Turn on closed captions in your Paramount Plus account settings

Closed captions on Paramount Plus are controlled through your account settings, not through individual show or movie pages. Log into your Paramount Plus account on a web browser, select your profile icon in the top right corner, and choose Account. From there, look for Accessibility or Closed Captions in the settings menu — the exact label depends on whether you are using the web version or the mobile app. Toggle the setting to On or Always On, and captions will appear on all content that has them available.

Once you enable captions at the account level, they will stay on across all your devices when you are signed into that account. If you want captions only sometimes, you can also turn them on or off during playback on most devices by pressing the CC button or looking for a captions icon in the player controls — usually three horizontal lines or a speech bubble symbol.

Key Takeaways

  • Closed captions are turned on through your Paramount Plus account settings under Accessibility, not on individual shows.
  • Once enabled in settings, captions will appear on all content that has them, across all devices where you are signed in.
  • You can also toggle captions on or off during playback using the CC button or captions icon in the video player.
  • Not all content on Paramount Plus has captions available, though most movies and series do.
  • Captions and subtitles are different — captions include sound descriptions like [door slams], while subtitles are dialogue only.

How to enable captions on the Paramount Plus website

On a computer or tablet, go to Paramount Plus and sign in. Click your profile icon in the top right corner of the page and select Account. Scroll down to find Accessibility or Closed Captions — the section name varies slightly depending on when your account was created. Click the toggle next to Closed Captions to turn it On.

After you save this change, captions will appear automatically on your next video. If you want to turn them off for a single show without changing your account settings, use the CC button in the video player at the bottom right. This temporary change only affects that viewing session and will not change your account setting.

How to enable captions on the Paramount Plus mobile app

On the Paramount Plus app for iPhone, iPad, or Android, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom of the screen. Select Account, then look for Accessibility or Closed Captions. Toggle the setting to On. The exact location of this setting can shift between app updates, so if you do not see it in Account, try looking under Settings instead.

On mobile devices, you can also turn captions on or off during playback by tapping the screen while a video is playing and looking for the CC icon — usually in the bottom right corner of the player. This gives you quick control without going back to settings.

When captions are not available on a title

Not every show or movie on Paramount Plus has closed captions. Older content, some international films, and certain live events may not have captions produced yet. If you enable captions in your account settings but do not see them on a specific title, it means that particular content does not have captions available.

You can check whether a title has captions before you start watching by looking at the show or movie details page — some versions of the app or website display a CC icon next to titles that have captions. If a title you want to watch does not have captions, you can contact Paramount Plus support to request them, though there is no may provide they will be added.

The difference between captions and subtitles on Paramount Plus

Closed captions include all dialogue plus descriptions of sounds — things like [door slams], [phone rings], or [dramatic music plays]. They are designed for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Subtitles show only the dialogue and are meant for people watching in a language they do not speak fluently or in a noisy environment.

Paramount Plus uses the term "Closed Captions" in its settings, but the feature typically provides both captions and subtitles depending on the content. When you turn on closed captions, you will see whichever version is available for that particular show or movie.

Troubleshooting captions that are not showing up

If you have turned on closed captions in your account settings but they are not appearing, first check that the content actually has captions available. Refresh the page or close and reopen the app, then start the video again. Sometimes captions take a moment to load, especially on slower internet connections.

If captions are still not showing, sign out of your Paramount Plus account completely and sign back in. This refreshes your account settings on that device. If the problem continues across multiple titles and devices, the issue may be with your account settings not syncing properly — in that case, try disabling and re-enabling closed captions in your account settings, wait a few minutes, and try watching again.

Captions on Paramount Plus live events and sports

Live events and sports broadcasts on Paramount Plus may or may not have captions available, depending on the event and the broadcaster. Some live streams include captions in real time, while others do not. Check the event details page before the broadcast starts to see if captions are listed as available.

If a live event you want to watch does not have captions, you can contact Paramount Plus support to request them for future broadcasts of that series. Live captions are more difficult to produce than captions for recorded content, so availability varies widely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to turn on captions for every device I use?

No. Once you turn on closed captions in your Paramount Plus account settings, they will appear on all devices where you are signed into that account. You do not need to enable them separately on your phone, tablet, or TV.

Can I change the size or color of the captions?

Paramount Plus does not offer built-in controls to resize or change the color of captions within the app. However, your device may have accessibility settings that let you adjust caption appearance — check your phone, tablet, or TV settings under Accessibility or Captions.

What if captions are in the wrong language?

Some titles have multiple subtitle or caption tracks available. During playback, look for an audio or subtitle menu icon in the player controls — usually labeled with lines or a speech bubble. Select the language you want from the list.

Will turning on captions slow down my streaming?

No. Captions are already part of the video file and do not require extra bandwidth or processing power. Turning them on will not affect your streaming speed or video quality.

Can I turn off captions just for one show without changing my account settings?

Yes. During playback, tap or click the CC button in the video player controls to turn captions off for that viewing session. Your account setting will remain on, so captions will appear again on the next show you watch.