Subtitles and Captions for Videos

Every video platform you're likely to see in one of our classes will let you see captions as you watch the video.

To turn on captioning, just look for the CC button in the video player - it's usually located at the bottom of the viewing screen, even for embedded videos.

Here's more specific instructions for YouTube, which is probably the most popular video platform.

How to turn on subtitles on YouTube on your phone or computer, and set them to stay on automatically

YouTube can display subtitles — also known as closed captions — on videos. Turning captions on and off is quick and easy.

Here's how to turn on those subtitles on YouTube, whether you're on a computer or using the mobile app.

How to turn on subtitles on YouTube in a web browser

You can turn on subtitles by clicking the CC icon at the bottom of a YouTube video. A red line will appear under the icon when closed captions have been enabled.

You can also adjust caption settings by clicking the gear icon. If subtitles are available for a video, a choice of generated captions and other formats will be available here. Tip: Look for subtitles in a specific language, say, English. These are created by the person who made the video and are better than the auto-generated captions.

How to turn on subtitles on YouTube for all videos

You can enable closed captioning for all the videos you watch on YouTube from your web browser.

Enabling always-on captioning can be done from your account settings, and the feature will work as long as you're logged in.

Here's how to enable captions for all videos:

Click your account icon to open the account menu.
From the account menu, click Settings.
Click "Playback and performance" and check "Always show captions." Click save to save your selection.

How to turn on subtitles on YouTube in the mobile app

You can turn on subtitles on YouTube when watching videos on your iPhone or Android in the mobile app.

Enabling captions on both devices is quick and easy. You can toggle the setting on and off in just a few steps. Here's how:

1. Tap the three-dot menu in the upper right corner.

2. Tap the CC icon, or Captions, in the menu.

Captions options in YouTube app menu

3. Select "English" (or "Auto Generated," if English is not available.)

[Credit: Michelle Greenlee, Business Insider, September 16, 2019.]