YouTube TV includes closed captions on most live and on-demand content

Yes, YouTube TV has closed captions available on the majority of its channels and programs. Most live TV broadcasts, recorded shows, and on-demand content come with captions built in. The captions are usually turned off by default, so you need to enable them yourself through your device's settings or YouTube TV's player controls.

Not every single program has captions — some live events, local channels, or specialty content may not include them. But the major networks, cable channels, and streaming content on YouTube TV typically do. If you're watching something and captions aren't available, the caption button in the player will be grayed out or won't appear at all.

Key Takeaways

  • Closed captions are available on most YouTube TV content, but you must turn them on manually through the player or your device settings.
  • The caption button appears in the bottom right corner of the YouTube TV player on most devices — click it to toggle captions on or off.
  • You can customize caption appearance by changing font size, color, and background through the settings menu in the player.
  • If captions don't appear for a program you're watching, that specific broadcast may not have captions available.
  • Captions work the same way on phones, tablets, computers, and TV devices connected to YouTube TV.

How to turn on captions while watching

When you're watching a program on YouTube TV, look at the bottom right corner of the video player. You'll see a row of icons — one of them looks like a speech bubble or the letters "CC". Click or tap that icon to turn captions on. Click it again to turn them off. On some devices, you may need to hover your mouse over the player first to see the controls appear.

The caption button only shows up if captions are available for that program. If you don't see the CC icon at all, that particular broadcast doesn't have captions. This is most common with live local news, sports events, or specialty programming that airs without captions.

Changing how captions look

YouTube TV lets you adjust the size, color, and background of captions to make them easier to read. While captions are on, click the CC icon again or look for a settings gear icon near it. You'll see options to change the font size (small, medium, large, or extra large), the text color, and the background color or opacity.

These settings usually explore across all programs you watch on YouTube TV, so you only need to set them once. If you switch devices — say from your phone to your TV — the settings may not carry over, and you may need to adjust them again on that device.

Captions on different devices

YouTube TV works on phones, tablets, computers, smart TVs, streaming devices like Roku and Apple TV, and Chromecast. The caption button appears in the same spot on all of them — bottom right of the player — though the exact look of the button may vary slightly depending on your device.

On a TV connected through a streaming device or smart TV app, you may need to use your remote to navigate to the CC button. On phones and tablets, tap it directly. On a computer, click it with your mouse. The process is the same; only the method of clicking changes.

When captions are missing from a program

If you're trying to watch something and the CC button is grayed out or doesn't appear, captions straightforward aren't available for that broadcast. This happens most often with live events that air without captions, local news feeds, or specialty channels that don't provide them. Recorded shows and on-demand content almost always have captions, but live broadcasts sometimes don't.

If a program you watch regularly doesn't have captions, you can contact YouTube TV support to report it. They track which channels and programs are missing captions and work with content providers to add them. In the meantime, you may be able to find the same program on another channel or watch a recorded version later that includes captions.

Captions in different languages

YouTube TV captions are typically in the same language as the broadcast. If a show airs in English, the captions will be in English. If it airs in Spanish, the captions will be in Spanish. YouTube TV does not automatically translate captions into other languages, and you cannot choose a different language for captions than what the program provides.

Some programs, especially on larger networks, may offer captions in multiple languages if the broadcast itself is multilingual. Check the caption settings while watching to see if other language options are available for that specific program.

Troubleshooting captions that won't appear

If captions are turned on but you don't see them, try these steps: first, refresh the page or restart the app. Second, check that your device's volume is on — sometimes captions won't display if the device thinks audio is muted. Third, try turning captions off and back on again using the CC button. Fourth, if you're on a computer, make sure your browser is up to date.

If captions still don't appear after trying these steps, the program may genuinely not have captions available. You can also try watching on a different device to see if the problem is specific to that device or the program itself. If captions work on other programs but not one specific show, that show likely doesn't have captions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay extra for closed captions on YouTube TV?

No. Closed captions are included with your YouTube TV subscription at no additional cost. You only need to turn them on in the player settings.

Can I make captions bigger so they're easier to read?

Yes. Click the CC button while watching, then look for a settings option to adjust font size. YouTube TV offers small, medium, large, and extra large sizes. You can also change the background color to make captions stand out more.

Why don't some live sports events have captions?

Live broadcasts, especially sports, sometimes air without captions because they're produced in real time and captioning requires either a live captioner or pre-recorded captions. Many networks are adding live captions to more events, but not all sports broadcasts include them yet.

If I turn on captions on my phone, will they be on when I watch on my TV?

Not automatically. Caption settings are usually specific to each device. If you turn captions on your phone, you'll need to turn them on separately when you watch on your TV or computer. Some settings may sync across devices, but it's safest to check each device.

Can YouTube TV add captions to a program that doesn't have them?

YouTube TV cannot add captions to live broadcasts that air without them. However, you can report missing captions through the YouTube TV app, and the company works with networks to add captions to programs that should have them. Recorded versions of shows usually have captions even if the live broadcast didn't.