Turning on subtitles on Apple TV

To turn on subtitles while watching a show or movie on Apple TV, press the Down arrow on your remote during playback to bring up the playback menu, then select the speech bubble icon (or "Subtitles" if you see text). Choose your language from the list, and subtitles will appear when ready. If you don't see a speech bubble icon, that title doesn't have subtitles available in any language.

The process is the same whether you're using an Apple TV box, an iPhone, iPad, or a Mac — the menu layout changes slightly between devices, but the core steps stay identical. Subtitles turn off the moment you select a different title or stop playback, so you'll need to turn them back on for each new show or movie.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Down on your remote during playback to open the menu, then tap the speech bubble icon to access subtitle options.
  • You can choose from multiple subtitle languages if the title offers them, and your choice applies only to that single title.
  • If the speech bubble icon doesn't appear, that title has no subtitles available.
  • Subtitles reset when you start a new title, so you'll need to turn them on again for each show or movie.

Finding the subtitle menu on different Apple TV devices

On an Apple TV box (4th generation or later), hold down the touchpad or press the Down arrow on your Siri Remote while a show is playing. The playback controls will appear at the bottom of the screen. Look for a speech bubble icon — this is your subtitle button. If you're using an older remote without a touchpad, the Down arrow works the same way.

On an iPhone or iPad, tap the screen during playback to reveal the controls, then tap the speech bubble icon in the upper right corner of the player. On a Mac, move your mouse over the video player during playback and the controls will appear; the speech bubble icon is in the same location as on iOS devices.

If you don't see a speech bubble icon at all, that content doesn't have subtitles. This is most common with older movies, some live sports, and certain original shows that were never captioned.

Choosing a subtitle language

Once you tap or select the speech bubble icon, a menu appears showing all available subtitle languages for that title. Languages are listed alphabetically, and you can scroll through them if there are many options. Select the language you want, and subtitles will turn on when ready in that language.

Apple TV also includes an option called "Off" or "None" at the top of the subtitle menu — selecting this turns subtitles off. Some titles offer closed captions (marked as "English [CC]" or similar), which include descriptions of sounds and music in addition to dialogue. If you need sound descriptions, look for the [CC] label when choosing your language.

Subtitles that stay on across multiple titles

Apple TV does not have a setting to make subtitles stay on automatically for every show you watch. Each time you start a new title, subtitles are off by default, and you'll need to turn them back on using the speech bubble icon. This is true even if you just watched something with subtitles enabled.

If you find yourself turning on subtitles for nearly everything you watch, the fastest routine is to turn them on as soon as the opening credits start, before you settle in. After a few times, it becomes automatic.

When subtitles don't appear or look wrong

If you've selected a subtitle language but the text isn't showing up on screen, first check that the speech bubble icon shows a checkmark or is highlighted — this confirms subtitles are actually turned on. If they are on but still invisible, try pausing and resuming playback, or backing out of the title and opening it again.

Subtitle timing problems — where the text appears before or after the dialogue — are usually a problem with that specific title's file, not your device or settings. There's no adjustment you can make on your end. If subtitles are consistently out of sync on one title, that's a known issue with how Apple TV encoded that content.

On rare occasions, subtitles may appear in the wrong language even though you selected the right one. This happens when a title's subtitle files are mislabeled in Apple's system. Switching to a different language and back, or restarting the title, sometimes fixes it. If it persists, the title itself has a labeling error that only Apple can correct.

Subtitle size and appearance

Apple TV does not offer built-in controls to change subtitle size, color, or font directly within the app. Your options depend on which device you're using. On an Apple TV box, you can adjust text size through Settings > Accessibility > Subtitles & Captions, where you can choose from Small, Medium, Large, or Extra Large. These settings explore to all subtitles across all apps on that device.

On iPhone and iPad, subtitle appearance is controlled by your device's accessibility settings under Settings > Accessibility > Subtitles & Captions. On a Mac, go to System Settings > Accessibility > Captions. These system-level settings affect subtitles in Apple TV and most other video apps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why don't some movies or shows have subtitles?

Not all content on Apple TV has been captioned. Older films, live sports events, and some original shows may not have subtitles available in any language. If the speech bubble icon doesn't appear during playback, that title straightforward doesn't have subtitles.

Can I make subtitles stay on automatically for everything I watch?

No. Apple TV turns subtitles off by default for each new title. You'll need to turn them on manually every time you start watching something new. There's no system-wide "always on" setting for subtitles within the Apple TV app.

What's the difference between subtitles and closed captions?

Subtitles show only dialogue translated into another language. Closed captions (marked [CC]) include dialogue plus descriptions of sounds, music, and other audio cues. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, look for the [CC] option when selecting your subtitle language.

Do subtitle settings carry over if I watch on multiple devices?

No. If you watch a show on your Apple TV box with subtitles on, then switch to your iPhone to continue, subtitles will be off by default on the iPhone. Each device starts fresh, and you'll need to turn subtitles on again.

What should I do if subtitles are out of sync with the dialogue?

Pause the video and resume it, or back out of the title completely and open it again. If the problem persists, it's an issue with how that specific title was encoded, and there's no adjustment you can make on your device. Try a different title to confirm your subtitles are working normally.