During a video call in the FaceTime app, you can turn on Live Captions to see the spoken conversation transcribed and displayed in real time.
On an iPhone with Apple Intelligence*, you can also turn on Live Translation. It shows the other person’s words translated from their language to your preferred language, right on your screen as they speak.
Here’s how to use Live Captions and Live Translation in FaceTime on iPhone.
Note: Live Captions aren’t available in all languages or regions.
Turn on Live Captions
- During a video call in the FaceTime app, tap the screen to show the FaceTime controls (if they aren’t visible).
-
Tap the More button, then tap Live Captions.
A Live Captions window appears, showing the automatically transcribed dialogue of the call near the top of the screen and who’s speaking.
- To stop showing the conversation on the screen, tap the screen, tap the More button, and then tap Stop next to Live Captions.
Important: The accuracy of Live Captions may vary and shouldn’t be relied upon in high-risk or emergency situations. Live Captions uses additional battery.
See translated captions in FaceTime
On a FaceTime call with someone who speaks a different language, Apple Intelligence can show you translated captions in your preferred language.
Note: Live Translation in FaceTime is available for one-on-one calls in English (UK, U.S.), French (France), German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Japanese, and Korean.
Before using Live Translation, you need to download the input and output languages.
- Go to the FaceTime app, on your iPhone.
- Turn on Live Captions.
If the caller speaks a different language, captions automatically show up translated into your preferred language.
Note: Apple Intelligence on iOS 27 or later is available on an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or iPhone 16 model or later. Apple Intelligence is not available in all languages or regions. Usage limits may apply.*
*Apple Intelligence is available with Siri and device language set to Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, or Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. Some devices may not be available in all regions.
Siri AI is available in beta in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 and requires an Apple Intelligence–enabled device set to a supported language. Available in English to start. Siri AI will not be initially available in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, including but not limited to Siri AI, Intelligent Photo Editing Tools, Image Playground, and AFM 3 Cloud models in Shortcuts.
Daily limits may vary by feature, request complexity, system demand, system policies, and other factors. Expanded access to such features will be available for a fee in the future. Use of these features is subject to the Apple Intelligence Terms and Conditions.
