> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.readout.tv/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Your first captions

> Sign in, allow the microphone, and caption a conversation.

**1. Open Readout and sign in**

Go to [readout.tv](https://readout.tv) in the browser on a phone, tablet or computer. Sign in with the email and password you joined with. The first time, you'll set up
your account from the invite link you were sent.

**2. Start captions**

Press the microphone button, **Start captions**. The browser asks whether Readout may use the microphone: allow it.

**3. Put the device near the people talking**

What they say shows as it's said, in large text, with a label for each speaker. Words still
being heard show lighter, and settle once the speaker finishes the thought.

> [!TIP]
>
> The closer the microphone is to whoever is talking, the better the captions. For a group, or
> someone across the room, add a phone near them as a [microphone](https://docs.readout.tv/get-started/phones-as-microphones.md).

## Name the speakers

Tap a speaker's label, such as **Speaker 1**, and type their name. From then on their words show
with it, on the TV too. If one person got two labels (after a long pause, say), tap the newer one
and choose **Same person as…**, then the earlier speaker.

When captions start again later, a voice heard earlier in the same conversation is recognized and
shown with its name. You can turn that off in **Menu → Speech**.

## Reply

Type in the box at the bottom and press send. Your reply shows in the conversation, and on the TV.
Tap a reply to show it full screen, for someone to read across the table.

**Quick replies** are one-tap phrases, such as "Please say that again." Choose your own, your name,
and whether replies are read aloud, in **Menu → Replies**.

## Get someone's attention

The bell at the top of the app makes the TV showing the captions flash and chime, with a banner
saying who wants the attention of whoever is watching. It shows once a TV is showing captions.

## Pause

The same button pauses captions (its label says **Pause captions** while it's listening), and
starts them again. Captions aren't saved unless you turn that on: see
[Keeping what was said](https://docs.readout.tv/captions/keeping-what-was-said.md).

## Next

> [card] [Show captions on a TV](https://docs.readout.tv/get-started/show-on-a-tv.md)

> [card] [Languages and translation](https://docs.readout.tv/captions/languages.md)


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