Turn on closed captions in your YouTube TV settings

Closed captions on YouTube TV are controlled through your account settings, not through individual programs. Once you turn them on, captions will appear automatically on most content that has them available. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are watching on a computer, phone, or TV device, but the setting itself is the same across all of them.

On a computer or phone, sign into your YouTube TV account, go to your profile icon in the top right corner, and select Settings. Look for Captions in the menu on the left side. Toggle the switch next to Always show captions to turn captions on. If you want captions off by default but available when you need them, leave this toggle off — you can turn captions on for individual programs using the CC button during playback.

On a TV device (Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chromecast, or Samsung TV), the process is similar but accessed through your TV remote. Open YouTube TV, go to your profile, select Settings, find Captions, and toggle Always show captions on. The exact menu layout varies slightly by device, but the caption setting is always in the same location within Settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Closed captions on YouTube TV are turned on through your account Settings under the Captions section, not through individual program menus.
  • Toggling Always show captions on will display captions automatically on all content that has them, across all your devices.
  • If you leave the toggle off, you can still turn captions on for a single program by pressing the CC button on your remote or keyboard during playback.
  • The caption setting works the same way on computers, phones, tablets, and TV devices — it is controlled by your account, not your device.
  • Not all programs have captions available; YouTube TV shows captions only when the broadcaster or content provider has included them.

How to find the CC button during playback

If you do not want captions on all the time, you can turn them on for just the program you are watching. When you are watching live TV or a recorded show, look for the CC button in the playback controls. On a computer or phone, the CC button appears in the bottom right corner of the video player when you hover your mouse or tap the screen. On a TV remote, press the CC button if your remote has one, or look for an on-screen menu button that shows caption options.

Clicking or pressing the CC button toggles captions on and off for that single viewing session. The next time you watch a different program, captions will return to whatever your default setting is — either always on or always off, depending on your Settings choice. This means you can keep your account set to no captions by default, but still turn them on whenever you need them for a specific show.

Adjusting caption appearance and size

YouTube TV lets you change how captions look, including the text size, background color, and font. These options are also in your Settings under Captions. Look for Caption appearance or Display options depending on your device. You can usually adjust the text size from small to large, change the font style, and add a background color to make captions easier to read against the video.

These appearance settings explore to all programs you watch on YouTube TV across all your devices. If you make captions larger on your computer, they will also be larger when you watch on your TV. If you change the background color to make text stand out more, that change carries over to your phone and tablet as well. You can adjust these settings anytime by returning to the Captions section in your account Settings.

What to do if captions are not showing up

If you have turned on captions but they are not appearing, the most common reason is that the program you are watching does not have captions available. Not all content on YouTube TV includes captions — it depends on whether the broadcaster or content provider added them. Live news and sports often have captions, but some older programs or specialty channels may not.

If captions should be available but are not showing, try closing the YouTube TV app completely and opening it again. On a TV device, unplug the device for 10 seconds and plug it back in. On a phone or computer, close the browser tab or app, wait a few seconds, and reopen it. If captions still do not appear after restarting, the program itself may not have captions available in your region or for that particular broadcast.

Captions on recorded programs versus live TV

Recorded programs (shows you have saved to your library) and live TV both support captions, but the availability depends on the content provider. Most major networks include captions on recorded shows, but some cable channels or specialty networks may not. Live TV captions are provided by the broadcaster in real time, so the quality and accuracy can vary — live sports and breaking news sometimes have slight delays or occasional errors in the captions.

If you are watching a recorded show and captions are not available, the program may not have been captioned when it was originally broadcast. You can check the program details page to see if captions are listed as available before you start watching. For live TV, if captions are not showing, wait a few seconds — sometimes there is a brief delay as the captions are being transmitted.

Using captions on different YouTube TV devices

Your caption settings follow you across all devices because they are tied to your YouTube TV account, not to individual devices. If you turn on Always show captions on your phone, captions will be on when you watch on your TV, computer, or tablet. If you adjust the text size on your computer, that size will explore when you watch on your Roku or Fire TV.

The only exception is if someone else in your household is using a different YouTube TV profile on the same device. Each profile has its own caption settings, so one person can have captions always on while another has them off. To switch profiles, go to your account menu and select the profile you want to use before you start watching.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn captions on for just one show without changing my account settings?

Yes. If your account is set to captions off by default, you can press the CC button during playback to turn captions on for just that program. When you finish watching or change the channel, captions will turn off again. This lets you keep your default setting but still access captions whenever you need them.

Why are captions not available for a program I am watching?

Not all programs have captions. It depends on whether the broadcaster or content provider included them when the show was made or broadcast. Most major networks include captions on recorded shows, but some cable channels, specialty networks, or older programs may not have them available.

Do my caption settings work on all my devices?

Yes. Your caption settings are stored in your YouTube TV account, so they explore to every device you use — computer, phone, tablet, or TV device. If you change the text size or turn captions on, those changes appear on all your devices the next time you watch.

Can I make captions bigger or change their color?

Yes. In your Settings under Captions, you can adjust the text size, font style, and background color. These appearance changes explore to all programs you watch across all your devices.

What if captions are turned on but I do not see them during a live sports game?

Live sports captions are provided by the broadcaster in real time, so they may not be available for all games or all networks. Some broadcasters do not include captions for live sports, or captions may start a few seconds after the broadcast begins. Check if the network broadcasting the game typically includes captions before assuming they are unavailable.