Microsoft PowerPoint Present Live is now retired—Now What?

If you’ve been to one of our Live Translation & Digital Tools workshops, you’ve probably used Present Live in PowerPoint Online. It was a simple, effective way to support multilingual families by adding real-time captions to your presentations.

So it came as a surprise when Microsoft quietly retired Present Live this week. No big announcement—just gone.

If your team has been using it, or if it’s something you were planning to try, I want to make sure you know there are still great options out there. And the best part? Most of them are free and already built into the tools your school is using.

Here’s what we recommend instead:

Microsoft PowerPoint Live Captions
This feature is built into PowerPoint, Teams, and other Microsoft apps. It displays real-time subtitles as you speak—perfect for meetings, PD sessions, or family events. If you're using a mic, it’s even better.

Microsoft Translator – Converse Mode
Converse Mode lets you speak into the app, and your words are translated out loud and on screen. Students or families can follow along in real time by entering a code and selecting their preferred language. It’s quick to set up and works well during in-person sessions.

Google Translate – Lens and Conversation Mode
Google Lens is perfect for translating printed materials—just open the app and point your phone camera at a flyer, sign, or handout. Conversation Mode is helpful for live, back-and-forth verbal translation between two people.

Canva
If you’re designing in Canva (and let’s be honest, a lot of us are), their presentation features now include live captioning options. It’s a great way to make your content more accessible without switching platforms.

And now, there’s one more option I’m excited to share.

To fill the gap left by Present Live, we’ve launched a real-time translation pilot with Wordly. It works seamlessly for both in-person and virtual meetings, offering live subtitles and audio in dozens of languages. It’s easy to use and only takes a few minutes to get started.

If you're interested in trying out the pilot or want help figuring out what’s best for your school,please reach out. I’m happy to talk through it with you and support your team in whatever way makes sense.