The quickest way to disable closed captions
To turn off closed captions on Apple TV, press the Menu button on your remote during playback, scroll down to Subtitles and Captions, and select Off. The captions will disappear when ready. If you do not see a Menu button on your remote, press and hold the touchpad (the flat circular area at the top of the remote) for about one second — this opens the same menu.
The setting applies only to the current show or movie. If you start watching something else, closed captions will return to whatever your default setting is. This means you may need to turn them off again for the next title, unless you change your account-wide default.
If captions are burned into the video itself (part of the actual picture rather than an overlay), this method will not remove them — those are embedded by the content provider and cannot be turned off through the Apple TV interface.
Key Takeaways
- Press Menu during playback, go to Subtitles and Captions, and choose Off to disable captions for the current title.
- On older remotes without a visible Menu button, press and hold the touchpad to open the same menu.
- Turning off captions for one show does not change the setting for other shows — each title remembers its own preference.
- You can set a default caption preference in Settings so you do not have to turn them off every time you watch something new.
- Captions that appear as part of the video image itself cannot be removed through the Apple TV menu.
Setting a default caption preference so you do not have to repeat the step
If you find yourself turning off captions every time you watch, you can change the default setting for your entire Apple TV account. Go to Settings on your Apple TV home screen, then select Accessibility, then Subtitles and Captions. From there, choose Off or On depending on your preference.
This setting applies to all content you watch on that Apple TV, unless a specific app overrides it. Some apps (like certain streaming services) may have their own caption settings that take priority over the system default. If you notice captions still appearing after you have changed the system setting, check the app itself — it may have its own Subtitles or Captions menu.
Why captions might not turn off
If you have turned off captions through the menu but they are still appearing, the captions are likely burned in — meaning they are part of the video file itself, not an overlay you can control. This happens with some movies, foreign-language content, or shows where the captions are intentionally part of the creative presentation. There is no way to remove burned-in captions from the Apple TV interface.
Another reason captions might persist is if the app you are using has its own caption settings separate from Apple TV's system settings. For example, some streaming apps let you turn captions on or off within the app itself. If the app setting is on, it will override the Apple TV system setting. Check the app's menu or settings to see if there is a separate captions control.
Controlling captions for different family members
If multiple people use the same Apple TV, each person can have their own caption preference. When you set up a user profile on Apple TV, that profile can have its own Accessibility settings, including subtitle and caption preferences. To do this, go to Settings, select your user profile, then Accessibility, then Subtitles and Captions.
When a different family member signs in, their profile's caption setting will take effect. This means one person can have captions on by default while another has them off, and neither will have to adjust the setting every time they watch something.
Captions in apps versus Apple TV's built-in player
Apple TV's system caption settings control captions in the built-in Apple TV app and most third-party apps. However, some apps like Netflix, Disney+, and others manage their own captions independently. If you are watching through one of these apps, you may need to turn off captions within that app rather than through Apple TV's system menu.
To find the caption control in an app, look for a settings icon (usually a gear or three dots) during playback. The exact location varies by app. If you cannot find it, check the app's help documentation or settings menu outside of playback mode.
Accessibility features related to captions
Apple TV's Accessibility menu includes other features that work alongside captions, such as Audio Descriptions (which narrates what is happening on screen for people with vision loss) and Closed Captions Plus (which enlarges and customizes the appearance of captions). If you have turned off captions but still see text on screen, check whether one of these other features is enabled.
You can manage all of these settings in Settings > Accessibility. Turning off captions does not affect audio descriptions or other accessibility features unless you disable them separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to turn off captions every time I watch something new?
No. If you set your default caption preference in Settings > Accessibility > Subtitles and Captions, that setting will explore to all new content you watch. You only have to change it once, unless you want to override it for a specific show or movie.
Why are captions still showing even though I turned them off?
The captions are likely burned into the video itself, which means they are part of the actual picture and cannot be removed through the menu. Some content is produced this way intentionally. You can also check whether the app you are using has its own caption settings that are overriding the Apple TV system setting.
Can I turn off captions just for one app?
Yes. Most apps have their own caption controls accessible during playback — look for a settings or menu icon. Changing the caption setting within an app affects only that app, not your system-wide setting. Your Apple TV system setting will still explore to other apps and the built-in Apple TV app.
What if my remote does not have a Menu button?
Press and hold the touchpad (the flat circular area at the top of your remote) for about one second. This opens the same menu as the Menu button and lets you access Subtitles and Captions from there.