Turn off captions in three steps on any device

To turn off closed captioning on YouTube TV, open the video you're watching, look for the CC icon in the bottom right corner of the player, and click it once. The icon will stop being highlighted, and captions will disappear from your screen. On mobile devices, you may need to tap the screen first to reveal the player controls, then tap the CC icon. The setting applies only to that video — captions will reappear by default on your next video unless you change the default setting for your account.

If you want captions off for all videos you watch on YouTube TV going forward, you can change your account default instead of turning them off one video at a time. This takes about a minute and saves you from having to disable captions repeatedly.

Key Takeaways

  • The CC button in the bottom right of the video player toggles captions on and off for that single video.
  • Turning off captions for one video does not affect other videos — each one starts with captions on by default unless you change your account settings.
  • You can set captions to stay off across all your YouTube TV viewing by changing your account preferences in Settings.
  • On phones and tablets, tap the screen to show the player controls if the CC button is not visible.

How to disable captions for a single video

When you're watching a video on YouTube TV, the player controls appear at the bottom of the screen. On the far right, next to the fullscreen button, you'll see the CC icon — it looks like a box with two lines inside it. Click or tap that icon once, and it will turn gray or dim, indicating captions are now off. The captions will vanish from the video when ready.

If you don't see the CC button, move your mouse over the video (on a computer) or tap the video once (on a phone or tablet). The controls will appear for a few seconds. If captions are already off, the CC icon will appear without a highlight or checkmark. Clicking it will turn captions back on.

How to turn off captions by default for your account

To stop captions from appearing automatically on every video, sign into your YouTube account and go to Settings. On a computer, click your profile picture in the top right corner, then select "Settings" from the menu. On a phone or tablet, tap your profile picture, then tap "Settings."

Once you're in Settings, look for "Captions" in the left sidebar (on a computer) or scroll down to find it (on mobile). Click or tap "Captions," then select "Off" from the options shown. YouTube will now start all videos without captions. You can still turn captions on for individual videos by clicking the CC button whenever you want them.

This setting is tied to your account, so it will explore whether you're watching on a computer, phone, tablet, or TV device — as long as you're signed in. If you share a YouTube TV account with other people, changing this setting affects everyone who uses that account.

Why captions might be on even after you turn them off

If captions keep reappearing after you've turned them off, check whether you're signed into your YouTube account. YouTube TV requires you to be logged in, and your caption settings are stored in your account. If you're not signed in, the app may default to showing captions.

Another reason captions might stay on is if someone else using the same account changed the default back to "On." Since account settings are shared across all devices and users on that account, any change one person makes affects everyone. If multiple people use your YouTube TV account, you may want to discuss caption preferences with them.

On some TV devices, captions may also be controlled by your TV's own accessibility settings rather than YouTube TV's settings. If turning off captions in YouTube TV doesn't work, check your TV remote for a CC or caption button, or look in your TV's settings menu under "Accessibility" or "Captions."

Captions on YouTube TV versus your TV's built-in captions

YouTube TV's captions (the ones you control with the CC button) are different from your television set's closed captioning feature. Your TV may have its own caption system that works across all inputs and apps. If you turn off captions in YouTube TV but they still appear, your TV's built-in captions may be on.

To turn off your TV's captions, use your TV remote and look for a button labeled CC, Captions, or Accessibility. The exact steps vary by TV brand — Samsung, LG, Sony, and others have different menu layouts. Check your TV's manual or search for "[your TV brand] how to turn off captions" if you're unsure. Once you've disabled captions at the TV level, they should stop appearing in YouTube TV and all other apps.

Turning captions back on when you need them

If you've turned captions off and later want them back, the process is the same in reverse. Click or tap the CC icon during any video, and captions will reappear. If you've changed your account default to "Off," captions will still be off by default on your next video — you'll just need to click CC again.

To make captions on by default again, go back to Settings, find Captions, and select "On." You can also choose "Auto" if you want YouTube to show captions only when the video's audio is in a language you don't speak, though this feature works best if your account language is set correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off captions affect other people watching the same YouTube TV account?

Yes. Account settings are shared across everyone who uses that YouTube TV login. If you change the default caption setting to "Off," it will be off for all users on that account. If you share the account with family members, they'll need to turn captions on individually for each video if they want them, or you can change the account setting back to "On."

Can I turn off captions on my TV but keep them on my phone?

No, not with account-level settings. Your caption preference is tied to your YouTube account, so changing it affects all devices you sign into. However, you can always click the CC button on any device to toggle captions for that single video, regardless of your default setting.

What if the CC button doesn't appear on my screen?

On computers, move your mouse over the video to reveal the player controls. On phones and tablets, tap the video once. The controls, including the CC button, should appear for a few seconds. If they still don't show up, your video player may need to be updated, or captions may not be available for that particular video.

Do I need to turn off captions in YouTube TV if my TV already has captions on?

You can control captions at either level — through YouTube TV's CC button or through your TV's built-in caption system. Turning off captions in YouTube TV won't affect your TV's caption settings, and vice versa. If you want captions completely off, you may need to disable them in both places.

Why are captions in a different language than the video?

YouTube sometimes auto-generates captions in the video's original language or in a language based on your account settings. If the captions don't match the audio, you can click the CC button to see if other caption options are available, or turn captions off entirely. The simplest fix is usually just to disable captions with the CC button.