Turn on subtitles in three steps

To turn on subtitles on Disney Plus, start playing any show or movie. While the video is playing, look for the speech bubble icon in the bottom right corner of the player—it usually appears when you move your mouse or touch the screen. Click or tap that icon, then select your preferred language from the list. Subtitles will appear when ready on the next scene or dialogue.

If you don't see the speech bubble icon right away, move your cursor over the video or tap the center of the screen on a mobile device. The player controls will appear, and the subtitle button should be visible along with the volume and fullscreen options.

Key Takeaways

  • The subtitle button is a speech bubble icon located in the bottom right of the video player, next to the volume control.
  • You can choose from multiple subtitle languages on most Disney Plus titles, though some content may have limited options.
  • Your subtitle choice applies only to that viewing session—you will need to select subtitles again the next time you watch something.
  • If subtitles are grayed out or unavailable, that particular title may not have subtitles in your region or language.

Where to find the subtitle button on different devices

On a computer or web browser, move your mouse over the video while it's playing. The player controls appear at the bottom of the screen. The speech bubble icon sits in the bottom right corner, usually between the settings gear icon and the fullscreen button.

On a phone or tablet, tap the center of the screen once while the video is playing. The controls will appear for a few seconds. The subtitle button is in the bottom right corner. If the controls disappear before you can tap it, tap the screen again to bring them back.

On a smart TV or streaming device like Roku or Fire Stick, use your remote to navigate to the subtitle button. Press the up arrow or menu button on your remote while a video is playing, and the controls will appear. The subtitle option is usually in the bottom right area of the screen.

Choosing a subtitle language

After you click or tap the speech bubble icon, a menu will pop up showing available subtitle languages. The list varies depending on the title and your region. English subtitles are almost always available on English-language content. Many titles also offer Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and other languages.

Select the language you want by clicking or tapping its name. The subtitles will change to that language within a few seconds. If you want to turn subtitles off entirely, look for an "Off" option at the top or bottom of the subtitle menu and select it.

Why subtitles might not appear or be unavailable

Some Disney Plus titles do not have subtitles in all languages or regions. If the subtitle button appears grayed out or disabled, that content straightforward does not have subtitle options available. This is more common with older titles or content licensed from other studios.

If you selected a subtitle language but the text is not showing up, check that the subtitles are actually turned on—not just selected. Go back to the subtitle menu and make sure you chose a language rather than "Off." You can also try pausing and playing the video again to refresh the subtitles.

On some devices, subtitles may be cut off at the edges of the screen if your TV is zoomed in or if the display settings are not calibrated correctly. Check your TV's picture settings and look for an option called "overscan" or "zoom." Turning off overscan usually fixes cut-off subtitles.

Subtitle settings that carry over to your next viewing

Disney Plus does not save your subtitle choice between different viewing sessions the way some other streaming services do. Each time you start a new show or movie, you will need to turn subtitles back on if you want them. However, if you pause a show and come back to it later, your subtitle choice will remain active for that same episode or movie.

Your account settings do not include a "default subtitles on" option. If you watch with subtitles regularly, you will develop a habit of clicking the speech bubble icon within the first few seconds of starting something new.

Subtitles on Disney Plus Kids profiles

If you are watching on a Kids profile, subtitles work the same way—click the speech bubble icon and select a language. Kids profiles have the same subtitle options as regular profiles, so you can turn on subtitles for children's shows and movies just as you would for adult content.

Parents sometimes use subtitles on kids' content to help children learn to read or to follow dialogue in shows aimed at older children. The process is identical to regular viewing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make subtitles bigger or change their appearance?

Disney Plus does not offer built-in options to resize subtitles or change their font, color, or background. However, some devices have system-level accessibility settings that affect all subtitles across all apps. On most smart TVs and streaming devices, you can access these settings through your device's main settings menu under "Accessibility" or "Captions."

Why do some titles have fewer subtitle languages than others?

Disney Plus offers subtitles based on what was provided by the studio or distributor that owns the content. Original Disney productions typically have more subtitle languages available than licensed content from other studios. Regional availability also affects which languages appear in your subtitle menu.

Do subtitles work on all Disney Plus content?

Most movies and TV shows on Disney Plus have subtitles, but not all. Some older titles, live sports events, or content from certain distributors may not have subtitle options. If a title does not have subtitles, the speech bubble icon will be grayed out or missing from the player controls.

Can I watch with subtitles in a language other than English?

Yes. When you click the speech bubble icon, the menu shows all available languages for that title. You can select Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, or many others depending on the content. The subtitle language is separate from your account language setting.

Will subtitles slow down my internet connection?

No. Subtitles are text files that use almost no data. Turning subtitles on or off will not affect your streaming quality or internet speed.