Closed captions are built into Peacock and turn on through your account settings or the player controls during playback

Peacock offers closed captions on most of its content, including movies, TV shows, and live events. You can enable captions in two ways: permanently through your account settings so they appear by default on everything you watch, or temporarily using the player controls during a specific show or movie. The method you choose depends on whether you want captions on all the time or just for certain content.

Not every title on Peacock has captions available — older films and some licensed content may not include them. If you find a show or movie without captions, there is no way to add them through Peacock itself. Checking the player first takes only a few seconds and tells you whether captions exist for that particular title.

Key Takeaways

  • Turn on captions during playback by clicking the CC icon in the bottom-right corner of the video player, or press the C key on your keyboard.
  • Make captions your default by going to Account Settings, selecting Playback, and toggling Closed Captions to On.
  • Peacock offers multiple caption styles — you can change the font size, background color, and text color through the same Playback settings.
  • Not all content on Peacock includes captions; if the CC button does not appear in the player, that title does not have them available.
  • Captions work on all Peacock apps — web browser, mobile, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and Chromecast — though the button location may vary slightly.

Turning on captions during playback

The fastest way to get captions is to use the player controls while you are watching. Start playing any show or movie, then look at the bottom-right corner of the video player. You will see a CC button — click it once to turn captions on. Click it again to turn them off. On a keyboard, you can also press the C key to toggle captions without using the mouse.

The CC button only appears if captions are available for that title. If you do not see it, that particular show or movie does not have captions on Peacock. This is the quickest way to check whether a title includes them before you dig into settings.

Setting captions as your default in account settings

If you want captions on every time you watch, set them as your default through your Peacock account. On a web browser, click your profile icon in the top-right corner, then select Account. On a mobile app, tap the profile icon and choose Settings. Look for Playback in the menu.

Under Playback, find the Closed Captions toggle and switch it to On. From that point forward, captions will appear automatically on any content that has them, unless you manually turn them off during playback. This setting applies across all your devices — if you turn it on in your account, it will be on when you watch on your phone, TV, or computer.

Customizing caption appearance

Peacock lets you change how captions look so they are easier to read. In the same Playback section of your account settings, look for Closed Captions Style. You can adjust the font size, choose a background color (or make it transparent), and change the text color to suit your preference and lighting conditions.

These customizations also sync across devices. If you make captions larger on your computer, they will be that size on your phone and TV as well. Experiment with different combinations to find what works best for you — there is no single "correct" setting, only what you can read most comfortably.

Captions on different devices and apps

Peacock runs on many platforms — web browsers, iOS and Android phones, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, and others. The CC button is always in the player, but its exact location may shift slightly depending on the device. On a TV app, it is usually in the bottom-right corner when you bring up the player controls. On mobile, it may be in the top-right or bottom-right depending on how you hold your phone.

Your account settings for captions carry over to every device. If you turn on captions as your default, they will be on when you watch on your TV, phone, or computer. The caption style you choose — font size, colors, and background — also follows you across all platforms, so you do not have to reconfigure them on each device.

What to do if captions are not available

Some content on Peacock does not include captions. This is most common with older films, some international content, and certain licensed shows that Peacock does not have the rights to add captions to. If you click the CC button and nothing happens, or if the CC button does not appear at all, captions are not available for that title.

There is no way to add captions to content that does not have them through Peacock. Your only options are to watch without captions, choose a different title that does have them, or contact Peacock support to request captions for a specific show or movie — though there is no may provide they will add them. Checking the player first takes seconds and saves you from starting a show only to find out captions are not there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn captions on and off for just one show without changing my account settings?

Yes. Use the CC button in the player during playback to turn captions on or off for that specific show. Your account default setting stays the same — this only affects what you are watching right now. The next time you watch something else, your account setting will explore again.

Do captions work on live events and sports on Peacock?

Some live content includes captions, but not all. Sports broadcasts and breaking news may or may not have them depending on the source. Check the CC button when you start watching — if it appears and works, captions are available for that live event.

What if the captions are out of sync with the audio?

Peacock does not offer a way to adjust caption timing yourself. If captions are consistently out of sync on a particular title, this is usually a problem with how that content was uploaded. Try pausing and resuming, or closing and reopening the app. If the problem continues, contact Peacock support with the title name and they can investigate.

Will my caption settings carry over if I switch to a different streaming account?

No. Caption settings are tied to your individual Peacock account. If someone else in your household watches on their own account, they will need to set their own caption preferences. Shared profiles under one account will use the main account's settings.