen talks quickly, and information technology takes it a flake to adjust if yous are scrubbing through the video or sound, withal, I didn't see that outcome also frequently, and it is somewhat avoidable.

The captioning all happens on your device and then information technology will yet work fifty-fifty if yous are offline and playing dorsum local audio or video through Chrome. The box itself tin be moved or expanded as you like and there are various settings for transparency, font and size to customize it to your exact preferences. As long equally you take updated to Chrome 89 you can enable Live Captions right at present to try it out yourself.

How to turn on Alive Captions in Chrome

Click on the overflow carte (three vertical dots) in the upper-right corner of Chrome
Select Settings
Open Advanced in the left cavalcade
Select Accessibility
Toggle Live Explanation to the on position
(Optional) Click on Caption preferences to brand changes to the caption mode

Sean Riley has been covering tech professionally for over a decade now. Most of that fourth dimension was equally a freelancer covering varied topics including phones, wearables, tablets, smart habitation devices, laptops, AR, VR, mobile payments, fintech, and more. Sean is the resident mobile practiced at Laptop Mag, specializing in phones and wearables, you'll find plenty of news, reviews, how-to, and opinion pieces on these subjects from him here. But Laptop Mag has also proven a perfect fit for that broad range of interests with reviews and news on the latest laptops, VR games, and computer accessories forth with coverage on everything from NFTs to cybersecurity and more.