How To Activate Live transcription in Microsoft Teams

Why Use Live Transcription in Teams? Key Benefits

There are many reasons to activate live transcription during your Teams meetings. Here are the most important:

Accessibility

Live transcription makes meetings more inclusive—deaf or hard-of-hearing participants, as well as non-native speakers, can follow conversations without barriers.

Better Understanding

Fast talkers, heavy accents, or strong dialects? No problem. Real-time captions ensure everyone stays on the same page.

Clear Documentation

A full transcript is automatically saved after the meeting, making follow-up and documentation much easier.

More Productive Meetings

Less repetition and fewer misunderstandings mean smoother, more efficient discussions.

Requirements for Using Live Transcription in Teams

Before you can activate live transcription, ensure the following conditions are met:

• Use the latest Teams desktop version – Transcription isn't supported in the browser.
• Have a Microsoft 365 or Office 365 Enterprise license – This feature isn’t available on free or personal plans.
• The feature must be enabled by your IT admin – If you can’t see the option, check with your administrator.

Once live transcription has been activated in your organization’s central settings, you’re ready to go.

How to Enable Live Transcription in Microsoft Teams

Step 1: Start Your Teams Meeting

Start a meeting, whether scheduled or spontaneous, the feature is available in both formats once requirements are met.

Step 2: Set the Transcription Language

Before enabling transcription, make sure the spoken language matches the selected transcription language. Teams currently supports up to 41 languages.

• Click More actions (•••) in the meeting controls.
• Select Show live captions.
• Choose the appropriate language and confirm your selection.

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Step 3: Enable Live Transcription

• In the meeting controls, click More actions (•••).
• Select Record and transcribe, then click Start transcription.

All participants will be notified that transcription has started. Attendees can choose to hide their names in the subtitles, and any inappropriate language is automatically censored with asterisks.

Note: Only the meeting organizer or a designated presenter can start transcription.

Ending Live Transcription in Teams

To stop transcription:

• Click More actions (•••) again.
• Choose Record and transcribe, then select Stop transcription (or Stop recording if both are running).

Transcription ends automatically once all participants leave the meeting.

How to Download the Transcript in Microsoft Teams

Once the meeting ends, the transcript is instantly available in the calendar event linked to the meeting.

By default, organizers and co-organizers can download the transcript as a .docx or .vtt file. If enabled by your IT admin, other participants may also have download access.

Here’s how:

• Go to the Teams chat from the meeting.
• Click on the meeting summary.
• Use the download icon’s dropdown to choose the desired file type (.docx or .vtt).
• The transcript will be saved to your device for easy access.

Tips for Using Live Transcription in Teams

Here are a few important things to keep in mind:

Accuracy

Transcription quality depends on clear and steady speech. Heavy accents or rapid speaking may reduce accuracy.

Language Support

While Teams supports 41 transcription languages, quality can vary depending on the language.

Data Protection

When sensitive topics are discussed, make sure all GDPR and internal data protection policies are respected. Microsoft offers strong security, but responsibility lies with you to ensure compliance.

Need More Than Just Basic Transcription? Try Sally AI

Teams’ built-in transcription is ideal for many situations—but if you need richer features, consider using an advanced tool like Sally AI.

Sally provides:

• High-quality, accurate transcriptions
• Smart summaries of key discussion points
• Task tracking and meeting analysis
• Support for technical terms and regional dialects

Hosted in Germany, Sally meets all GDPR requirements, making it a secure and compliant solution for businesses.

Tip: Try Sally for free and experience a smarter way to manage meetings, follow up on tasks, and make the most of your time.