Platform
TanLens on macOS: live captions in the browser
Run TanLens in Chrome or Edge on macOS for tab and microphone captions, with transcripts and subtitle exports, and no native app to install.
TanLens runs on macOS through the browser rather than a native Mac app. Chrome and Edge support the extension for tab audio; Safari and Firefox can use the web app for microphone sessions, file uploads and broadcast rooms. There is no installer and no background service, so removing the browser session removes TanLens from the machine.
01Browsers first, no native app
Open the TanLens web app in Chrome or Edge, install the extension package, and connect it to your account. Tab sessions work the same way they do on Windows: keep the target tab active, click Start, and read the captions in the floating panel. Microphone mode is useful for lectures and in-person meetings, and file transcription handles podcast episodes and recordings you already have. Safari users can do everything except tab capture, because the extension is not available for Safari.
02macOS permissions you will meet
The first microphone session triggers the macOS microphone prompt; grant it to the browser you are using, not to a TanLens app, because there is no app. Tab capture is handled by the Chrome or Edge extension and does not need a separate TanLens installer. TanLens does not capture system-wide audio directly; if you need audio from a native app, route it through a virtual loopback device, choose that device as the microphone input, and test the setup first.
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.