With Pixel 4, Google has introduced some new features based on both hardware and software. Google has also introduced the Live Caption feature which displays, well, live captions for any sound coming from your Pixel. This includes videos, whether they’re on YouTube, Vimeo or another app or even website. This also includes podcasts and pretty much everything related to speaking. Today we show you how to activate Live Caption on Pixel 4 and other Pixel devices.
The version of Android from Google that we see on Pixel phones is generally considered a simple experience. Like iOS, it has cool animations, a simple, straightforward interface, and not many features. At least not compared to something like OneUI from Samsung, or even OxygenOS from OnePlus. Therefore, you don’t need a lot of tips and tricks for your new Google Pixel 4 or any other Pixel.
However, most users don’t even go to their phone’s Settings app. They accept what is on the surface like that and learn to live with it. Not everyone has the time or is not interested enough. But if you’re someone like that who has never paid attention to these settings, you are missing many interesting options, including Live Caption.
How To Activate Live Caption On Google Pixel Phones
Some Android configurations and settings are hidden deep under menus and categories. Live Caption is not one of them and Google has made it fairly easy to find. There are several ways to activate Live Caption on Google Pixel 4 and other Pixel phones.
via quick settings
Just like any other feature that you can often turn on or off, Live Caption also has its dedicated quick tile in Quick Settings. However, it is not quite there by default. You will need to place it manually in Quick Settings.
- Swipe down from the top of the screen to lower the notification shade.
- Swipe down again to drop the quick settings panel.
- Tap the edit icon that looks like a pencil in the lower left.
- Scroll down to the gray area where you should find the Live Caption quick tile.
- Drag and drop the quick thumbnail up on the quick settings panel where you want it.
- Press the back button.
When you’re done, you should see the Live Caption quick toggle in the Quick Settings panel. You can easily enable or disable Live Caption on your Pixel anytime anytime.
via Settings
- Go to settings.
- To select Sounds.
- Press on Live caption.
- Activate the toggle at the top labeled Live Legend.
On this page you can also find some settings and options for live captions. More specifically, you can activate the blasphemy filter, display sound tags for things like music, laughter, applause, etc.
via the volume panel
Right there in the Live Caption settings page is also an option to activate the Live Caption toggle in the volume panel. This is the panel that appears when you press one of the volume buttons. If you find yourself often activating or deactivating Live Caption, activating this toggle will come in very handy.
It’s a handy feature for those who can’t hear or when you’re in a place where you can’t really turn on the sound. You should keep in mind, however, that these are mostly auto-generated subtitles on YouTube videos. Thus, depending on various factors, you will get either very bad subtitles or very precise subtitles.