The fastest way to turn off closed captions

Open the app or show you are watching. Press the Menu button on your Apple TV remote — the one with three horizontal lines. Scroll down to Subtitles and Captions, then select Off. The captions will disappear when ready.

If you do not see a Subtitles and Captions option in the menu, the content you are watching does not have captions available, or the app does not support caption controls. In that case, the captions are already off.

This method works on all Apple TV models and turns off captions only for the current show or movie. The next time you watch something else, captions will return to whatever your default setting is.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Menu on your remote while watching, then go to Subtitles and Captions and choose Off to disable captions for that show.
  • Turning off captions this way affects only the current video — your default setting does not change.
  • If you want captions off by default for all content, go to Settings > Accessibility > Subtitles and Captions and set it to Off.
  • Some apps, like YouTube or third-party streaming services, have their own caption controls separate from Apple TV's system menu.
  • If the Subtitles and Captions option does not appear, that particular app or video does not support caption controls.

Changing your default caption setting in Apple TV settings

If you want captions off for everything you watch by default, you can change the system-wide setting. Go to Settings on your Apple TV home screen, then select Accessibility.

Choose Subtitles and Captions, then select Off. From this point forward, captions will not appear on any app or video unless you turn them back on using the Menu button method above.

This setting applies to all apps that respect Apple TV's accessibility settings. However, some apps like Netflix, YouTube, or Disney+ manage their own caption settings separately, so you may need to turn off captions within those apps individually if they still appear.

Why captions might still appear after you turn them off

Some streaming apps do not use Apple TV's built-in caption system. Instead, they have their own caption controls buried in their app settings. If you turned off captions through Apple TV's menu but they still appear, the app itself has captions enabled.

To turn them off in the app, look for a settings or gear icon within the app itself — usually in the top corner of the screen while you are watching. From there, find Subtitles, Captions, or Closed Captions and set it to Off. The exact location varies by app.

Netflix, for example, has caption controls in the top right corner of the playback screen. YouTube has them in the bottom right. Disney+ puts them in the settings menu. Check the app's help section if you cannot find the caption toggle.

Turning captions on and off for specific content types

Apple TV lets you set different caption preferences for different situations. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Subtitles and Captions and you will see options beyond just On or Off.

You can choose Closed Captions + SDH (which includes descriptions of sounds and music), Subtitles (which translates dialogue only), or Off. Some content supports one type but not the other, so Apple TV will show whichever is available.

If you select Closed Captions + SDH or Subtitles as your default, you can still turn them off for individual videos using the Menu button method. The system default is just what appears when you do not manually change it.

What to do if the caption button is not responding

If you press Menu and the Subtitles and Captions option does not appear, or if it appears but selecting Off does not work, the app may not support caption controls. Try closing the app completely and reopening it.

If that does not work, restart your Apple TV. Hold down the Menu button and the back arrow button on your remote at the same time for about six seconds until the light on the Apple TV flashes. Wait for it to restart, then try again.

If captions still will not turn off, the video itself may have burned-in captions — meaning the text is part of the video file itself and cannot be removed. This is rare but happens with some older or foreign content. In that case, there is no way to remove them.

Controlling captions on different Apple TV models

The Menu button location varies slightly depending on your remote. On the Siri Remote (the newer aluminum remote), the Menu button is at the top left. On older Apple TV remotes, it is the button with three horizontal lines.

The steps are the same regardless of which remote you have — press Menu while watching, then navigate to Subtitles and Captions. If you are using an older Apple TV (4th generation or earlier), the process is identical, though the remote design may look different.

If you are using a third-party remote to control your Apple TV, check whether it has a dedicated Menu button. If not, you may need to use the official Apple TV remote or a compatible universal remote that supports Apple TV commands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off captions affect other people watching the same Apple TV?

If you change the system-wide default in Settings, it affects everyone using that Apple TV. If you turn off captions only for the current video using the Menu button, it applies only to that video — the next person who watches something else will see the system default again.

Can I turn off captions for just one app?

Yes. Go to that app's settings (usually a gear icon) and look for Subtitles or Captions. Turn it off there. This does not affect captions in other apps or your Apple TV system setting. Each app manages its own caption display separately.

Why do captions turn back on after I turn them off?

Some apps reset their caption setting every time you open them. If this happens, check the app's settings to see if there is an option to remember your preference. Otherwise, you will need to turn captions off each time you use that app.

Do I need to restart Apple TV to turn off captions?

No. Captions turn off when ready when you select Off from the menu. A restart is only needed if the caption controls are not responding at all.

What is the difference between Closed Captions and Subtitles?

Closed Captions include dialogue plus descriptions of sounds and music — useful if you are deaf or hard of hearing. Subtitles show only the spoken words translated or transcribed. Your Apple TV setting lets you choose which type you prefer as a default.