Turn on subtitles in three steps

To turn on subtitles on Disney Plus, start playing any show or movie, then look for the speech bubble icon in the bottom right corner of the video player. Click or tap that icon, and a menu will appear showing available subtitle languages. Select the language you want — English, Spanish, French, or whichever options Disney Plus offers for that title — and subtitles will appear when ready on your screen.

The process is the same whether you are watching on a phone, tablet, computer, or TV. The speech bubble icon is always in the player controls at the bottom of the video. If you do not see it right away, move your mouse or tap the screen to make the controls appear.

Key Takeaways

  • The subtitle button is a speech bubble icon in the bottom right of the video player, next to the volume and fullscreen controls.
  • Not every show or movie has subtitles in every language — the menu will only show the languages Disney Plus has subtitled for that specific title.
  • You can turn subtitles on or off at any time during playback without pausing or restarting.
  • If you want subtitles to turn on automatically every time you watch, you can set that in your account settings under Subtitles and Captions.

Finding the subtitle button on different devices

On a computer or phone, the speech bubble icon sits in the bottom right corner of the video player, usually next to the volume control and the fullscreen button. If the player controls are hidden, move your mouse over the video or tap the screen once, and the controls will reappear for a few seconds.

On a smart TV or streaming device like Roku or Apple TV, use your remote to navigate to the speech bubble icon. The remote's arrow buttons will highlight it, and you press select or OK to open the subtitle menu. The icon is always in the same spot — bottom right — across all device types.

Choosing a subtitle language

When you click the speech bubble icon, a dropdown menu appears listing every language Disney Plus has subtitled that title in. Common options include English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and others, but the exact list depends on the show or movie. Some titles have subtitles in 10 or more languages; others may have only two or three.

Select the language you want by clicking or tapping its name. The subtitles will appear on your screen within a second or two. If a language is not listed, Disney Plus does not have subtitles in that language for that particular title — you cannot request them or unlock them through settings.

Setting subtitles to turn on automatically

If you want subtitles to appear every time you start a show or movie, you can change your default setting in your account. On a computer or phone, go to your account menu (usually your profile picture in the top right), then select Settings. Look for Subtitles and Captions or Accessibility in the menu.

In that section, you will see options to turn on subtitles by default and to choose a language. Select On or Always On, then pick your preferred language from the dropdown. From that point forward, subtitles will appear automatically when you play any title that has them in your chosen language. You can still turn them off for individual videos by clicking the speech bubble icon and selecting Off.

Adjusting subtitle appearance

Disney Plus lets you change the size, color, and background of subtitles to make them easier to read. In your account settings under Subtitles and Captions, look for an option called Subtitle Appearance or Caption Style. Click that option to open a preview window showing how subtitles will look.

You can usually adjust the text size (small, medium, large, or extra large), the text color (white, yellow, or other colors), and the background (transparent, black, or semi-transparent). Make your changes and confirm them. These settings will explore to all shows and movies you watch on your account going forward, across all devices.

Troubleshooting when subtitles do not appear

If you click the speech bubble icon and no menu appears, or if the icon is not visible, try these steps: first, make sure the video is actually playing and not paused. Second, move your mouse or tap the screen to wake up the player controls — they sometimes hide after a few seconds of inactivity. Third, refresh the page or restart the app and try again.

If subtitles still do not show up, the title you are watching may not have subtitles in any language. This is rare on Disney Plus, but it does happen with some older content or exclusive releases. Check the title's details page before you start playing — it usually lists which languages have subtitles. If you believe subtitles should be available, contact Disney Plus support through your account settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use subtitles and closed captions at the same time?

Disney Plus treats subtitles and closed captions as the same feature. When you turn on subtitles, you are turning on captions — there is no separate toggle for each. Closed captions include sound descriptions like "[door slams]" or "[music playing]" when the title has them, but you cannot choose to show only one or the other.

Do subtitles work on all Disney Plus shows and movies?

Most titles on Disney Plus have subtitles, but not all. Older films, some international content, and a few exclusive releases may not have them. The only way to know is to start playing the title and check whether the speech bubble icon appears in the player. If it does not, that title does not have subtitles available.

What if I want subtitles in a language that is not listed?

Disney Plus only offers the languages it has already subtitled for each title. You cannot request a new language or unlock hidden subtitles through settings. If a language is not in the menu, Disney Plus has not subtitled that title in that language. You can contact Disney Plus support to suggest adding subtitles in other languages, but there is no may provide they will be added.

Will my subtitle settings carry over if I watch on a different device?

Yes. Your default subtitle language and appearance settings are tied to your Disney Plus account, so they will follow you across computers, phones, tablets, and smart TVs. If you set subtitles to turn on automatically in English on your phone, they will also turn on automatically in English when you watch on your TV — as long as you are signed into the same account.

Can I turn off subtitles for just one episode without changing my settings?

Yes. Even if you have set subtitles to turn on automatically, you can click the speech bubble icon at any time and select Off to hide them for that video. When you start the next episode or title, your default setting will take over again and subtitles will reappear. Your account settings do not change — only that single playback is affected.