Google's new Live Caption near real-time transcription feature was set to be a Pixel 4 exclusive, later coming to the Pixel 3 and 3a by the end of the year. As always in the world of Android features, it was only a matter of time until dissatisfied tinkerers got other phones got in on the fun, with or without official support. Our friends at XDA Developers have managed to get Live Caption working on any Android 10 device, including older Pixels.

For the full skinny, you can check the instructions over at XDA's walkthrough, but you should note it firmly requires an Android device running Android 10 that has been rooted via Magisk, and you are urged to have a backup should things go wrong. For some of our readers, root on a recent Android phone is a pretty steep requirement, as it is a vaguely technical process that can make subsequent system updates more tedious and time-consuming.

They've tested this Live Caption workaround with both a Pixel 2 XL and Pixel 3 XL, with other anecdotal reports claiming success with the Pixel 3a, 2016 Pixel, Essential Phone, and even a Redmi K20 on an AOSP-based custom ROM. Unfortunately, the current process doesn't work for OnePlus phones.

Lastly, apparently updating the Device Personalization Services app can break this workaround, so you'll want to disable updates for it through the Play Store and stick to downloading known Pixel 4-originating updates via APK Mirror.

Still interested? Check out XDA's tutorial at the source link below.

Source: XDA Developers