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

# Accessibility settings

> Enable captions, text input mode, and other accessibility features during and outside of sessions.

SimCare has built-in accessibility features for users who need alternatives to speaking or hearing during sessions.

## In-session controls

During an active simulation, the control bar at the bottom of the session window includes:

| Control                       | What it does                                                                                   |
| ----------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Captions** (CC icon)        | Toggles live on-screen captions of what you and the client say                                 |
| **Text mode** (keyboard icon) | Switches from voice to typed input — a "Type your message..." field appears instead of the mic |

Both can be toggled on and off at any point during the session without interrupting the conversation.

### Captions

Click the captions icon to display a live transcript of the conversation overlaid on the video window. Text appears as each person speaks and fades after a few seconds. Useful in noisy environments or if you want to confirm what the client said.

### Text mode

Click the keyboard icon to type your responses instead of speaking. A text input appears at the bottom — type your message and press **Send** or hit Enter. The client responds as if you spoke normally.

<Tip>Text mode is useful if your microphone isn't working, you're in a quiet public space, or you simply prefer typing to speaking.</Tip>

## Setting defaults in Account Settings

To avoid toggling these every session, you can set captions and text mode as permanent defaults:

1. Click your profile avatar (bottom-left of the sidebar)
2. Go to **Settings** → **Accessibility**
3. Toggle **Always show captions** and/or **Always use text input**
4. Your preference saves automatically

These settings apply to all future sessions. You can still toggle them off mid-session without changing your default.

## Common issues

**Captions aren't appearing even though I turned them on.**\
Captions rely on the same speech recognition that processes your voice. If your mic permissions aren't granted or there's a browser issue, captions may not render. Check your browser permissions and refresh.

**Text mode disappeared mid-session.**\
This can happen if the page reloads. Click the keyboard icon in the control bar to re-enable it.

**I enabled defaults in Settings but they're not applying.**\
Make sure you're logged into the same account. If you log out and log back in, your settings should persist. Contact [hello@simcare.ai](mailto:hello@simcare.ai) if the issue continues.