Turn on subtitles in three steps on any device

To turn on subtitles in Paramount Plus, open any show or movie, look for the closed caption icon (usually marked CC) in the player controls at the bottom of the screen, and click it. The icon toggles subtitles on and off. On most devices, this icon appears when you move your mouse or tap the screen during playback — if you do not see it, try moving your cursor or tapping the video area to reveal the full control bar.

The exact location and appearance of the CC button varies slightly by device, but the method is the same across phones, tablets, computers, and streaming devices. Once you turn subtitles on for one video, they stay on for your next video unless you turn them off again.

Key Takeaways

  • The closed caption button (CC) sits in the player control bar at the bottom of the screen and toggles subtitles on or off with one click.
  • On phones and tablets, you may need to tap the screen during playback to make the control bar visible before you can access the CC button.
  • Paramount Plus remembers your subtitle preference and applies it to all future videos you watch, unless you change it again.
  • If you do not see a CC button, your video may not have subtitles available, or your device may require you to access subtitles through the settings menu instead.

Where to find the CC button on different devices

On a computer or laptop, play any show or movie and look at the bottom right of the video player. The CC icon appears next to the volume control and the fullscreen button. Click it once to turn subtitles on; click again to turn them off. If the control bar has disappeared, move your mouse over the video to bring it back.

On a phone or tablet, tap the video while it is playing to reveal the control bar. The CC button is usually in the bottom right corner, next to the fullscreen icon. Tap it to toggle subtitles. If you are using the Paramount Plus app on iOS or Android, the button location is the same.

On a streaming device like Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, or Apple TV, use your remote to navigate to the CC button in the player controls. The exact button on your remote varies by device — usually the select or OK button will set up subtitles once you highlight the CC icon.

Subtitle options and language choices

Once you turn subtitles on, Paramount Plus shows them in the language of the show or movie by default. If you want to change the subtitle language or turn off subtitles for a specific video, click or tap the CC button again to see what options are available.

Some shows and movies offer multiple subtitle languages. When you click the CC button, a menu may appear showing English, Spanish, French, or other languages depending on what the content supports. Select the language you want, and those subtitles will play for the rest of that video.

What to do if you do not see the CC button

If the CC button does not appear in your player controls, the video you are watching may not have subtitles available. Not all content on Paramount Plus includes closed captions, though most shows and movies do.

On some devices, subtitles are controlled through the device settings rather than the player itself. On a smart TV or streaming device, check your device's accessibility or caption settings in the main menu. You may need to turn on captions at the device level before they appear in Paramount Plus.

If you have turned subtitles on in the player but they are not showing, try closing the app and reopening it, or restart your device. This often fixes display issues.

Subtitle settings and preferences

Paramount Plus does not offer a way to change subtitle appearance — such as font size, color, or background — within the app itself. If you want larger or different-looking subtitles, adjust the caption settings on your device instead. Most phones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs have accessibility settings that let you customize how captions look.

On Windows or Mac, go to your system settings and search for "captions" or "accessibility." On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, go to Accessibility, then Subtitles and Captioning. On Android, open Settings, go to Accessibility, then Captions. These device-level changes affect subtitles across all apps, including Paramount Plus.

Troubleshooting subtitle problems

If subtitles are turned on but you see no text on the screen, first check that your video player is not in fullscreen mode on a computer — sometimes the control bar hides in fullscreen and you cannot see whether subtitles are actually on. Exit fullscreen and check the CC button again.

If subtitles are on but appear cut off or misaligned, the issue is usually a device or browser problem rather than Paramount Plus itself. Try clearing your browser cache if you are watching on a computer, or uninstall and reinstall the Paramount Plus app if you are on a phone or tablet. Restarting your device often resolves subtitle display issues as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn subtitles on by default for all videos?

Paramount Plus does not have a setting to turn subtitles on automatically for every video you watch. You must turn them on for each video using the CC button. However, once you turn them on, they stay on for your next video unless you turn them off.

Do all shows and movies on Paramount Plus have subtitles?

Most content on Paramount Plus includes subtitles, but not all. Older shows, some live events, and certain exclusive content may not have closed captions available. If a video does not have subtitles, the CC button will not appear in the player controls.

Can I change the subtitle language while a video is playing?

Yes. Click or tap the CC button during playback to see available subtitle languages. Select the language you want, and the subtitles will change when ready. The new language applies only to that video.

Why are my subtitles in the wrong language?

Paramount Plus defaults to the language of the show or movie. If you see subtitles in a language you did not choose, click the CC button to open the language menu and select your preferred language. Your choice will stay for that video only.

Do I need to pay extra for subtitles?

No. Subtitles are included with all Paramount Plus subscription levels at no additional cost. They are a standard feature of the service.