Turn off closed captions in three steps
To turn off closed captions on YouTube TV, open the video you are watching, select the menu icon (three vertical dots) in the bottom right corner, and choose "Captions" from the dropdown. Then select "Off" to disable captions for that video. The setting applies only to the current video unless you change your account default.
If you want captions off by default for all videos you watch, go to your YouTube TV account settings instead. Sign in to YouTube TV on a web browser, click your profile icon in the top right, select "Settings," then choose "Captions" and set it to "Off." This change will carry across all devices where you watch YouTube TV.
The steps are the same whether you are watching on a phone, tablet, computer, or streaming device like Roku or Apple TV, though the menu button location may shift slightly depending on your screen size.
Key Takeaways
- Captions can be turned off one video at a time using the three-dot menu and selecting "Captions" then "Off."
- To disable captions for all videos by default, change the setting in your YouTube TV account settings under "Captions."
- The default setting you choose in account settings will explore across all devices where you sign in to YouTube TV.
- Turning off captions on one device does not affect other devices unless you change your account-wide default.
- You can turn captions back on at any time using the same menu, even if you have set the default to off.
Where to find the captions menu on different devices
On phones and tablets, tap the three vertical dots in the bottom right corner of the video player while the video is playing. The menu will appear with several options, including "Captions." Tap it and select "Off." On some older devices, you may need to tap the screen first to make the player controls visible.
On computers and web browsers, the three-dot menu appears in the same location — bottom right of the video player. Click it and choose "Captions," then click "Off." If you are using YouTube TV's web app, the process is identical.
On streaming devices like Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, or Google TV, the menu button is usually in the same spot, though the visual design may differ. Use your remote to navigate to the three dots and select "Captions" from the menu that appears.
Account-wide caption settings versus video-by-video control
YouTube TV lets you control captions in two ways: you can turn them off for a single video, or you can set a default for your entire account. A video-by-video change only affects that one viewing session. If you close the app and come back later, the default setting from your account will take over.
To change your account default, sign in to YouTube TV through a web browser (not the app), click your profile icon in the top right corner, and select "Settings." Look for the "Captions" option and choose your preference. Options typically include "Off," "On," or "Auto" (which shows captions based on the video's availability and your device's sound settings).
Once you set an account default, it will explore to every video you watch across all devices where you are signed in. You can still override it for individual videos using the three-dot menu if you want captions on for one video but off for the next.
Why captions might be on by default
YouTube TV turns captions on automatically in certain situations. If your device's sound is muted or very low, YouTube TV may display captions to help you follow along. If you have set captions to "Auto" in your account settings, they will appear based on what the system detects about your viewing environment.
Some videos also have captions burned into the video itself — meaning they are part of the actual video file, not an overlay you can turn off. These are rare on YouTube TV but do occur with certain older or user-uploaded content. In those cases, the captions menu will not remove them because they are not a separate feature.
If captions keep reappearing even after you turn them off, check your account settings to make sure your default is set to "Off" rather than "Auto." You can also restart the YouTube TV app, which sometimes resets the caption behavior.
Captions in live TV versus on-demand content
Live TV channels on YouTube TV may or may not have captions available, depending on the broadcaster and the channel. If a live channel does not provide captions, the "Captions" option in the menu may be grayed out or unavailable. On-demand shows and movies usually have captions, but availability varies by content.
If you are watching a live sports event or news broadcast and captions are available, you can turn them on or off the same way you would for any other video. The captions will display the dialogue and relevant sound descriptions if the broadcaster includes them.
Troubleshooting when captions won't turn off
If you turn off captions but they reappear the next time you watch, your account default setting may be overriding your choice. Go back to your account settings and confirm that "Captions" is set to "Off." If it is already set to off and captions still appear, try signing out of YouTube TV completely and signing back in.
On streaming devices, captions sometimes stay on because of a device-level setting rather than a YouTube TV setting. Check your Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, or Google TV settings to see if captions are turned on at the device level. If they are, turn them off there as well.
If the three-dot menu is not appearing when you tap or click the video player, make sure you are tapping or clicking directly on the video itself. On some devices, you may need to tap the screen once to wake up the player controls before the menu appears.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off captions for just one channel?
No, YouTube TV does not have a per-channel caption setting. You can only set captions off for your entire account or turn them off video by video. If you watch one channel with captions off and another with them on, you will need to change the setting each time you switch channels.
Will turning off captions on my phone affect captions on my TV?
Only if you change your account default setting. If you turn off captions for a single video on your phone, it will not affect your TV. But if you change the default in your account settings, captions will be off on all devices where you are signed in.
What if a video has no captions available?
If a video does not have captions, the "Captions" option in the menu may be grayed out or will show "Not available." This is common with live streams, older content, or videos where the creator did not add captions. You cannot turn on captions that do not exist.
Can I change caption style or size on YouTube TV?
YouTube TV does not offer caption customization within the app itself. If you need larger text or different colors, check your device's accessibility settings. Most phones, tablets, and streaming devices let you adjust caption appearance at the system level, which will explore to YouTube TV and other apps.
Why do some videos have captions I cannot turn off?
Those captions are part of the video file itself, not a YouTube TV feature. They were added by the content creator or broadcaster and cannot be removed through the captions menu. This is uncommon but happens with some user-uploaded or international content.