Closed captions are turned on through your account settings or the player controls during playback

Paramount Plus lets you enable closed captions (CC) in two ways: permanently in your account settings so captions appear on everything you watch, or temporarily using the player controls during a single viewing session. The method you choose depends on whether you want captions on by default or only when you need them.

Both routes take less than a minute. The captions available depend on the title — most movies and shows have them, but some older content or live broadcasts may not.

Key Takeaways

  • You can turn on closed captions permanently by going to your account settings and selecting your accessibility preferences, so captions appear on all content automatically.
  • During playback, click or tap the CC button in the player controls to turn captions on or off for just that viewing session.
  • Not all titles have closed captions available, particularly some live sports and older content.
  • Closed captions appear in English by default on most Paramount Plus content, and you can change the language in your settings if multiple options are available.
  • If captions are not showing up, check that your app or browser is fully updated and that the title itself supports captions.

Enable captions in your account settings for all content

To turn on closed captions for everything you watch on Paramount Plus, log into your account on a web browser or the app and navigate to your account settings. On the web, click your profile icon in the top right corner and select Account. In the Paramount Plus app on a phone or tablet, tap the profile icon and choose Settings.

Once in your account settings, look for Accessibility or Captions (the exact name varies slightly by device). Select the option to turn on captions by default. You can usually choose between On, Off, or Auto (which shows captions only if the app detects you have sound muted). Save your changes, and captions will appear on all compatible content from that point forward.

This setting applies across all devices where you log in with the same account, though some devices may have their own separate caption settings that override your account preference. If you change devices frequently, check the player controls during playback to confirm captions are displaying as expected.

Turn captions on or off during playback using player controls

While watching any show or movie, look for the CC button in the player controls at the bottom of the screen. On a computer or phone, this button appears when you move your mouse or tap the screen. Click or tap the CC button to toggle captions on or off for that viewing session only.

If you do not see a CC button, the title may not have closed captions available. Some live sports events, breaking news, and older content do not include captions. You can also check the title's information page before you start playing — it usually lists whether captions are available.

The player controls disappear after a few seconds of inactivity. If you need to access the CC button again, move your mouse or tap the screen to bring the controls back up.

Change the caption language or style

If a title has captions in multiple languages, you can switch between them during playback. Click or tap the CC button in the player controls, then select Captions or Subtitle Language from the menu that appears. Choose the language you want from the list.

Some titles on Paramount Plus offer caption customization options — you can adjust the text size, background color, or font style to make captions easier to read. These options are usually found in your account accessibility settings under Caption Appearance or Display Options. Changes you make here explore to all content you watch.

Troubleshoot when captions are not appearing

If you have turned on captions but they are not showing up, first confirm that the title itself supports them. Check the show or movie's information page — it should list "Captions" or "CC" in the details. If it does not, that title does not have captions available.

If the title does support captions, try these steps: restart the Paramount Plus app or refresh your browser, make sure your app is updated to the latest version, and log out and back into your account. Sometimes a temporary glitch prevents captions from loading, and restarting clears it.

On some devices, the operating system itself has caption settings that can override Paramount Plus. On a smart TV, check your TV's accessibility settings to confirm captions are not disabled at the device level. On a phone or tablet, check your device's accessibility settings as well.

Captions on different devices and platforms

Closed captions work on Paramount Plus across web browsers, phones, tablets, smart TVs, and streaming devices like Roku, Amazon Fire, and Apple TV. The CC button location and menu structure are slightly different on each platform, but the process is the same: look for the CC button in the player controls and click or tap it.

On smart TVs and streaming devices, you may need to use your remote to navigate to the CC button. If your remote does not have a dedicated button for captions, use the directional buttons to highlight the CC button in the player controls and press select.

If you set captions to "On" in your account settings, they will appear by default on all these devices. However, some devices have their own caption settings that may override your account preference, so check the player controls if captions are not showing up as expected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all shows and movies on Paramount Plus have closed captions?

Most titles have captions, but not all. Live sports, some breaking news broadcasts, and older content may not include them. You can check whether a specific title has captions by looking at its information page before you start playing, or by trying to turn on the CC button during playback.

Can I make the captions bigger or change their appearance?

Yes. Go to your account settings, find the accessibility or captions section, and look for caption appearance or display options. You can usually adjust text size, font, background color, and opacity to make captions easier to read.

Why is the CC button not showing up in the player?

The player controls hide after a few seconds of inactivity. Move your mouse or tap the screen to bring them back. If the CC button still does not appear, the title may not have captions available. Check the show or movie's information page to confirm.

Will captions turn on automatically on all my devices if I enable them in settings?

Your account setting applies across devices, but some devices have their own caption settings that can override it. If captions are not appearing on a specific device, check that device's accessibility settings to make sure captions are not disabled there.

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

If a title has captions in multiple languages, click the CC button during playback and select the language you want. Not all titles have multiple caption languages available — it depends on what the content provider included.