Real-Time Meeting Translation for Zoom, Teams & Google Meet

To follow a fast English meeting in your own language, you can use translated captions built into the meeting platform or a separate app that listens to the audio on your computer.

Built-in captions are convenient, but availability may depend on the host's plan, administrator settings, and meeting platform. A cross-platform app is more predictable when you join meetings hosted by different organizations or also need a transcript and notes afterward.

Platform details were last checked on August 15, 2026.

Quick comparison

Option	Best when	What to check
Zoom translated captions	The host's organization has enabled them	Host plan, admin settings, language pairs
Microsoft Teams translated captions	Your organization uses Teams Premium or Microsoft 365 Copilot	Organizer or participant license
Google Meet translated captions	The meeting uses an eligible Workspace edition	Workspace edition and rollout status
A cross-platform app such as Sigmise	You switch apps or need retained notes	Desktop audio permission and consent rules

Zoom translated captions

Zoom can translate live captions for meetings and webinars. According to Zoom's documentation, the host needs an eligible Zoom Workplace plan or the Translated Captions add-on, and an administrator can control available language pairs.

As a participant, open Show Captions, enter the caption language settings, then choose the spoken and translated languages. If the option is missing, the host's plan or settings may not support it.

Microsoft Teams translated captions

Teams can translate live captions when an eligible Teams Premium or Microsoft 365 Copilot license is available. If the organizer has a qualifying license, everyone can use translated captions; if only a participant has one, the translation option is limited to that person. Check the current rules in Microsoft's live captions guide.

Open Language and speech, select Show live captions, then use Caption settings to set the spoken language and Translate to language. Live captions are not automatically retained as a meeting transcript.

Google Meet translated captions

Google Meet offers translated text captions on selected Workspace editions, including Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Plus. Availability can roll out gradually; confirm the current list in Google's translated captions guide.

In the meeting, open More options, Settings, then Captions. Select the spoken language, turn on Translated captions, and choose the language you want to read.

Translate any meeting from your computer

A platform-independent translator captures the audio your computer is already playing instead of relying on Zoom, Teams, or Meet to provide captions.

Sigmise uses this approach on macOS and Windows. It does not join the call as a participant and works with meeting apps, Webex, webinars, online training, and other computer audio. It can show the original and translation together in a floating window, then retain the transcript, speaker labels, summary, and action items after the meeting.

This does not remove your responsibility to follow company policy and local recording or consent laws. Tell participants when required.

How to translate a meeting with Sigmise

Download Sigmise for macOS or Windows. No account is required to start.
Select the language spoken in the meeting and the language you want to read.
Open the meeting normally and press record in Sigmise. No calendar connection or meeting bot is required.
Read the original transcript and translation beside the meeting or in the floating caption window.
Stop recording to review the transcript, summary, decisions, and action items, or ask questions about the note.

The free plan includes transcription, translation, summaries, and note chat with a monthly minute limit.

Improve translation accuracy

Real-time translation first recognizes speech and then translates the text, so an error in the transcript can carry into the translation.

Select the actual spoken language.
Use headphones to reduce echo.
Avoid overlapping speech when names, figures, or decisions matter.
Confirm important dates, prices, names, and high-stakes terms.

Which option should you choose?

Use built-in captions when your organization already provides them and you only need help during the call. Use a cross-platform app when host settings are unpredictable, you move between meeting platforms, or you need bilingual captions and retained notes.

Many people use both: native captions for internal meetings and a desktop app for client calls, webinars, training, and meetings hosted elsewhere.

Frequently asked questions

Can I translate a meeting if I am not the host?

Sometimes. Native translation depends on licensing and host settings. A desktop tool does not require host controls, but meeting rules and consent laws still apply.

Does Sigmise join the meeting as a bot?

No. It captures audio on your computer. Learn more in our guide to meeting transcription without a bot.

Can I see the original and translation together?

Yes. This helps with names, acronyms, and technical terms.

Does it work outside video meetings?

Yes. The same method works with webinars, lectures, online courses, videos, and other spoken computer audio.

If you want one translation workflow for every meeting platform, download Sigmise and try it on your next call. No account or credit card is required to start.