Turn on captions in your Peacock account settings
Closed captions on Peacock are controlled through your account settings, not through individual show or movie pages. Open Peacock on your device, go to your profile icon in the top right corner, and select Account. From there, choose Accessibility, then toggle Closed Captions to the on position. Once you enable this setting, captions will appear automatically on any content that has them available.
The captions will use whatever default style your device provides — usually white text on a black background. If you want to adjust the size, color, or font of the captions themselves, you'll need to change your device's accessibility settings rather than Peacock's settings. On most phones and tablets, this means going into your device's main settings app and looking for a Display or Accessibility section that controls caption appearance.
Not every show or movie on Peacock has captions. Older content, some live sports, and certain international programs may not have them. If you turn on captions and they don't appear on a specific title, that content straightforward doesn't have captions available yet.
Key Takeaways
- Closed captions on Peacock are turned on through your account's Accessibility settings, not through individual show pages.
- Once you enable captions in your account settings, they will appear automatically on all content that has them available.
- You can adjust the size, color, and font of captions through your device's own accessibility settings, not through Peacock.
- Some older shows, live sports, and international programs may not have captions available, even after you turn the setting on.
Enable captions on the Peacock app for phones and tablets
On iPhone, iPad, or Android phones, open the Peacock app and tap your profile icon at the bottom right of the screen. Select Account, then tap Accessibility. Toggle the Closed Captions switch to on. The process is the same whether you're using iOS or Android.
After you turn on captions, start playing any show or movie. The captions should appear at the bottom of the screen automatically. If they don't show up, check that the content actually has captions available — you can usually see a CC icon or label on the show's description page if captions exist for that title.
Enable captions on Peacock through a web browser
If you watch Peacock on a computer, go to peacock.com and log in. Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select Account Settings. Look for Accessibility and toggle Closed Captions on. The setting will take effect when ready on any new content you play.
On a web browser, you can also try pressing the C key while a video is playing to toggle captions on and off without going back to settings. This keyboard shortcut works on most streaming services, though it's not may provide on all browsers or all Peacock pages.
Enable captions on Peacock through a smart TV or streaming device
On a Roku, Apple TV, Fire Stick, or other streaming device, open the Peacock app and navigate to your profile. Select Account, then Accessibility, and turn on Closed Captions. The exact menu names may vary slightly depending on your device, but the path is always profile → account → accessibility.
Some smart TVs also have their own caption settings that work independently of the Peacock app. If you turn on captions in Peacock but they still don't appear, check your TV's settings menu for a Captions or Accessibility option and make sure captions are enabled there as well. This is especially common on Samsung, LG, and Vizio televisions.
Adjust caption size and appearance on your device
Peacock itself doesn't offer options to change caption color, size, or font — those controls live in your device's accessibility settings. On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings → Accessibility → Subtitles & Captioning and you'll find options for text size, background color, and font style. Android phones have a similar path: Settings → Accessibility → Captions.
On a computer, caption appearance depends on your browser. Chrome, Firefox, and Safari all have built-in caption customization options, but they're not always straightforward to find. Your best option is usually to check your operating system's accessibility settings — Windows has a Captions section under Settings → Ease of Access, and macOS has similar controls under System Preferences → Accessibility → Captions.
On a Roku, Fire Stick, or Apple TV, caption appearance is controlled through the device's main settings, not through the Peacock app. Look for a Captions, Subtitles, or Accessibility menu in your device's settings app to adjust size and style.
Troubleshoot captions that aren't showing up
If you've turned on captions in your Peacock account but they still don't appear, first check whether the specific show or movie has captions. Look at the show's description page — if it has captions, there will usually be a CC badge or label somewhere on that page. If there's no CC label, captions aren't available for that content yet.
If the CC label is there but captions still aren't showing, try these steps: pause the video, go back to your account settings, and toggle captions off and back on. Then start the video again from the beginning. If that doesn't work, sign out of Peacock completely, close the app or browser, and sign back in. This clears any temporary glitches that might be preventing captions from loading.
On a smart TV or streaming device, also check whether your device's own caption settings are turned on. Some devices require captions to be enabled both in the app and in the device settings. If you're still having trouble after trying these steps, the content may genuinely not have captions available in your region or on your device type.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to turn on captions for every show I watch?
No. Once you turn on closed captions in your Peacock account settings, they will stay on for everything you watch until you turn them off again. You don't need to enable them for each individual show or movie.
Can I turn captions on and off while a video is playing?
Yes. On most devices, you can pause the video and go back to your account settings to toggle captions off, or you can try pressing the C key on a computer keyboard while the video is playing. The exact method depends on your device type.
Why don't some shows have captions even though I turned them on?
Not all content on Peacock has captions available. Older shows, live sports events, and some international programs may not have been captioned yet. If a show doesn't have a CC label on its description page, captions aren't available for that title.
Can I make the captions bigger or change their color?
Peacock doesn't have built-in caption customization, but your device does. Go to your phone, tablet, computer, or TV's accessibility settings and look for a Captions or Subtitles section. There you can adjust size, color, font, and background style.
Will captions work on all Peacock content?
Captions will work on any content that has them, but availability varies. Movies and scripted shows usually have captions, while live sports, breaking news, and some premium events may not. Check the show's description page for a CC badge to confirm captions are available before you start watching.