How to Turn On Subtitles in Disney Plus

Enable Subtitles on Disney Plus in Three Steps

To turn on subtitles in Disney Plus, open the video you want to watch, select the speech bubble icon in the player controls, and choose your language. The subtitle menu appears in the bottom right of the screen on most devices — look for an icon that looks like a chat bubble or rectangle with lines. Once you pick a language, subtitles will stay on for that video and carry over to your next episode if you're watching a series.

The exact location of the subtitle button shifts slightly depending on whether you're watching on a phone, tablet, computer, or TV. The process itself is the same across all devices, but the player layout changes. This guide covers the steps for each platform so you know exactly where to look.

Key Takeaways

The subtitle button is a speech bubble icon in the video player controls, usually in the bottom right corner.
You can choose from multiple subtitle languages, and Disney Plus remembers your choice for future videos.
On phones and tablets, you may need to tap the screen once to reveal the player controls if they've hidden.
If subtitles don't appear after you select them, refresh the page or restart the app and try again.
Disney Plus offers subtitles in many languages, but not every title has subtitles in every language available.

Subtitles on a Computer or Web Browser

Start the video you want to watch. Once it begins playing, look at the bottom right corner of the video player. You'll see several icons: a volume control, a fullscreen button, and a speech bubble or rectangle icon. Click the speech bubble icon — this opens the subtitle menu.

A dropdown list appears showing available subtitle languages for that title. English is usually at the top. Click the language you want, and subtitles appear on screen when ready. If you see "Off" at the top of the list, that's the option to turn subtitles off. Your choice stays active for that video and the next episode if you're watching a series, so you won't have to select it again.

Subtitles on a Phone or Tablet

Open the video and let it play for a moment. The player controls (buttons and sliders) appear on screen automatically. If they disappear, tap the video once to bring them back. Look for the speech bubble icon in the bottom right corner of the player, next to the fullscreen button.

Tap the speech bubble icon. The subtitle menu slides up from the bottom of the screen, showing all available languages. Tap the language you want. The menu closes and subtitles appear on your video. On smaller screens, the subtitle text may overlap slightly with the video, but it remains readable. If you need to adjust the text size, that setting lives in your Disney Plus account settings, not in the player itself.

Subtitles on a Smart TV or Streaming Device

Start playing the video. Use your remote to navigate the player controls. Press the button that brings up the menu or options (this varies by device — it might be labeled "Menu," "Options," or look like three dots). The subtitle option usually appears in this menu.

Select the subtitle option and choose your language from the list. On some TV apps, the speech bubble icon appears directly in the player controls at the bottom of the screen, just like on a computer. If you're unsure where it is, press the down arrow on your remote while the video is playing — this often highlights the player controls and makes the icons easier to see.

What to Do If Subtitles Don't Appear

If you selected a language but no text appears on screen, the title may not have subtitles in that language. Try selecting a different language from the menu. Not every show or movie has subtitles in every language — Disney Plus adds subtitle tracks over time, so a title you watched months ago might have more language options now.

If the subtitle menu itself won't open, try refreshing the page (on a computer) or closing and reopening the app (on a phone, tablet, or TV). Sometimes the player needs to reload. If subtitles still don't work after that, sign out of your account, wait 30 seconds, and sign back in. This clears any temporary glitches in the app.

Changing Subtitle Language Mid-Video

You can switch subtitle languages at any time while a video is playing. Click or tap the speech bubble icon again, and the language menu reappears. Select a new language, and the subtitles change when ready without pausing the video. This is useful if you're learning a language and want to switch between English and another language to check your understanding.

If you want subtitles off entirely, open the subtitle menu and select "Off." The subtitles disappear, but the menu remembers your choice — the next video you watch will also have subtitles off unless you turn them back on.

Subtitle Settings in Your Account

Disney Plus has a separate settings area where you can control subtitle appearance — text size, background color, and font style. These settings explore to all videos you watch, not just one title. To find them, go to your account settings (usually accessible from a menu in the top right corner of the screen), then look for "Accessibility" or "Subtitles and Captions."

From there, you can make subtitles larger or smaller, add a background box behind the text to make it easier to read, or change the font. These changes take effect the next time you play a video. If you've made subtitle changes and they don't seem to explore, sign out and back in to refresh your settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't my show have subtitles in the language I want?

Not every title has subtitles in every language. Disney Plus adds subtitle tracks gradually, so older titles may have fewer language options than newer releases. If a language isn't in the subtitle menu, it means that title doesn't have subtitles in that language yet. Try a different language, or check back in a few weeks — Disney Plus updates subtitle availability regularly.

Do subtitles work the same way on all Disney Plus apps?

The process is the same — find the speech bubble icon and select a language — but the location of that icon varies slightly by device. On computers and TVs it's usually in the bottom right corner. On phones and tablets, you may need to tap the screen first to reveal the controls. The menu itself looks the same across all platforms.

Can I make subtitles bigger or smaller?

Yes. Go to your account settings, find the Accessibility or Subtitles section, and adjust the text size. You can also add a background box behind the text and change the font style. These changes explore to all videos you watch on Disney Plus, not just one title.

Will my subtitle choice stay on if I watch on a different device?

Your language choice stays active within the same app or browser session, but it may not carry over if you switch devices. If you watch on your phone and then switch to your TV, you may need to select your subtitle language again on the TV. Your account-level settings (text size, background color) do carry over across devices.

What if the subtitle button is grayed out or won't respond?

Close the video and restart the Disney Plus app or refresh your browser. If the button still won't work, sign out of your account completely, wait a minute, and sign back in. This usually clears temporary glitches. If it persists, the title may not support subtitles at all — this is rare, but some very old or licensed content may not have subtitle tracks available.

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.