Closed captions turn off in your playback settings, not in your account settings

Closed captions on Peacock are controlled during playback, not from your profile or account menu. When you are watching a show or movie, you can toggle captions on and off using the playback controls at the bottom of the screen. The caption button looks like a speech bubble with lines through it, and it appears in the player toolbar whenever you move your mouse or tap the screen.

If captions are currently on, clicking or tapping that button will turn them off when ready. The setting applies only to that viewing session — if you watch something else later, captions may still be on by default depending on your device and Peacock's settings for that content.

Key Takeaways

  • The closed caption button is in the playback controls toolbar at the bottom of the video player and looks like a speech bubble with lines.
  • Clicking or tapping the caption button toggles captions off for the current video you are watching.
  • Different devices (phone, tablet, computer, TV) may have slightly different button locations, but the caption toggle is always in the playback toolbar.
  • Turning captions off in one video does not turn them off for all videos — each title may start with captions on or off depending on Peacock's default for that content.

Finding the caption button on different devices

On a computer or tablet, move your mouse or tap the video screen to reveal the playback controls. The caption button sits in the bottom right corner of the player, usually next to the volume control and the fullscreen button. It is a small icon that looks like a rectangle with horizontal lines or a speech bubble.

On a phone, tap the video to show the controls, then look for the same icon in the bottom right. On a smart TV or streaming device, use your remote to navigate to the caption button in the player controls. The exact position may vary slightly depending on your device, but Peacock always places the caption toggle in the playback toolbar rather than hiding it in a menu.

What happens when you turn captions off

When you click the caption button and captions disappear, the audio track continues normally — turning off captions does not mute the sound or change the volume. You will still hear all dialogue, music, and sound effects as intended.

Peacock does not save your caption preference across all videos. If you watch a different show or movie, captions may appear again by default. Some content on Peacock has captions turned on by default, while other content starts with them off. This depends on how the title was uploaded to the platform, not on your account settings.

If the caption button is not visible

If you cannot see the caption button in the playback toolbar, first make sure you are moving your mouse or tapping the screen to reveal the controls. On computers, the toolbar appears when you move your cursor over the video. On phones and tablets, tap the video once to show the controls.

If the toolbar still does not appear, try refreshing the page or closing and reopening the Peacock app. If captions are burned into the video itself (printed as text on the screen rather than appearing as a separate layer), they cannot be turned off through the player controls — those captions are part of the video file and cannot be removed.

Captions versus subtitles on Peacock

Peacock uses the term "closed captions" for captions in English that include sound descriptions like [door slams] or [music plays]. Subtitles are translations of dialogue into other languages. Both are toggled on and off using the same caption button in the playback controls.

If you want to switch between English captions and subtitles in another language, look for a settings or language menu near the caption button — this is usually a separate option from the on/off toggle. The exact menu varies by device, but it is always in or near the playback toolbar.

Troubleshooting captions that won't turn off

If you click the caption button but captions remain on the screen, the captions may be burned into the video file itself rather than being a separate layer you can control. This is rare on Peacock but does happen with some older or imported content. Burned-in captions cannot be removed through the player.

If the caption button appears to be broken or unresponsive, try closing the Peacock app completely and opening it again. On a computer, clear your browser cache or try a different browser. Restart your device if the problem persists. If captions still will not turn off after these steps, the issue may be specific to that title, and you can try watching a different show to confirm the caption button works normally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do captions turn back on when I watch a new video?

Peacock does not save your caption preference across all titles. Each video has its own default setting based on how it was uploaded. If a show starts with captions on, you will need to turn them off again using the caption button. This is different from some other streaming services that remember your preference.

Can I turn off captions for my entire Peacock account?

No. Peacock does not have an account-wide setting to disable captions for all videos. You must turn captions off individually for each title you watch using the playback controls. There is no way to set a default preference that applies to everything you watch.

What if captions are in a language I don't understand?

Use the caption button to turn them off completely, or look for a language menu near the caption button to switch to English captions or subtitles. The language menu is usually a separate option from the on/off toggle and appears in the playback toolbar.

Do I need to turn off captions on my phone and computer separately?

Yes. Your caption settings do not sync across devices. If you watch on your phone with captions off, they may still be on when you watch the same show on your computer. You will need to toggle captions off on each device individually.