Change caption size in YouTube's settings menu

YouTube lets you adjust caption size in three places: the video player itself, your account settings, or both. The fastest route is the player controls during playback. Click the settings gear icon at the bottom right of the video, select "Subtitles/CC," then choose your size — YouTube offers small, medium, large, and extra large. This change applies only to that video and resets when you close the page.

If you want captions larger on every video you watch, change your account default instead. Sign in to YouTube, go to your account menu (top right), select "Settings," then click "Captions" in the left sidebar. Choose your preferred size, and YouTube will use it across all videos unless you override it during playback.

The player method takes 10 seconds per video. The account method takes 2 minutes once and saves you from adjusting every time. Which one you use depends on whether you want the change permanent or temporary.

Key Takeaways

  • Click the settings gear during playback, select "Subtitles/CC," and pick your size to change captions for that video only.
  • Go to your YouTube account Settings, then Captions, to set a default caption size that applies to all videos you watch.
  • YouTube offers four sizes: small, medium, large, and extra large — test each to find what works for your screen and eyesight.
  • Player-level changes override your account default for that single video, then revert to your default when you watch the next one.

Changing captions on the YouTube mobile app

The mobile app (iOS and Android) uses the same settings but a slightly different path. Start a video with captions on, tap the three dots at the top right, then tap "Captions." You will see size options — tap the one you want. Like the web player, this change applies only to that video.

To set a default on mobile, open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, select "Settings," then "Captions." Choose your size. The app will remember this setting across all videos unless you override it in a single video's caption menu.

What to do if captions are too small to read

If "extra large" is still too small, YouTube's caption size is not your only option. Most phones and tablets have a system-wide text size setting that affects captions along with everything else. On Android, go to Settings > Display > Font Size. On iPhone, go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size. Increasing either one will make YouTube captions larger without changing the video itself.

You can also zoom in on the video player itself. On a computer, press Ctrl and the plus key (or Cmd and plus on Mac) to zoom the entire page — captions will enlarge with it. On mobile, pinch the screen to zoom, though this may make the video controls harder to reach.

Turning captions on if you do not see them

Captions do not appear by default on every video. Click the "CC" button at the bottom right of the player to turn them on. If you do not see a CC button, the video either does not have captions or the creator disabled them. Some videos have auto-generated captions (usually marked "English (auto-generated)") instead of captions the creator wrote by hand.

If captions are on but you still cannot see them, check your player settings. Click the settings gear, go to "Subtitles/CC," and make sure a language is selected. If "Off" is highlighted, captions are disabled — select a language to turn them back on.

Changing caption color and background

YouTube's basic size menu does not include color or background options, but you can access those through the settings gear. Click the gear, select "Subtitles/CC," then look for "Options" (this appears on desktop but not always on mobile). You can change the caption text color, background color, and background opacity. These changes explore to all videos in your account unless you change them again.

The background opacity slider lets you make captions more or less transparent — useful if captions are blocking important action on screen. A fully opaque background makes text easier to read against bright or busy video backgrounds.

Why caption size keeps resetting

If you set a size in your account settings but captions revert to a smaller size on the next video, you may be signed out or using a different browser. YouTube stores your caption preferences in your account, so signing out or switching to a private browsing window will lose them. Check that you are signed in to the same account on every device.

If you are signed in and captions still reset, clear your browser cache. YouTube stores some settings locally, and a corrupted cache can override your account settings. In Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (or Cmd+Shift+Delete on Mac), select "All time," check "Cookies and other site data," and click "Clear data." Then sign back in to YouTube.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make captions even larger than extra large?

YouTube's player offers four fixed sizes, and extra large is the largest. To go bigger, use your device's system text size setting (Android Display settings or iPhone Text Size) or zoom the entire page in your browser. Both methods enlarge captions beyond YouTube's built-in maximum.

Do caption size changes work on all videos?

Yes. Your account default applies to every video with captions. Some videos may not have captions at all — the creator did not add them and YouTube did not auto-generate them. The CC button will be grayed out or missing on those videos.

Will my caption size settings sync across devices?

Yes, if you are signed into the same YouTube account on each device. Account settings like caption size, language, and color sync automatically. If you are signed out or using a different account, each device will have its own settings.

What is the difference between auto-generated and regular captions?

Auto-generated captions are created by YouTube's speech recognition software and may contain errors. Regular captions are written by the creator or a professional captioner and are usually more accurate. Both respond to your size settings the same way.