A Small App That Changed Everything
I didn’t always have a way to follow conversations easily. As someone who is deaf, everyday situations—meetings, appointments, even casual chats—could feel exhausting. I relied on lip reading, context, and a lot of guessing. It worked, but it wasn’t always enough.
Then the pandemic happened.
That was when I first discovered Google’s Live Transcribe. It actually existed before—launched in February 2019 for Android—but I hadn’t heard about it until the world suddenly became more digital and communication changed for everyone. For me, it was like opening a door I didn’t know was there.
At first, I just tried it casually. I held my phone near someone speaking and watched the words appear on the screen. It felt almost unreal. Conversations that used to slip past me were suddenly visible, in real time.
Now, I use it all the time.
It has become part of my daily life—at work, in public places, during meetings, even while watching or listening to something. It’s not perfect, but it’s powerful. English works incredibly well. Most of the time, it keeps up with conversations and even corrects itself as people talk.
French, though… that’s another story.
It works, but it still leaves a lot to be desired. Sometimes the meaning gets lost, and I have to rely on guesswork again. It reminds me that technology is still evolving. Even so, it’s much better than having nothing at all.
What makes Live Transcribe special isn’t just the technology—it’s the feeling. For the first time, I can follow along more independently. I don’t have to depend as much on others to repeat themselves or write things down. I can just… participate.
It may seem like a small app to some people. Just text on a screen. But for me, it has been a real game changer. It has made conversations more accessible, more natural, and more inclusive.
And once you’ve experienced that, it’s hard to imagine going back.
