How to Turn On Closed Captions on Disney Plus

Turn on closed captions in your Disney Plus account settings

Closed captions on Disney Plus are controlled through your account settings, not through individual video playback. You turn them on once, and they appear on every show and movie you watch unless you turn them off again. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are using a web browser, a phone or tablet app, or a streaming device like Roku or Apple TV.

Disney Plus does not offer a "turn on for this video only" option the way some other streaming services do. Once you enable captions in your account, they stay on across all your devices and profiles until you disable them. If you share your account with family members who do not want captions, they can turn them off on their own profile without affecting yours.

Key Takeaways

Closed captions on Disney Plus are turned on through account settings, not through the video player itself.
The steps to enable captions differ depending on whether you use a web browser, mobile app, or streaming device.
Once you turn on captions, they appear on all content across all your devices unless you turn them off again.
Each profile on a shared account can have its own caption settings, so family members can choose independently.
Disney Plus offers captions in multiple languages for many titles, which you can change in the same settings menu.

Enable captions on Disney Plus through a web browser

Open Disney Plus in your web browser and log into your account. Click on your profile icon in the top right corner of the screen, then select Account from the dropdown menu. This takes you to your account page.

On the account page, look for the section labeled Playback Settings or Subtitle and Audio (the exact name varies slightly depending on your region). Click on that section to expand it. You will see a toggle or checkbox next to "Captions" or "Subtitles." Click it to turn captions on. The change takes effect when ready and applies to all content you watch on Disney Plus through any device.

Enable captions on the Disney Plus mobile app

Open the Disney Plus app on your phone or tablet and tap the profile icon in the bottom right corner. Select Account or Settings from the menu that appears. On some devices this menu is labeled differently, but it is always the last option in the profile menu.

Once you are in account settings, scroll down until you find Playback or Subtitle and Audio Options. Tap on that section. You will see a toggle next to "Captions" or "Subtitles." Tap the toggle to turn captions on. Like the web browser method, this change applies to all your Disney Plus viewing across all devices.

Enable captions on streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV, and Fire Stick

The process on streaming devices requires you to go through your account settings before you start watching. Open the Disney Plus app and navigate to your profile. Look for a settings or gear icon, usually in the top right or bottom of the screen. Select Account or Settings from the menu.

Find the Playback Settings or Subtitle and Audio section. Select it and look for the captions toggle. Turn it on. On some devices like Roku, you may need to scroll through several menu screens to find this option, but it is always in the account or playback settings area, never in the video player itself.

Change the language of your captions

Disney Plus offers captions in multiple languages for most titles. To change the caption language, go back to the same Playback Settings or Subtitle and Audio section where you turned captions on. You will see a dropdown menu or list of available languages next to the captions toggle.

Select the language you want. English (US), English (UK), Spanish, French, and several other languages are available on most content, though some older titles may have limited options. Your language choice applies to all future viewing unless you change it again. The audio language and caption language are separate settings, so you can watch in English audio with Spanish captions, for example.

What to do if captions are not appearing during playback

If you turned on captions in your account settings but they are not showing up when you play a video, wait a few minutes and try again. Sometimes Disney Plus takes a moment to sync your settings across devices. If captions still do not appear, sign out of your account completely, then sign back in.

A small number of titles on Disney Plus do not have captions available, particularly some older films or licensed content from other studios. If a specific show or movie has no captions, you will not see a caption option in the video player, even though captions are turned on in your account. Check the title's information page to see if captions are listed as available. If captions should be there and are not, contact Disney Plus support through your account settings.

Manage captions for different profiles on a shared account

If you share your Disney Plus account with family members, each person can have their own caption settings. When someone logs into their own profile, they can turn captions on or off independently without changing the settings for other profiles. This means one family member can watch with captions while another watches the same show without them.

To set up captions for a specific profile, log into that profile and follow the steps above for your device type. The settings you choose explore only to that profile. If you manage a child profile, you can turn captions on for that profile through your own account settings by selecting the child profile from your account page, then adjusting its playback settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are captions not showing up even though I turned them on?

First, check that you turned on captions in your account settings, not just in the video player. Some titles do not have captions available. Sign out and back in to sync your settings. If captions are still missing, the specific title may not have captions, which you can verify on its information page.

Can I turn captions on for just one show or movie?

No. Captions are controlled through your account settings, so they explore to everything you watch. Once you turn them on, they stay on for all content unless you turn them off in your account settings again.

Can different family members have different caption settings?

Yes. Each profile on a shared account has its own caption settings. When someone logs into their profile, they can turn captions on or off independently. Changes to one profile do not affect the others.

What languages are available for captions?

Disney Plus offers captions in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and several other languages depending on the title. Not all languages are available for every show or movie. You can see which languages are available for a specific title on its information page.

Do captions work on all Disney Plus devices?

Captions work on web browsers, mobile apps, and streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV, Fire Stick, and Chromecast. Once you turn them on in your account settings, they appear on all devices you use to watch Disney Plus.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.