Closed captions are turned on through your account settings or the video player itself, depending on your device
Paramount Plus lets you enable closed captions in two ways: permanently through your account settings so captions appear on every video you watch, or temporarily using the player controls during individual videos. The fastest route is the player controls — a single tap or click during playback. If you want captions on by default for all content, change your account settings once and they stay on.
The exact steps depend on whether you are watching on a phone, tablet, computer, or TV device. Each platform has a slightly different layout, but the caption button is always visible during playback.
Key Takeaways
- You can turn on captions during any video by tapping or clicking the CC button in the player controls.
- To make captions appear automatically on every video, go to your account settings and toggle closed captions on under accessibility options.
- On phones and tablets, the CC button appears in the bottom right corner of the player; on computers and TV devices, it is usually in the bottom right as well.
- If you do not see a CC button, make sure the video supports captions — not all content on Paramount Plus includes them.
- Captions remain on until you manually turn them off, whether you enabled them in settings or in the player.
Turning on captions during playback on phones and tablets
Open any video on Paramount Plus and start playing it. Tap anywhere on the screen to reveal the player controls — you will see a row of buttons at the bottom. Look for the CC button in the bottom right corner, next to the volume and fullscreen controls. Tap it once to turn captions on.
The CC button will change appearance (usually becoming highlighted or filled in) to show that captions are active. Captions will appear at the bottom of the video in white text on a dark background. If you want to turn them off, tap the CC button again.
Turning on captions during playback on computers
Play any video in your web browser. Move your mouse over the video to show the player controls at the bottom. The CC button is in the bottom right corner, usually next to the fullscreen icon. Click it to enable captions.
If you do not see the CC button, your browser may be hiding the controls. Move your mouse over the video again or wait a moment for the controls to reappear. Some older videos on Paramount Plus do not have captions available, in which case the CC button will be grayed out or absent.
Turning on captions in your account settings
To make captions appear on every video automatically, log into your Paramount Plus account on any device and go to your account settings. Look for a section labeled "Accessibility" or "Playback Settings" — the exact name varies by device. Find the option for closed captions or subtitles and toggle it on.
Once you enable captions in your account settings, they will turn on by default the next time you play a video. This setting applies across all devices where you are signed in with the same account. If you later want to turn captions off for a single video, you can still use the CC button in the player controls during playback.
Turning on captions on TV devices and streaming apps
On Paramount Plus apps for smart TVs, Roku, Apple TV, Fire Stick, or gaming consoles, start playing a video and press the options or menu button on your remote. You should see a captions or subtitles option. Select it to turn captions on. The exact button name depends on your device — some remotes have a dedicated CC button.
If the menu button does not show caption options, try pressing the down arrow or navigating to a settings icon within the player itself. Some TV devices also let you set captions in the device's system settings rather than in the Paramount Plus app, which would explore captions to all apps on that TV.
What to do if captions are not appearing
If you turned on the CC button but no captions appear, the video may not have captions available. Not all content on Paramount Plus includes closed captions — older shows, some movies, and certain live events may lack them. Check whether the CC button is grayed out or disabled; if it is, captions are not available for that particular video.
If the CC button is active but captions still do not show, try closing the video and opening it again, or sign out and sign back into your account. On TV devices, restart the app or restart your device. If captions work on some videos but not others, the issue is with that specific video's caption file, not your settings.
Choosing caption style and language
Paramount Plus usually displays captions in English by default if they are available. Some videos offer captions in other languages — if you want to change the language, look for a settings or gear icon in the player controls during playback. Select "Captions" or "Subtitles" and choose your preferred language from the list.
You cannot change the appearance of captions (font size, color, or background) directly in Paramount Plus. If you need larger or different-looking captions, check your device's accessibility settings. Most phones, tablets, computers, and TV devices let you adjust caption appearance system-wide, which will affect how captions look in Paramount Plus and other apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to turn on captions every time I watch a video?
No. If you enable captions in your account settings under accessibility, they will turn on automatically for all videos. If you only turn on the CC button during one video, captions will stay on for that video and any others you watch in the same session, but may not carry over to your next viewing session depending on your device.
Can I make captions bigger or change their color?
Paramount Plus does not offer caption customization within the app. However, your device's accessibility settings usually let you adjust caption size, font, and background color system-wide. On phones and tablets, look in Settings under Accessibility or Captions. On computers, check your browser or operating system settings. Changes made there will affect captions in Paramount Plus and other apps.
Why does the CC button look grayed out?
A grayed-out CC button means that particular video does not have captions available. This is common with older content, live broadcasts, and some movies. You can still watch the video, but captions cannot be turned on for it. Try a different video to confirm your captions are working.
Will captions work on all my devices if I turn them on in settings?
Yes, if you enable captions in your Paramount Plus account settings, they will be on by default across all devices where you are signed in with that account. However, you can still turn captions off for a single video using the CC button in the player, and that choice applies only to that viewing session.
What languages are available for captions?
Available languages depend on the video. Most Paramount Plus content offers English captions. Some shows and movies may have captions in Spanish, French, or other languages. During playback, tap or click the settings icon in the player and select "Captions" to see which languages are available for that specific video.