How to Translate an In-Person Conversation on Mac with Live Captions
Use a Mac microphone to turn a face-to-face conversation into personal live captions, then add a translation if the language pair is available.
2026-10-05 · 5 min
The short answer
Choose microphone input in Alison Workspace to caption speech happening in the room. Select the spoken language and, if needed, a separate translation language. A microphone can help you follow a conversation without asking people to speak into a phone, but distance, room noise, overlap, and language resources affect the result. Tell the people present before turning on captions.
Check built-in Mac captions first
macOS Live Captions can caption computer audio or microphone audio on supported Apple-silicon Macs, though language and region availability vary. If its caption controls meet your need, start there. Alison Workspace is a separate option when you want its bilingual caption layout or language settings; it requires macOS 15 or later on an Apple-silicon Mac (M1 or newer).
Set up microphone captions
Open Alison Workspace’s live audio settings and choose the microphone input mode. Select the built-in mic or a connected external microphone, then allow microphone access if macOS asks. Choose the language people will speak and a target language separately. If you also want to caption sound playing on the Mac, select both sources; each source can have its own language pair.
Test with the actual room and device
Before a longer conversation, ask one person to say a short sentence from the seat they will use. Check that Alison labels the microphone source and displays the right spoken language. Add translation only after the source text appears. If words drop out, bring the microphone closer, reduce background audio, take turns, or test another input device. Confirm names and numbers aloud instead of relying on one caption.
Use captions with consent and context
Microphone captions are a personal reading aid, not a voice interpreter: Alison does not speak a translation back to the other person. Captions can mishear accents, names, fast speech, or overlapping voices. Ask everyone before captioning, follow venue or workplace rules, and avoid retaining or sharing text without agreement. The app processes supported audio on the Mac after resources are ready; it does not save raw audio or screen frames, while local caption text stays until you delete it.
Official sources checked October 5, 2026
Alison Workspace on the Mac App Store
Get captions of spoken and computer audio on Mac — Apple Support
Control access to the microphone on Mac — Apple Support
Frequently asked questions
Can Alison Workspace caption a face-to-face conversation?
Yes. Choose microphone input and select a suitable Mac microphone. The result depends on mic placement, room noise, speakers, and the selected language resources.
Can it translate the conversation as well?
It can show an optional translated line when the chosen recognition and translation resources support the language pair on your Mac.
Do I need an external microphone?
Not always. You can test the Mac’s built-in microphone or choose a connected input device. A closer, clearer microphone position can help, but does not guarantee accurate captions.
Will Alison speak the translation aloud?
No. It displays text for you and does not generate a translated voice for the other person.
Does microphone mode need permission?
Yes. macOS controls microphone access for each app. Review the permission prompt and the Mac’s Privacy & Security settings.