4 Easy Ways to Get Subtitles and Captions on Netflix

Written by Rain Kengly

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 Tested

Do you want to turn subtitles on and off while you're streaming Netflix? Netflix offers closed captioning in English along with some supported languages depending on the movie or show. It will only take a few short steps to locate the subtitle menu and toggle it on and off. This wikiHow will teach you how to manage your Netflix subtitles on desktop, mobile app, streaming device, and gaming consoles.

Things You Should Know

To toggle Netflix subtitles, you'll need to find the Audio and Subtitles menu within an open show or movie.
Select your Subtitle language to activate subtitles or click "Off" to deactivate them.
Supported languages and audio will differ with each media depending on content licensing and agreements.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Using a Streaming Device or Gaming Console

1
Open the Netflix app. There are many ways to watch Netflix on TV.
- You can use a Smart TV, Chromecast, Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, PlayStation, and Xbox.
- You can use multiple devices at once by changing your Netflix plan.
2
Select a movie or TV show. You'll need to have a video active to toggle its subtitles.

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3
Click the movie to begin playing. You can pause the video or allow it to play in the background.
4
Using your remote, press up or down. You'll see a toolbar with playback buttons and settings.
5
Click Audio & Subtitles. This will look like a text box icon, located to the left of Playback Speed. This will bring up a pop-up window.
- Depending on your device, this menu can be on the top or bottom of your screen.
6
Select your subtitles. In most cases, you'll be able to find English. If a TV show or movie supports a different language, you'll find them here.
- To turn subtitles off, click Off.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using Netflix Mobile App

1
Open the Netflix app. This will have the red Netflix logo with a black background.
- The Netflix app is available for iOS in the App Store and for Android in the Google Play Store.^{[1]
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2
Select a movie or TV show. You'll need to have a video active to toggle its subtitles.
3
Click the movie to begin playing. You can pause the video or allow it to play in the background.
4
Tap the screen to activate the menu. You'll see a toolbar with playback buttons and settings.
5
Click Audio & Subtitles. This will look like a text box icon, located to the left of Playback Speed. This will bring up a pop-up window.
6
Select your subtitles. In most cases, you'll be able to find English. If a TV show or movie supports a different language, you'll find them here.
- To turn subtitles off, click Off.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Using Desktop

1
Open Netflix in your browser. Netflix is supported by Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, and Safari for Mac.^{[2]
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- You'll need to register for Netflix to stream content.
2
Select a movie or TV show. You'll need to have a video active to toggle its subtitles.
3
Click the movie to begin playing. You can pause the video or allow it to play in the background.
4
Move your cursor over the screen to activate the menu. You'll see a toolbar with playback buttons and settings.^{[3]
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5
Click the "Audio" and "Subtitle" settings. This will look like a text box icon, located to the left of Playback Speed. This will bring up a pop-up window.
- Hovering over the text box icon will also activate the pop-up window.
- This is also where you can change the Netflix language.
6
Select your subtitles. In most cases, you'll be able to find English. If a TV show or movie supports a different language, you'll find them here.
- To turn subtitles off, click Off.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Using Apple TV

1
Open the Netflix app. This will have the red Netflix logo with a black background.
- Make sure you properly configure your Apple TV.
2
Select a movie or TV show. You'll need to have a video active to toggle its subtitles.
3
Click the movie to begin playing. You can pause the video or allow it to play in the background.
4
Swipe down on the Apple TV remote. This will bring up a pop-up window with your settings.
- For Apple TV 2 or Apple TV 3, hold down the center button of the remote.
5
Navigate to the Subtitles tab. You will also see Info and Audio.
6
Select your subtitles. In most cases, you'll be able to find English. If a TV show or movie supports a different language, you'll find them here.
- To turn subtitles off, click Off.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I get English subtitles if they're not offered to me because I don't live in an English country?

Community Answer

Easiest way to do this is to use a proxy (such as Hotspotshield) to change your IP to a US IP.
Question

How can I get subtitles in a different language?

Community Answer

If another language appears in the dialog box, tap said language option. If that language is not available, you cannot have subtitles of that language.
Question

My device isn't listed above, how can I get subtitles?

Community Answer

If your streaming device is older, there's a chance that it doesn't support subtitles. If it does support subtitles, the process is likely very similar to one of the others listed above. Check the title's Description page or look for the Dialog button in the playback controls.