How To Use PlayStation's Chat Transcription Accessibility Feature

In the world of technology, accessibility is critical. Companies want to get their latest innovations to as many consumers and potential consumers as possible, and this will naturally mean ensuring that their products are appropriate for as many as possible.

For gamers, a controller is par for the course, but the shape of such a device isn't appropriate for everybody. To allow as many people as possible to enjoy their games, Sony announced Project Leonardo in January 2023, a series of components –- buttons, sticks, and so on –- that can be pieced together in a configuration that suits the user's individual needs. The Japanese giant's consoles also have various other accessibility options to match users' requirements. One that will prove vital to many users is the Chat Transcription feature. Players can crucially opt to have fellow Party Chat members' words converted to text by enabling this option.

Here's how to enable this option, one of many available to the PlayStation 5 system that users may not be aware of, and precisely what it offers users.

The PlayStation 5 offers quite a comprehensive suite of accessibility features. They're accessed via the Accessibility menu from the main Settings. Chat Transcription can be found in this menu alongside options such as closed captions and mono audio. Here's how to set it up on this powerful console:

1. Select Accessibility from the Settings menu.

2. Scroll to Chat Transcription.

3. Toggle the feature from the Enable Chat Transcription setting.

4. Select a voice from the Voice Type menu.

This function is used during voice chat sessions. To begin one:

1. Open the Game Base.

2. Select Friends.

3. Find the friend or friends you'd like to start the session with, then press Party.

The transcription language can be set using the Language tab. With that, users can select Say Something to have the text they input spoken to their fellow players. They will, in turn, have their spoken word appear as text in the party's chat box if they also have Chat Transcription enabled.

As the PlayStation 4 User's Guide notes, the process is slightly different on Sony's previous-gen system. Here, PS4 Second Screen must be downloaded (for Android or iPhone), and the app in question linked with the console. From there, Second Screen and Party must be selected on the device to begin chats with transcription.