Turn on closed captions in Settings

Closed captions on Apple TV are controlled through the Accessibility settings on your device. Open Settings from the home screen, then go to Accessibility. From there, select Subtitles and Captions, then toggle Closed Captions + SDH to on. This setting applies to any app or service you use on that Apple TV box.

Once you turn on closed captions in Accessibility settings, they will appear automatically on content that includes them — whether you're watching Apple TV+, Netflix, a movie rental, or live TV through an app. The captions will use the default style and size set in your Accessibility menu, though many apps let you adjust the appearance within the app itself.

If closed captions don't appear on a specific show or movie even after you've turned them on in settings, the content may not have captions available. Older films, some live broadcasts, and certain third-party apps may not include caption tracks.

Key Takeaways

  • Closed captions are turned on through Settings > Accessibility > Subtitles and Captions > Closed Captions + SDH on your Apple TV device.
  • Once enabled in Accessibility settings, captions appear automatically on any app or service that includes them.
  • You can customize the size, font, and background color of captions in the same Accessibility menu to suit your viewing preference.
  • Some apps like Apple TV+ and Netflix also have their own caption settings that override the device-level settings if you adjust them within the app.
  • Not all content includes captions — older films, live events, and some third-party apps may not have caption tracks available.

Customize caption appearance

Apple TV lets you adjust how captions look on your screen. In the same Subtitles and Captions menu where you turned on closed captions, you'll find options for Text Size, Font Style, and Background Color. You can make text larger if you have trouble reading standard captions, or change the background to make captions easier to read against bright scenes.

These customizations explore across all apps on your Apple TV. If you prefer white text on a black background, or larger text with a specific font, set it once in Accessibility and it will carry through to Apple TV+, streaming services, and rental content. Some apps may offer additional caption controls within their own settings, which you can use to override the device settings for that app only.

Check if your app supports captions

Most major streaming services — Apple TV+, Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and others — include closed captions on the vast majority of their content. However, not every title has captions. Live sports, breaking news, and some older or independent films may not have caption tracks available.

If you're watching a show or movie and captions aren't appearing even though you've turned them on in settings, check the app's own menu first. Some apps have a separate captions button on the playback screen (often labeled CC or with a speech bubble icon) that you need to set up separately. If that button is grayed out or missing, the content does not have captions available.

Use captions with AirPlay and HomeKit

If you're using AirPlay to stream content from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to your Apple TV, closed captions will respect the settings you've configured on the Apple TV device. The captions will appear in the style and size you selected in Accessibility settings.

For HomeKit content or video from HomeKit cameras, captions may not be available depending on the source. HomeKit find Video and camera feeds typically do not include caption tracks, so the closed captions setting won't affect them.

Troubleshoot missing captions

If captions are turned on in your Accessibility settings but still aren't showing up, first check whether the specific content has captions available. Look for a CC button or captions option in the app's playback controls. If you don't see one, the content may not include a caption track.

If captions should be available but aren't appearing, try restarting the app or restarting your Apple TV entirely. Go to Settings > System > Restart. After the restart, return to the same content and check again. If the problem persists, the app itself may have a bug or the caption file may be corrupted on Apple's servers, in which case waiting a few hours and trying again often resolves it.

For rental or purchase content through the Apple TV app, make sure you're using the latest version of tvOS. Older versions sometimes have issues with caption playback. Check Settings > System > Software Updates to see if an update is available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to turn on captions for each app separately?

No. Once you turn on closed captions in Apple TV's Accessibility settings, they work across all apps automatically. Some apps like Netflix or Apple TV+ have their own caption controls that let you adjust appearance within that app, but you don't need to enable captions separately in each one.

Can I turn captions on and off without going to Settings?

Most apps have a CC or captions button on the playback screen that lets you toggle captions on and off quickly. However, this only works within that specific app. To change the device-wide setting, you do need to go to Settings > Accessibility > Subtitles and Captions.

Why are captions appearing in a different language than my content?

Some apps default to captions in a language other than the show's audio language. Look for a language or subtitle selection menu in the app's playback controls — usually a speech bubble or gear icon. Select the language you want. This setting is usually saved per app, so you may need to adjust it for each service.

Will captions work on content I'm watching through AirPlay from my iPhone?

Yes. Captions will appear in the style and size you set in your Apple TV's Accessibility menu. However, the iPhone app must support captions for them to work — if the app doesn't have captions available, they won't appear even if your Apple TV has them turned on.