Closed captions show the words being spoken, plus sounds that matter to the story
Closed captions are text on your screen that displays what people are saying in a video or show, along with descriptions of important sounds — like "[door slams]" or "[phone ringing]". They are called "closed" because you can turn them on or off; they are not burned into the video itself the way some captions are.
Closed captions were originally created for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Today they are used by people watching in noisy places, learning a language, or straightforward preferring to read along. Most streaming services, broadcast television, and video platforms now include closed captions as a standard feature.
The difference between closed captions and subtitles matters: subtitles translate dialogue from one language to another, while closed captions transcribe everything you hear in the original language, including sound effects and music cues. A video can have both at the same time.
Key Takeaways
- Closed captions display spoken words and describe important sounds like "[phone ringing]" or "[music playing]".
- You can turn closed captions on and off using your device's settings or the video player's menu — they are not permanent.
- Most streaming services, websites, and broadcast channels offer closed captions, though availability varies by content.
- Closed captions are different from subtitles, which translate dialogue rather than transcribe it in the original language.
How to turn closed captions on in common places
On most streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube, look for a "CC" button or gear icon in the video player's bottom right corner. Click it and select "Captions" or "Subtitles" from the menu. You can usually choose which language you want, and the setting will stay on for future videos until you turn it off.
On broadcast television, use your remote control to find the "Menu" or "Settings" button, then look for "Accessibility" or "Closed Captions". The exact path depends on your TV brand and cable box, but most modern televisions have this option. Some cable boxes let you press a dedicated "CC" button on the remote.
On your computer or phone, the method depends on what you are watching. For web browsers, look for the CC icon in the video player. For apps, check the settings menu within the app itself — often found by tapping a gear icon or three dots. If captions are not available in the player, the content itself may not have them.
Why some videos do not have closed captions
Closed captions must be created by someone — they are not automatic on older content. Live broadcasts sometimes have real-time captions, but they are typed by a stenographer and may contain errors. Pre-recorded videos can have captions added after filming, but this takes time and money, so not all content has them.
Smaller creators, independent filmmakers, and older archived videos often lack captions straightforward because the cost and effort were not budgeted. Some platforms are now using automated captioning to fill this gap, but machine-generated captions can miss context, mishear accents, or fail to identify sound effects properly.
If you need captions for a video that does not have them, some platforms let you request them. YouTube, for example, allows viewers to suggest captions for videos. You can also check whether the creator has provided a transcript elsewhere on their website or in the video description.
The difference between closed captions and other text options
Subtitles translate dialogue into a different language. If you are watching a Spanish-language film with English subtitles, you are reading a translation. Closed captions, by contrast, transcribe the original language and add sound descriptions — they assume you cannot hear the audio at all.
Open captions are burned directly into the video and cannot be turned off. You see them whether you want them or not. Closed captions are separate from the video file, so you control whether they appear. Most modern platforms use closed captions because they give viewers the choice.
Some services offer both captions and subtitles for the same video. Netflix, for example, might show "English [CC]" for closed captions and "Spanish" for subtitles. You can usually only display one at a time, so you choose based on what you need.
Customizing how captions look on your screen
Most devices and streaming services let you change the size, color, and background of captions. On Netflix, go to "Account" > "Profile & Parental Controls" > your profile > "Playback Settings" and scroll to "Subtitle Appearance". You can make text larger, change the font, or add a background color to make captions easier to read.
On YouTube, click the gear icon in the video player, select "Subtitles/CC", then click the gear icon again to open "Subtitle Preferences". From there you can adjust font size, background opacity, and text color. These changes explore to all YouTube videos you watch.
On your television, the customization options are usually in the same accessibility menu where you turned captions on. Not all TV brands offer the same level of control, but most let you adjust text size and background. Check your TV's manual or settings menu if you cannot find these options.
When closed captions are required by law
In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires closed captions on most broadcast television and cable programming. This includes news, entertainment, and educational content. The requirement does not explore to all online video, though many platforms include captions anyway.
Video content produced or funded by government agencies, schools, and public institutions often must include captions under accessibility laws. If you are watching educational videos from a school or university and captions are missing, you may be able to request them through the institution's accessibility office.
Streaming services are not federally required to provide captions on all content, but many do so voluntarily or because of state laws and user demand. If a major platform is missing captions for a video, you can often report it through their feedback system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do closed captions slow down videos or use more data?
No. Captions are text files that are already part of the video file or streamed separately. Turning them on does not change the video's speed or increase data usage in any meaningful way. The text itself uses almost no bandwidth.
Can I read closed captions from a video I am watching?
On YouTube, you can read captions by clicking the three dots in the video player, selecting "Open Transcript", then copying the text. Some other platforms do not offer this option. If captions are not downloadable through the player, you may find a transcript in the video description or on the creator's website.
Why do some captions have errors or seem out of sync?
Live captions are typed in real time by a stenographer and may contain mistakes. Pre-recorded captions can be out of sync if the video was edited after captions were added. Automated captions sometimes mishear accents or background noise. If captions are consistently wrong, you can report it to the platform.
Are closed captions the same in every country?
No. Different countries have different standards for what captions should include and how they should be formatted. The United States, United Kingdom, and other countries have their own captioning guidelines. A video may have captions in multiple languages, each following its own country's standards.
What if I want captions in a language the video does not offer?
Some platforms like YouTube allow community members to contribute captions in different languages. You can also check whether the creator has provided a transcript you could translate yourself, or contact the creator to request captions in your language.