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

Yes, YouTube TV has closed captioning. The feature is built into the platform and works on most channels and programs, though not every single broadcast offers it. You can turn captions on or off whenever you watch, and you can adjust the size and appearance to suit your needs.

Captions appear as text at the bottom of the screen and show dialogue, sound effects, and music cues. They are useful if you are deaf or hard of hearing, if you are watching in a noisy environment, or if you straightforward prefer to read along. YouTube TV's captioning system pulls from the broadcast feed itself — the same captions that appear on cable or satellite TV.

Key Takeaways

  • Closed captions on YouTube TV are turned on through the settings menu on your device, and the toggle appears during playback on most devices.
  • Not all channels or programs carry captions; live sports, breaking news, and some local broadcasts may not have them available.
  • You can change caption size, font, background color, and transparency to make them easier to read on your screen.
  • Captions work across YouTube TV's apps on phones, tablets, computers, and streaming devices like Roku and Apple TV.

How to turn on captions while watching

The method depends on what device you are using. On a phone or tablet, tap the screen during playback to bring up the controls, then look for a "CC" button or a settings icon (usually three dots or a gear). Tap it and select "Captions" or "Subtitles" to turn them on. On a computer, the same "CC" button appears in the video player controls at the bottom right.

On a TV streaming device like Roku, Apple TV, or Google TV, use your remote to bring up the player controls during playback. The "CC" button is usually visible in the menu. Select it to toggle captions on. Once you turn captions on, they will stay on for that session, but you may need to turn them on again the next time you open YouTube TV, depending on your device settings.

Customizing how captions look

YouTube TV lets you change the appearance of captions to make them more readable. On most devices, you can access caption settings through the same menu where you turned them on. Look for an option labeled "Caption Settings," "Subtitle Settings," or a gear icon within the caption menu.

From there, you can adjust the text size (small, medium, large, or extra large), the font style, the background color and opacity, and whether the text has an outline or shadow. These settings often explore across all of YouTube TV, so if you set captions to large white text on a black background, that preference will carry over to other shows you watch. Test a few combinations to find what works best for your screen size and eyesight.

Which channels and programs have captions

Most major broadcast and cable networks that YouTube TV carries include closed captions on their programming. This includes ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, CNN, MSNBC, ESPN, and many others. However, captions are not may provide on every single program or broadcast.

Live sports events often have captions, but some regional or secondary broadcasts may not. Breaking news coverage sometimes lacks captions in the first few minutes while the broadcast is being set up. Local news and weather segments may or may not include captions depending on the station. If you notice a program you want to watch does not have captions available, the "CC" button will be grayed out or absent from the player controls.

Captions on recorded and on-demand content

YouTube TV's cloud DVR feature records programs you select, and those recordings inherit the captions from the original broadcast. If the live broadcast had captions, the recording will too. On-demand content — shows and movies available through YouTube TV's library — usually includes captions as well, though availability varies by title and network.

Some older programs or less common titles may not have captions available. If you are looking for a specific show and captions matter to you, check whether the "CC" button appears before you start watching. YouTube TV does not allow you to request captions for a program that lacks them, so your only option is to contact the network or content provider directly if you want to report the gap.

Captions across different devices

YouTube TV's closed captioning works on phones and tablets running iOS or Android, computers running Windows or Mac, and streaming devices including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google TV, and Chromecast. The process for turning captions on is slightly different on each platform, but the feature itself is available everywhere.

One thing to note: if you are casting YouTube TV from your phone to a TV using Chromecast or AirPlay, captions will appear on both the phone and the TV screen. You control them from the phone's player controls. Some older streaming devices or less common platforms may have limited or no caption support, so if you use a less mainstream device, test captions before you rely on them.

What to do if captions are not working

If the "CC" button is missing or grayed out, the program you are watching does not have captions available. This is not a technical problem — it means the broadcast itself was not captioned. Try a different show or channel to confirm that captions work on other content.

If captions are available but not appearing even after you turn them on, try closing and reopening the YouTube TV app, or refreshing your browser if you are watching on a computer. Restart your streaming device if captions still do not show. If the problem persists across multiple programs and devices, sign out of YouTube TV and sign back in. If captions work on some devices but not others, the issue may be specific to that device's app version — check your app store for updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make captions the default so they are always on?

YouTube TV does not have a global "always on" setting for captions across all content. You must turn them on each time you watch, though the setting may persist within a single viewing session depending on your device. Some devices remember your last choice, so captions may turn on automatically if you had them on the last time you watched.

Do YouTube TV captions work with DVR recordings?

Yes. If a live broadcast had captions, the recording made by YouTube TV's cloud DVR will include them. You turn captions on and off the same way for recorded content as you do for live TV.

Are there captions for sports events and live news?

Most major sports broadcasts and live news events on YouTube TV include captions, but not all. Breaking news in the first few minutes may lack captions while the broadcast is being set up. Regional sports broadcasts and secondary events are less likely to have them. Check the player controls to see if the "CC" button is available.

What if a show I want to watch does not have captions?

You can contact the network or content provider directly to request captions. YouTube TV itself cannot add captions to programs that lack them. Some networks are more responsive to caption requests than others, especially for popular shows.

Do captions work if I am watching on multiple devices at once?

Yes. Each device has its own caption settings, so you can have captions on one device and off on another. The settings you choose on one device do not automatically carry over to a different device, though your account preferences may sync caption appearance across devices over time.