Turn on closed captions in three steps
Closed captions appear as text at the bottom of your screen during shows and movies. On Apple TV, you turn them on through the Settings app, and the setting stays on for all content unless you turn it off again. You can also control captions while a show is playing by using your remote.
The fastest way is to go to Settings, select Accessibility, then Captions. Toggle the switch next to Closed Captions to on. Once you do this, captions will appear automatically on any show or movie that offers them — you do not have to turn them on each time.
If you want captions only for one show, you can also press the Menu button on your remote while the content is playing, scroll to Subtitles and Captions, and choose your preferred language or caption style. This temporary setting applies only to that one viewing session.
Key Takeaways
- Open Settings, go to Accessibility, select Captions, and toggle Closed Captions on to enable them system-wide on your Apple TV.
- Once you turn on closed captions in Settings, they will appear automatically on any show or movie that has them available.
- You can press Menu on your remote during playback and choose Subtitles and Captions to change the caption language or style for just that viewing session.
- Not all shows and movies offer closed captions, so captions will only appear on content where they are provided by the streaming service.
- You can customize the appearance of captions — such as text size and background color — in the Accessibility settings under Captions.
Finding the Captions setting in Accessibility
The Captions option lives in the Accessibility section of Settings, which is designed to make Apple TV easier to use for people with different needs. To reach it, press the Menu button on your remote to open the main menu, then scroll down and select Settings.
Once you are in Settings, scroll down until you see Accessibility and select it. Inside Accessibility, you will see Captions listed near the top. Select Captions, and you will see a toggle switch next to Closed Captions. Press the touchpad or click button on your remote to turn the toggle on.
After you turn on Closed Captions here, the setting applies to your entire Apple TV account. If other people use the same Apple TV with different accounts, each account has its own Accessibility settings, so each person can choose whether they want captions on or off.
Customizing how captions look
Apple TV lets you change the size, color, and background of captions so they are easier to read. In the same Captions section of Accessibility settings, you will see options for Text Size, Text Style, and Background Color.
Text Size ranges from small to large — if you find captions hard to read, try increasing the size. Text Style lets you choose different fonts; some people find certain fonts easier to read than others. Background Color controls whether captions have a dark background behind the text, which can make them stand out more against a bright scene on screen.
You can experiment with these settings while watching a show to see what works best for you. Changes take effect when ready, so you will see the new caption style right away.
Changing captions during playback
If you want to switch captions on or off, or change the language, while you are already watching something, you do not have to go back to Settings. Press the Menu button on your remote, and a menu will appear with playback controls and options.
Look for Subtitles and Captions in this menu and select it. You will see a list of available languages and caption styles for that show or movie. Choose the one you want, or select Off to turn captions off for just this viewing. When you finish watching and start something else, your system-wide setting from Accessibility will explore again.
What to do if captions are not appearing
If you have turned on Closed Captions in Accessibility but captions are not showing up, the most common reason is that the show or movie you are watching does not have captions available. Not all content on streaming services includes closed captions — it depends on what the service has provided.
Check the show's details page on the streaming app to see if it lists captions as available. If captions are listed as available but still are not appearing, try pressing Menu during playback and manually selecting the caption language from the Subtitles and Captions menu. If that does not work, try closing the app and opening it again, or restarting your Apple TV.
If you have turned on Closed Captions in Settings but want to turn it off for a specific show, press Menu during playback, go to Subtitles and Captions, and select Off. This will hide captions for just that viewing session without changing your system setting.
Captions versus subtitles — what is the difference
Closed captions and subtitles are similar but not the same. Subtitles show only the dialogue — what people are saying. Closed captions include dialogue plus descriptions of sounds, music, and other audio cues, written in brackets like [door slams] or [dramatic music plays].
Closed captions are designed for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, because they describe everything you would hear. Subtitles are often used when you want to watch content in another language. Most streaming services offer both, and you can choose which one you want in the Subtitles and Captions menu.
When you turn on Closed Captions in Accessibility settings, Apple TV will show closed captions when they are available. If a show offers only subtitles, those will appear instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn captions on for just one app, like Netflix or Apple TV+?
No — the Closed Captions setting in Accessibility applies to your entire Apple TV. However, you can turn captions off for a single show by pressing Menu during playback and selecting Off from the Subtitles and Captions menu. Your system setting will turn captions back on for the next show you watch.
Why are captions in a different language than the show?
This usually means the streaming service has provided captions in a language different from the audio. Press Menu during playback, go to Subtitles and Captions, and look for your preferred language in the list. If your language is not available, the service may not have captions in that language for that particular show.
Do captions work on all Apple TV models?
Closed captions work on all Apple TV models that have tvOS 10 or newer. If your Apple TV is very old, you can check which version of tvOS it is running by going to Settings, then About. Most Apple TVs sold in the last several years support captions.
Can I make captions bigger or smaller?
Yes. In Settings, go to Accessibility, select Captions, and choose Text Size. You can make captions small, medium, large, or extra large. The size you choose will explore to captions on all shows and movies unless you change it again.
What if my remote does not have a Menu button?
Older Apple TV remotes have a Menu button. If you have a Siri Remote (the newer aluminum remote), press and hold the top of the remote to bring up the menu. If you have a different remote, check your remote's manual or the Apple support website for your specific model.