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, captions will appear automatically on most shows and movies you watch—though some content may not have captions available. The setting takes about 30 seconds to change and applies across all devices where you're signed in.

Go to your account menu by clicking your profile icon in the top right corner of the Paramount Plus website or app. Select Account from the dropdown menu. Look for Accessibility or Closed Captions in the settings list—the exact name varies slightly between the website and mobile apps. Toggle the setting to On, then save your changes.

Key Takeaways

  • Closed captions are turned on through your account settings, accessed via your profile icon, not through the video player itself.
  • Once enabled in settings, captions will appear automatically on compatible content across all your devices.
  • Not all Paramount Plus content has captions available, particularly older films and some licensed third-party shows.
  • You can also turn captions on or off temporarily during playback using the CC button on the video player, even if your account setting is off.

Turning on captions through the Paramount Plus website

On a computer or tablet, sign into Paramount Plus and look for your profile icon in the top right corner of the page. Click it to open a menu with several options. Select Account to enter your account settings page.

Scroll down the settings page until you find Accessibility or a section labeled Captions. Click the toggle switch next to Closed Captions to turn it on. The page will save automatically. Refresh your browser or start playing a video to confirm captions are now appearing.

Enabling captions on 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. Select Account Settings or Settings from the menu that appears.

Look for Accessibility in the settings list. Tap Closed Captions and toggle the setting to On. Close the settings menu and start playing a show or movie—captions should now appear automatically. If you don't see captions on your first video, the content may not have them available.

Using the CC button during playback

Even if you haven't turned on captions in your account settings, you can enable them temporarily while watching. Start playing any show or movie and look for the CC button in the video player controls, usually in the bottom right corner next to the volume and fullscreen buttons.

Click or tap the CC button to turn captions on for that video only. This setting does not change your account preferences—the next video you watch will revert to whatever your account setting is. This is useful if you want captions for just one episode or if you're testing whether a particular show has captions before enabling them permanently.

What to do if captions aren't appearing

If you've turned on captions in your settings but they're not showing up, the content you're watching may not have captions available. Paramount Plus does not have captions for all of its library—older films, some licensed shows, and certain sports content often lack them.

Try playing a different show or movie to see if captions appear there. If captions work on some content but not others, the issue is with that specific title, not your settings. If captions don't appear on any content, sign out of your account completely, wait 10 seconds, and sign back in. This refreshes your account settings across Paramount Plus's servers. If the problem persists after that, contact Paramount Plus support through the help section in your account menu.

Caption style options

Paramount Plus offers limited customization of how captions look. On the website, go to Account > Accessibility and look for Caption Style or Caption Appearance. You may be able to choose between a standard style and a high-contrast style, depending on your browser and device.

Mobile apps typically offer fewer customization options. If you need to adjust caption size, color, or background, check your device's own accessibility settings—many phones and tablets let you control caption appearance system-wide, which will affect how Paramount Plus displays them.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No. Once you turn on captions in your account settings, they will appear on all devices where you're signed into that account—phones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs. You only need to change the setting once.

Can I turn off captions for just one video?

Yes. Click or tap the CC button in the video player while watching to toggle captions off for that video only. Your account setting remains unchanged, so captions will reappear on the next video you watch.

Why don't some shows have captions?

Paramount Plus does not have captions for all content in its library. Older films, some licensed third-party shows, and certain live sports broadcasts often lack captions. If a title doesn't have them, no setting will make them appear.

Will turning on captions slow down my streaming?

No. Captions are part of the video file and don't affect streaming speed or quality. Turning them on or off has no impact on how fast the video loads or plays.

What if captions are in the wrong language?

Paramount Plus typically displays captions in the language of your account region. If you need captions in a different language, check the video player for a language or subtitle menu—some titles offer multiple caption languages, but not all do.