Live captions or translation not working
You enable live captions in a meeting, they do not appear or show the wrong language. Language setting and license are the levers.
Last verified:
Affected systems
windows macos ios android web
Quick fixes
- Check meeting language setting (top right)
- Spoken language must match the set language
- Live translation requires Premium license in the tenant
Enable captions
In a meeting: three-dot menu → Language and speech → Turn on live captions. They appear at the bottom.
Wrong language
Teams defaults to English. If everyone speaks German, captions are gibberish:
- In the meeting: language settings → Spoken language
- Pick “German (Switzerland)” or “German (Germany)”
- Captions recalibrate - brief pause possible
Live translation
If you want captions in a different language than the speaker, you need Teams Premium in the tenant. Without Premium, captions are in the same language only.
Premium costs extra (~$10/user/month) and must be assigned by an admin.
Microphone quality
Captions need clear audio. Poor mic or heavy background noise produces garbage. Use a headset.
Tenant policy
Some tenants disable captioning entirely. Confirm with IT.