The short answer
Windows 11 translates live captions only on Copilot+ PCs, and only into English or Simplified Chinese. The system-wide Live Captions on a Mac does not translate. Apple translates captions only inside one-on-one FaceTime calls. Chrome can translate its captions on Windows, Mac and Linux, but only for audio playing inside Chrome, and it sends the caption text to Google to do it.
Fraze is a Mac and Windows app that captions any audio your computer plays, or your microphone, and shows a translation under each line. Speech recognition and translation both run on your computer, so it works offline and nothing is uploaded.
What the built-in features can translate
| Captions | Translation | Where translation runs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 Live Captions | Any audio, 10 spoken languages listed | Copilot+ PCs only, into English or Simplified Chinese | On the PC |
| macOS Live Captions | Any audio, Apple silicon Macs | One-on-one FaceTime calls only | On the Mac |
| Chrome Live Caption | Audio inside Chrome, 19 spoken languages listed | Yes, into more than 100 languages, Google says | Caption text goes to Google |
| Fraze | Any audio or the microphone, 25 spoken languages | About 50 languages to or from English | On your computer |
The gaps are different on each system. On Windows the limit is hardware and language: Microsoft's documentation says translation needs a Copilot+ PC running Windows 11 version 24H2 or later, and it translates into English or Simplified Chinese only. On a Mac the limit is reach: Apple's Live Translation shows translated captions in one-on-one FaceTime calls on a Mac with Apple Intelligence, and the system-wide Live Captions has no translation setting. In Chrome the limit is reach and privacy: the Zoom desktop app, a desktop video player or a game is outside the browser. Google says the audio is processed on your device, but to translate, the caption text is sent to Google.
How to translate live captions with Fraze
Pick what to listen to
Choose system audio to caption everything your computer plays, a single app on macOS, or the microphone for a person in the room.
Pick the two languages
Choose the language being spoken and the language you want to read. The first time you use a language, Fraze downloads what it needs. After that it works with Wi-Fi off.
Press start and read
Each line appears as it is spoken, with the translation under it. A small caption window can float over your call or video, and the main window can show the original, the translation, or both.
When the built-in feature is the better pick
- You have a Copilot+ PC and want English or Simplified Chinese captions for foreign audio. Windows does that for free, on the PC.
- You only need same-language captions. Windows 11, macOS and Chrome all do that at no cost.
- The foreign speech is a one-on-one FaceTime call and your Mac has Apple Intelligence. Apple translates those captions on the Mac.
- Everything you watch is in Chrome and you do not mind the caption text going to Google. Chrome covers more target languages than Fraze.
Fraze is for the rest: a Windows 11 PC that is not a Copilot+ PC, a Mac with audio that is not a FaceTime call, audio outside the browser, a target language other than English, or a rule that the words may not leave the machine.
What it costs
The first 30 minutes are free on every account, with no card. After that it is $29.99 once or $2.99 a month. Both are unlimited, because the work happens on your computer and there is no per-minute meter to run.
Questions
Can Windows Live Captions translate on a normal PC?
No. Microsoft limits live caption translation to Copilot+ PCs running Windows 11 version 24H2 or later. On other Windows 11 PCs, Live Captions only shows the language being spoken.
Does macOS Live Captions translate?
Not for audio in general. The system-wide Live Captions writes down what is said in the same language, and Apple's guide for it lists no translation option. Apple's Live Translation does show translated captions, but only in one-on-one FaceTime calls, on a Mac with Apple Intelligence, in the languages Apple lists.
Does Chrome's Live Translate work for Zoom or other apps?
Only if the audio plays inside a Chrome tab. Chrome cannot hear the Zoom desktop app, a video player or any other program. Fraze listens to the system audio, so it hears all of them.
Is the translation really done on my computer?
Yes. In Fraze both steps, speech recognition and translation, run on your machine. You can turn Wi-Fi off after the first download and it keeps working. The full list of connections the app can make is on the home page.
Is there a live captions translator that works offline?
Yes. Fraze is a live subtitle translator that runs on your computer, so after the first download of language files it works with Wi-Fi off. On a Copilot+ PC, Windows live captions also translate on the device, into English or Simplified Chinese. Chrome's Live Translate needs a connection, because the caption text goes to Google.
Which languages can Fraze translate?
Fraze transcribes 25 European languages, and more on macOS 26 and later, including Japanese, Korean and Chinese. Translation covers about 50 languages to or from English. Other pairs go through English.