Turn on closed captions in your Paramount Plus account settings
Closed captions on Paramount Plus are controlled through your account settings, not through individual video playback. Once you turn them on, they will appear automatically on most shows and movies unless you turn them off again. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are using the web browser, a phone or tablet app, or a streaming device like Roku or Apple TV.
The fastest way is through your account profile on any device. Look for your profile icon or account menu, select settings or preferences, and find the captions or accessibility section. From there, you can toggle closed captions on or off. This setting usually applies across all your devices, though some devices let you override it during playback.
Key Takeaways
- Closed captions are turned on through your account settings, not through the video player itself.
- On web and mobile apps, go to your profile menu, then settings, then look for captions or accessibility options.
- On streaming devices like Roku or Fire TV, the captions setting is usually in the app settings, separate from your device's system settings.
- Once you turn captions on in your account, they will appear on new videos you watch, though some older content may not have captions available.
- If captions do not appear during playback even after you turn them on, check that the specific show or movie has captions in your language.
Enable captions on Paramount Plus through a web browser
On a computer or tablet browser, start by going to Paramount Plus and signing into your account. Click your profile icon in the top right corner of the screen. A dropdown menu will appear with options including "Account" or "Settings"—click whichever one you see.
Once you are in your account settings, look for a section labeled "Captions," "Subtitles," or "Accessibility." Click into that section. You will see a toggle or checkbox next to "Closed Captions" or "CC." Turn it on by clicking the toggle or checking the box. The page will save your change automatically. The next time you play a video, captions should appear at the bottom of the screen.
Turn on captions in the Paramount Plus mobile app
Open the Paramount Plus app on your phone or tablet and tap your profile icon, usually located in the bottom right corner of the screen. Tap "Settings" or "Account Settings" from the menu that appears. Scroll down until you find "Captions," "Subtitles," or "Accessibility."
Tap that section and look for a toggle next to "Closed Captions" or "Show Captions." Turn the toggle on. Your phone will save the setting right away. When you start watching a show or movie, the captions will display automatically. If you do not see captions appear, the content may not have captions in your language, or you may need to close and reopen the app for the setting to take effect.
Enable captions on Roku, Fire TV, and other streaming devices
On a Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, or similar device, open the Paramount Plus app and look for a settings icon or gear symbol, usually in the top corner of the app screen. Tap or click it to open the app settings menu. Do not go into your device's system settings—you need the Paramount Plus app settings specifically.
Find the option for "Captions," "Subtitles," or "Accessibility" and select it. Toggle closed captions on. The setting will save automatically. When you play a video next, captions should appear. If your streaming device has its own closed caption settings in the system menu, those control captions for all apps on that device, but the Paramount Plus app setting overrides them for Paramount Plus only.
Choose your caption style and language
Some devices let you customize how captions look—the text size, background color, font, and whether they have a border. On web browsers and mobile apps, these options are usually in the same settings section where you turned captions on. Look for "Caption Style," "Caption Appearance," or "Accessibility Options."
If you want captions in a language other than English, check whether that language is available for the show or movie you are watching. Not all content has captions in every language. When you play a video with captions turned on, you may see a language selector during playback that lets you switch between available languages. If no language selector appears, only one language of captions is available for that content.
Troubleshoot when captions do not appear
If you turned captions on but they are not showing up, first check that the specific show or movie actually has captions. Older content and some licensed programs may not have captions available. Try playing a different, newer show to see if captions appear there. If they do, the first show straightforward does not have captions in your language.
If captions are not appearing on any content, close the Paramount Plus app completely and reopen it. Sometimes the app needs to refresh to explore the setting. On web browsers, try clearing your browser cache or signing out and back in. If you are using a streaming device, restart the device itself by unplugging it for 10 seconds and plugging it back in. After restarting, open Paramount Plus again and check whether captions now appear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to turn on captions every time I watch something?
No. Once you turn captions on in your account settings, they will stay on for all videos you watch going forward. You only need to change the setting once. If you want to turn them off later, go back to the same settings section and toggle them off.
Can I turn captions on just for one show instead of all shows?
The account setting turns captions on or off for everything you watch. However, some devices let you toggle captions on and off during playback using the video player controls, even if your account setting is off. Check your device's player controls to see if a CC button appears while a video is playing.
Why do some shows have captions and others do not?
Paramount Plus does not have captions for all content. Older shows, some licensed programs, and certain movies may not have captions available in any language. If a show does not have captions, they will not appear even if you have captions turned on in your settings.
Will my caption setting work on all my devices?
Your account setting usually syncs across devices, so turning captions on in one place turns them on everywhere. However, some streaming devices like Roku or Fire TV may have their own app settings that override your account setting. If captions are not appearing on one device, check that device's Paramount Plus app settings separately.
Can I change the size or color of the captions?
Yes, on most devices. In your captions settings, look for an option called "Caption Style," "Caption Appearance," or "Accessibility." There you can usually adjust text size, background color, font, and whether captions have a border. Not all devices offer all customization options.