ChromeOS Audio Accessibility

In addition to listening to music and media, there are several components of modern applications that utilize audio queues to get the attention of users. This can be a problem for those with full or partial hearing loss. This section provides an overview of some of the features in ChromeOS that were designed to assist with those who need audio accessibility.

Captions

ChromeOS supports a powerful caption tool that can transcribe text from videos in real time, even when the creator of the video does not provide closed captioning. Live captions can be turned on to give users the same experience as if the video did have closed captions enabled.

There are several options for Live Captions which allow you to control the font, color and placement of the text and how it appears on your screen.

Google Live Caption happens offline and content is never transmitted over the internet.

Play the same audio through both speakers

Many users with partial hearing loss, especially in one ear, may prefer to use mono sound instead of stereo sound. When this feature is enabled, ChromeOS will mix the stereo audio that many applications and games normally use and stream the same mixed audio track to both speakers of your device.

Play sound on startup

Many operating systems used to play a sound when the system was powered on. However, this feature seems to have been removed from many operating systems, ChromeOS included. While many computer users did not notice the change, those with sight issues did notice, as this was an indication that their machine was ready to be used. This toggle will allow your device to play an audible tone when the machine has finished booting and is ready for use.

Add additional features

ChromeOS has countless accessibility features baked into the core operating system that should accommodate the needs of most individuals. However, ChromeOS also allows for third-party developers to create their own tools that can be integrated into ChromeOS.

When the option to add additional features is selected, the Chrome Web Store will be opened to the assistive technologies package, which will allow you to browse several third-party tools and install them with a single click if they meet your needs.