Netflix guide
Daniel Okonkwo writes about phones and mobile apps for Appcyclopedia, working on a MacBook Pro, a Pixel 9 Pro and an iPhone 15.
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Short answer
Start playing something, then bring up the controls: tap or click the screen on a phone or computer, or press the up or down arrow on a TV remote. Select Audio & Subtitles and choose a subtitle language. Pick Off to turn them off again.
It remembers per profile: the language you choose is usually kept for that profile and used again next time.
Below: the steps on each kind of device, why a language may be missing, and subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
How to switch Netflix subtitles on and off, on any screen
To turn on subtitles on Netflix, start the show first: the option sits in the playback controls, not in the settings. The first group shows the controls on each device, the second picks the language.
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Bring up the controls
Start playing a show or film
Open Netflix and start the episode or film. The subtitle options only appear during playback, because each title has its own set of languages.
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On a phone, tablet or computer, tap or click the screen
Tap the screen on a phone or tablet, or move the mouse and click on a computer. The playback controls appear at the top and bottom.
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On a TV, press up or down on the remote
On a smart TV, streaming stick, games console or cable box, press the up or down arrow while the show plays. On Apple TV, swipe up or press up on the remote. The controls appear over the picture.
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Choose the language
Select Audio & Subtitles
Choose Audio & Subtitles, shown with a speech-box icon at the top or bottom of the screen. On some TVs the language options appear along the bottom with no icon.
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Pick a subtitle language, or Off
Under subtitles, choose the language you want. Select Other if you do not see it, to show every option for that title. Choose Off to turn subtitles off. Press back or tap the screen to return to the show.
Watching a Korean drama on the TV: press the down arrow while it plays, open Audio & Subtitles, choose English under subtitles and keep the audio in Korean. The next episode starts with the same choice.
Change subtitles from the player, not the profile settings: the player shows exactly the languages that title has.
More about Netflix
Subscription streaming for films, series and games, shared within one household.
When Netflix subtitles are wrong or missing
- The language you want is not listed
Not every title has every language, and the list depends on the title, your region and your device. Select Other to see the full list for that title.
- Subtitles appear even when they are off
Some shows include lines in another language, and Netflix shows subtitles for those parts on purpose. They cannot be turned off.
- A downloaded episode has only two languages
Downloads carry the two most relevant languages to save space. To change them, change your profile’s language settings and download the episode again.
- The setting resets when you watch a children’s title
Choices made while watching Kids titles from an adult profile are usually not saved. Use a Kids profile for children’s viewing to keep them.
Subtitles, closed captions and SDH
Netflix can show three kinds of text, and the badge on a title’s details page says which it has.
| Kind | What it shows | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Subtitles | The dialogue, translated or in the original language | Watching in another language |
| SDH | Dialogue plus sounds and who is speaking | Deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers |
| Forced subtitles | Only lines in a different language from the audio | Shown automatically when needed |
If you rely on captions, look for the SDH badge before you start: where a title has no SDH, the subtitles cover only the dialogue.
Why the list of languages changes from show to show
Each title comes with its own set of audio and subtitle languages, so a language available on one series may be missing on the next. The player shows only the most relevant ones at first; Other reveals the rest.
The device can also matter. Some older devices show fewer languages, and downloads carry only two to save space.
What to do after turning on subtitles
Once set, the choice usually follows your profile to the next episode and the next show, as long as that title has the language.
Play the show, open the controls, choose Audio & Subtitles and pick a language. If everyone in the house has different preferences, a profile for each person keeps their subtitle choices apart.
Netflix subtitles, answered
- Can I change the size of Netflix subtitles?
- Yes. Netflix has subtitle appearance settings for each profile, where you choose the font, size and colour. They apply on most devices.
- What are SDH subtitles?
- Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. They include sounds and speaker names as well as dialogue. Look for the SDH badge on a title’s details page.
- Can I have subtitles in one language and audio in another?
- Yes. Audio & Subtitles lets you choose each separately, for example Japanese audio with English subtitles.
- Why do my subtitles change by themselves?
- Netflix remembers choices per profile, so someone else using your profile may have changed them. A profile for each person keeps settings separate.
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Test log
Followed the steps? Tell us how it went on your device. Entries appear here after we check them.
- Worked Every step, start to finish · Marta Kowalczyk and Elias Brandt Team
I tested this
Steps performed and confirmed 8 days ago
When you need this
To read subtitles while watching Netflix, open the playback controls and choose a language under Audio & Subtitles. It works on TVs, phones, tablets and computers.
- Describes
- Netflix on smart TVs, streaming devices and game consoles · Netflix app for iPhone, iPad and Android · Netflix in a web browser
- Takes
- A few seconds
- Platforms
- Web · iOS · Android
- Published
- 15 October 2026
- Facts checked
- 10 October 2026
Steps repeated and verified by 
Marta Kowalczyk and 
Elias Brandt
on
- Marta Kowalczyk: the iPhone steps on an iPhone 16 Pro (iOS 27.0.1).
- Elias Brandt: the Android steps on a Galaxy S25 (Android 17) and the web steps on a ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Windows 11 Pro).
Netflix