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To turn on subtitles on YouTube, start the video and select CC or Captions in the player controls. The exact control varies by device; if it is missing, that video may not have a caption track. You can also choose another available language, adjust caption appearance, or set captions to appear by default.
Turn subtitles on or off on a computer
- Open the video on YouTube.
- Move the pointer over the player to reveal its controls.
- Click the CC button at the bottom-right of the player to turn captions on. Click it again to turn them off.
You can also click the player and press c to toggle captions. The shortcut may not work until the player has focus, and it only works when captions are available. YouTube’s keyboard-shortcut guide lists this and other player shortcuts.
Turn subtitles on in the YouTube mobile app
Android phones and tablets
- Open the video and tap the player once to show its controls.
- Tap the Closed captions button to turn captions on; tap it again to turn them off.
If the button is not shown, captions are not available for that video. YouTube’s Android caption settings also describe caption and language options.
iPhone and iPad
- Open the video and tap the player once.
- Tap the Closed captions button to enable captions. Tap it again to disable them.
If the button is missing, that video does not offer captions. YouTube documents the iPhone and iPad controls in its caption settings guide for iOS.
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Choose a subtitle language or use auto-translate
On a computer
- Click the player’s Settings gear.
- Select Subtitles/CC.
- Choose a language from the available caption tracks. If your preferred language is not listed, choose Auto-translate and then select a language.
On Android, iPhone, or iPad
- Tap the video player, then tap More (the three-dot menu).
- Tap Captions.
- Choose an available language, or tap Auto-translate and select a language if offered.
Auto-translate needs an existing caption track to translate; it does not create captions from a video with none. If there is no available track, language and auto-translate choices may not appear. The menus and labels are documented in YouTube’s computer, Android, and iPhone and iPad help pages.
Keep captions on by default
Computer
- Click your profile picture, then Settings.
- Choose Playback and performance in the left-hand menu.
- Check Always show captions.
- Optionally check Include auto-generated captions (when available) to use automatic captions where available.
Android
- Tap your profile picture, then Settings.
- Tap Captions.
- Turn on Show captions.
iPhone and iPad
- Open the device’s Settings app.
- Go to Accessibility → Subtitles & Captioning.
- Turn on Closed Captions + SDH.
These device and YouTube options are described in the corresponding computer, Android, and iOS help pages.
Change caption size, font, or colors
Computer
- Open the video player’s Settings gear.
- Select Subtitles/CC, then Options.
- Adjust the font, font color or opacity, font size, background color or opacity, window color or opacity, or character-edge style.
The selected format remains the default until you change or reset it. See YouTube’s computer caption settings.
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Android
- Tap your profile picture, then Settings.
- Tap Captions → Caption size and style.
- Choose the appearance you want.
iPhone and iPad
- Open device Settings → Accessibility → Subtitles & Captioning.
- Tap Style, then choose a preset or tap Create New Style.
On Android and iOS, the steps are in YouTube’s Android and iPhone and iPad caption guidance.
Use captions on a TV, streaming device, or game console
- Pause the video.
- Select Captions.
- Choose a caption language. Select Caption style to adjust text appearance, background, or caption window.
Controller steps vary by device. If the captions icon appears but cannot be selected, or is absent, the video does not offer captions. See YouTube’s TV and game-console caption instructions.
Find videos that have captions
- On YouTube.com, search for a topic or title.
- Click Filters, then Subtitles/CC.
Captioned videos in search results are marked CC beneath the video summary. See YouTube’s instructions for searching videos with captions.
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- DTS Virtual-X Sound - An immersive sound format creates a three-dimensional sound experience with your TV’s speakers.
- Supports HDMI ARC - Sends audio directly from the HDMI jack to a compatible soundbar or AV receiver, removing the need for an extra cable.
If the captions button is missing
A video has captions only if its creator supplied a caption track or YouTube generated one. Automatic captions may still be processing after upload; YouTube says the time required depends on the audio’s complexity. Automatic captions may also be unavailable when:
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- The video is too long, the audio is poor, or speech is difficult to recognize.
- There is a long silence at the start, speakers talk over one another, or multiple languages are spoken at the same time.
YouTube lists these conditions in its automatic-captioning guidance. If captions are absent, auto-translate will not supply them; try again later if processing may still be underway, or search for another video with captions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Know what captions can and cannot tell you
Automatic captions use speech recognition and can mishear words because of pronunciation, accents, dialects, background noise, overlapping speakers, or difficult audio. They are not necessarily a verbatim or professionally edited transcript, so check important wording against the audio. YouTube explains these limitations in its automatic-caption help page.
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- Seamless streaming: With fast Wi-Fi and apps that launch in a snap, Roku Select Series TVs get you to your entertainment quickly. You get excellent picture quality, clear sound, automatic updates, and more. It’s simple to use. Hard to outgrow.
- TV, simplified: With setup that only takes minutes, a simple-to-navigate Home Screen, and an uncluttered remote control that does all you need—Roku makes it easier to watch the TV you love.
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Captions display text; dubbing changes the spoken soundtrack. To hear another language, look for a separate Audio track control when one is available. YouTube explains audio-language options in Watch videos in your preferred language.
Live streams
YouTube’s automatic live captions are currently available in English only and are being rolled out to eligible English channels. They require normal latency; ultra-low- and low-latency streams, including some mobile streams, may not support them. Live captions apply to individual streams, not an entire channel. After a stream ends, its live captions do not remain on the video: YouTube processes new captions for the video-on-demand version, and those may differ from the live captions. See YouTube’s automatic-caption guidance.
Open a transcript instead of watching captions
- Open the video description.
- Click Show transcript.
- Click a line of transcript text to jump to that point in the video.
Some videos also have a search field in the transcript. This option is for videos with captions; see YouTube’s transcript instructions.
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