Supported browsers and devices: What works where

Author: Mert S. Kaplan · Last updated: November 1, 2026

LiveType’s supported browsers cover most people, but not every source works everywhere. On a computer, Chrome, Edge and other Chromium-based browsers open every source. Firefox, Safari and phones work with the microphone, audio files and stream links that allow it. How fast transcription runs depends mostly on the graphics card.

Which browser does what

	Streaming platforms (tab audio)	Stream link	Microphone, audio file	Transcribing on the graphics card
Chrome, Edge, Opera, Brave (computer)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes; on Linux it depends on the card
Firefox (computer)	No	If the stream allows it	Yes	Current versions on Windows and macOS; not yet on Linux
Safari (Mac)	No	If the stream allows it	Yes	Current versions
Android and iPhone browsers	No	If the stream allows it	Yes	Small models

“If the stream allows it”: channels that refuse to let their audio be processed on other sites can only be transcribed by sharing their tab, which takes Chromium on a computer. The steps are in sharing tab audio.

The easiest way to learn where you stand is the Status page in the top menu after you sign in. It lists your browser, system, graphics card, WebGPU, tab audio, memory and downloaded models. Transcript pages only show the advice that matters for the source you chose.

Try it on your own recording

No card needed. 30 minutes of transcription on the free plan.

Try it in this browserGo to the app

Which model on which device

The model list marks what this device cannot run. As a rough guide:

Device	Suitable models
Computer with a graphics card	M3, M4: best accuracy and the lowest live delay
Computer without one	M1, M2; cloud transcription is an option too
Phone with under 6 GB of memory	M1
Phone with 6 GB or more	M1, M2

On a weak computer you can have another device of yours do the work, or send the audio to a provider. Both change where the audio goes, as private transcription explains. For each model’s accuracy, see our Whisper test.

On a phone

The microphone and audio files work, and you can pick a video as a file.
Tab audio cannot be shared, so YouTube and similar platforms do not open on a phone.
For long transcripts, plug the phone in and keep the screen on. If the screen turns off, the browser may stop the work.
You can edit while it transcribes on a phone too, though long text is tiring on a small screen. Open the same transcript on a computer and correct it there.

In-app browsers

Links opened from inside Instagram, Facebook or TikTok open in that app’s own browser, which often blocks the microphone and large downloads. Use Open in browser from its menu to reach your phone’s real browser.

Private windows cause trouble as well: the browser restricts local storage, so the model cannot be kept and LiveType does not work properly. Use a normal window.

Installing it as an app

You can install LiveType from the browser. It opens in its own window, needs no separate download and updates by itself.

Computer (Chrome, Edge): press the install icon at the right of the address bar.
Android: choose Install app or Add to Home screen from the browser menu.
iPhone: in Safari, press Share, then Add to Home Screen.

This also helps keep downloaded models, since browsers can clear the data of rarely used sites when space runs low. Installing does not make it fully offline: starting a transcript asks the server for your remaining time.

What is not supported

Tab audio on phones and tablets, a limit of their browsers.
The graphics card on old browser versions, where transcription falls back to the processor and slows down. Updating usually fixes it.

To begin, see your first transcript; for questions, the contact page. The free plan has 30 minutes to try it out.

If you met an error message, see transcription troubleshooting.

Mert S. Kaplan

Works in news, software and design; founder of LiveType. Worked as a reporter for many years. Has done SEO consulting, content editing and reporting for several online news sites, and has developed many pieces of software. Currently works in the press office of the Turkish Medical Association and provides SEO support to Elips Haber.