Platform
TanLens for Chrome: tab audio and live captions
Install the TanLens MV3 extension in Chrome, capture a tab’s audio with a click, and read bilingual captions over the video or meeting.
TanLens runs in Chrome as a web app plus a Manifest V3 extension. The extension is what captures a tab’s audio; the web app handles microphone sessions, file uploads, transcripts, glossaries and broadcast rooms. Chrome on a computer is supported, while Chrome on Android cannot install this kind of extension.
01What the Chrome extension adds
Install the extension package in Chrome, sign in so it can draw on your minutes, then open the meeting, stream or video you want to follow. Keep that tab in front and press Start in the extension popup. Audio is captured from the active tab only, so other tabs and system sounds stay out of the transcript. Captions appear in the TanLens panel over the page, with the original line and the translation. The extension does not join calls, read page content or watch your browsing outside the session you start.
02Permissions and limits in Chrome
Chrome requires a user gesture for tab capture, which is why every session starts with a click on an open tab. Microphone sessions ask for microphone access separately. DRM-protected players may block tab audio, and some site players use audio paths the extension cannot read, so test the exact site first. If you use a managed Chrome profile at work, an administrator may restrict unpacked extensions; check that before relying on the extension for a meeting.
Frequently asked questions
Related pages
Put words on the screen tonight
Twenty free minutes a month, no card, no meeting bot. Start with your microphone, then add the extension for tab audio.