The short answer
Microsoft limits live caption translation to Copilot+ PCs. Its documentation says live captions is available in Windows 11, version 22H2 and later, and that the ability to translate is available on Copilot+ PCs running version 24H2 and later. On any other Windows 11 PC, captions appear in the language being spoken and there is nothing to translate them with. Windows 10 is not on Microsoft's list at all.
Without a Copilot+ PC you have two options. Chrome can translate captions for audio playing in Chrome, on Windows 10 or 11, and it sends that caption text to Google. Fraze captions and translates any audio on a normal Windows 11 PC, with both steps running on your computer.
Why the translation is not there
Captions and translated captions are two separate things in Windows, and the second one is tied to hardware. Microsoft's page says that when using a Copilot+ PC, live captions translate from over 40 languages into English and 27 languages into Chinese (Simplified). On a Windows 11 PC that is not a Copilot+ PC, that part of the feature is not offered.
Microsoft's explanation is the hardware. It says all processing of audio and generation of captions occurs on-device, and its Copilot+ PC page says these features are powered by the NPU, a chip built for this kind of work, and run locally.
Two other limits catch people out. Even on a Copilot+ PC, the only target languages Microsoft lists are English and Simplified Chinese, so you cannot get Spanish captions of an English meeting. And Windows 10 is not part of this: Microsoft lists live captions for Windows 11, version 22H2 and later, and nothing earlier.
How to check whether your PC is a Copilot+ PC
Check the Windows version
Open Settings, then System, then About, and look under Windows specifications. Microsoft says caption translation needs Windows 11, version 24H2 or later. If you see Windows 10, you can stop here.
Compare the specs
Microsoft's list for a Copilot+ PC is an NPU capable of at least 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS), 16 GB of memory, a 256 GB SSD and Windows 11, version 24H2 or newer. The same About page shows your processor and memory, but no TOPS figure, so look the processor up on its maker's site. Microsoft's developer guide names Snapdragon X Elite, AMD Ryzen AI 300 series and Intel Core Ultra 200V series chips.
Look for an NPU in Task Manager
Microsoft's developer guide says Task Manager can be used to view NPU usage on devices that have one. Open Task Manager, go to Performance, and see whether NPU is listed next to CPU, GPU and memory.
None of this is an official test. We could not find a Microsoft tool that answers yes or no, so treat the result as a strong hint. The surest sign is the maker's product page saying Copilot+ PC.
No NPU means no Copilot+ PC, and because that is hardware, no Windows update will change it. If an NPU is listed, still check the processor. Microsoft describes an NPU as optional on some ordinary Windows 11 PCs, so having one is not the same as clearing the 40 TOPS bar.
What you can use instead
| Translation | What it hears | Where translation runs | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Captions, normal PC | None | Any audio | Not available | Free |
| Live Captions, Copilot+ PC | Into English or Chinese | Any audio | On the PC | Free, needs a Copilot+ PC |
| Chrome Live Translate | Languages in Chrome's list | Audio playing in Chrome | Captions go to Google | Free |
| Fraze | About 50 languages | Any audio or the mic | On your computer | $29.99 once or $2.99 a month |
Chrome is worth trying first if your audio plays in the browser. In Chrome, open Settings, then Accessibility, turn on Live Caption and Live Translate, and pick a language next to Translate to. Google says Live Caption processes audio and captions locally, but that Live Translate sends those captions to Google to translate, so the text of what was said leaves your machine.
Google describes the feature as working on audio media from Chrome browser. That covers a call or a video in a tab, but not the Zoom or Teams desktop app, a separate video player or a game outside the browser. Google lists Windows 10 or later for Chrome, so this is also the route left on Windows 10.
Translated captions on a normal Windows 11 PC
Choose what it listens to
System audio picks up everything your PC plays, in any app or browser: a call, a video, a stream. The microphone option covers a person in the room with you.
Choose the two languages
Set the language being spoken and the language you want to read. Fraze understands speech in 25 European languages and translates about 50 languages to or from English. The first time, it downloads the language files it needs. After that you can switch Wi-Fi off and it still works.
Read along
Lines appear about half a second to a second after a speaker pauses, each with its translation. The main window shows the original, the translation, or both, and a small caption window can float over whatever you are watching.
Fraze is a desktop app that translates captions without that hardware. It needs Windows 11 on an x64 processor with four cores and AVX2, and 8 GB of memory. No NPU, no Copilot+ PC. It does not run on Windows 10, so there Chrome is the option left.
When one of the other options is the better pick
- You have a Copilot+ PC and English or Simplified Chinese is what you want to read. Windows does that at no cost.
- You only need captions in the language being spoken. Microsoft lists that for Windows 11 from version 22H2, at no cost.
- The speaker's language is Japanese, Korean, Chinese or Hindi. Fraze does not understand those on Windows. Google lists all four as Chrome caption languages, and Microsoft lists them for translation into English on a Copilot+ PC.
- Everything you watch plays in Chrome and you need a target language Fraze does not cover. Check the Translate to menu in Chrome, if you accept the caption text going to Google.
- You need a summary, speaker names or a link to share. Fraze does none of those. Verli, the cloud version from the same company, does, but the audio goes to the cloud.
Fraze fits the case in the middle: a normal Windows 11 PC, audio outside the browser, a target language other than English, or a rule that the words may not leave the machine. You need a free Fraze account. The first 30 minutes are free on every account, with no card, so you can read a real call before paying anything.
Questions
Can Windows live captions translate without a Copilot+ PC?
No. Microsoft's documentation says the ability to translate is available on Copilot+ PCs running Windows 11, version 24H2 and later. On other Windows 11 PCs live captions still work, but only in the language being spoken.
Does Windows 10 have live captions?
No. Microsoft lists live captions as available in Windows 11, version 22H2 and later, and says support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025. Chrome's own Live Caption is the closest thing there, since Google lists Windows 10 or later for Chrome.
Why is live captions translation not available on my PC?
Most often the PC is not a Copilot+ PC, or it is on a Windows 11 version before 24H2. On a Copilot+ PC there is no separate switch: Microsoft says translation appears when the caption language is English (United States) or Chinese (Simplified), so check Change language in the live captions settings.
Can live captions translate into a language other than English?
Only Simplified Chinese. Microsoft says live captions support translating over 40 languages into English and 27 languages into Chinese (Simplified). No other target language is listed.
What does Fraze need to run, and does it work on Windows 10?
Fraze needs Windows 11 on an x64 processor with four cores and AVX2, and 8 GB of memory. It does not need an NPU or a Copilot+ PC. It does not run on Windows 10, Chromebooks or Linux. Both steps, turning speech into text and translating it, run on your computer, so no audio or transcript text is uploaded.