Zoom bringing automatic closed captioning to free users later this year

Zoom has announced plans to make automatic closed captioning available to all users, including those on a free plan, in the fall of 2021. The upcoming feature is part of Zoom’s larger commitment to making its platform more accessible.

Currently, Zoom’s accessibility features include manual closed captioning, keyboard accessibility, pinning or spotlighting interpreter video, screen reader support, and more. Automatic closed captioning will make Zoom meetings more accessible to those who have difficulty hearing, and will require no extra work from companies and hosts. That kind of seamlessness is what makes Zoom so popular.

Zoom said that before automatic closed captioning is available to all users, meeting hosts who need immediate accommodation can request the Live Transcription feature starting today. Just fill out this form and you’ll receive a confirmation email with details. Zoom said it expects a high volume of requests, so there may be a delay in hearing back.

By now you know that Zoom has become insanely popular thanks to more people working from home. It’s a tool that workforces across the world have become intimately familiar with, and to hear the company is making it more accessible is great news. Whether you use it for work, school, or simply want to keep in touch with family and friends, the new Live Transcription feature is a fantastic addition.

Accessibility features aren’t the only improvements we’ve seen to Zoom over the past several months. The platform recently introduced fun studio effects, and also added a green room feature to help users check their audio and video settings before joining a call. Similarly, Zoom added a new call end chime to alert users when someone abruptly disconnects from a meeting.

Automatic closed captioning is still a long way from being available to everyone, but we’ll be sure to let you know once it’s live.

ZOOM Cloud Meetings (Free, Google Play) →

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