"How can I turn on/off captions?"
With the multitude of new ways of accessing programming out there, turning on or off captions is usually specific to how you’re accessing your program. Below we’ve detailed the most common ways many people view programs and are looking to turn on or off captions.
Turning on/off captions for programs on TV and cable:
New television remote controls are required to have a “first-level” caption button. That is, you should not have to navigate through a menu to find the CC button. Viewers with voice-controlled cable boxes can turn captions on by saying “captions on.”
Below are links to some of the most widely used cable providers with information on how to turn on and off captions:
Xfinity/Comcast
Dish
Verizon
AT&T/DIRECTV
Atlantic Broadband
Spectrum
Cox
Optimum
Suddenlink
Frontier
Xstream/Mediacom
Sparklight
If you don’t see your cable service provider listed above, a web search of the name of your cable provider should be able to provide you with their page. If not, call the number on the bill of your cable service provider.
Turning on/off captions for programs watched via other devices:
If you’re not watching standard television, please see the programmer’s guide for your device or platform. For example, turning on captions for Netflix on a Roku connected to your TV is different than turning on captions for Netflix that you stream on your computer. Below are some of the most commonly used devices with links to instructions for turning on captions with each device:
Amazon Fire Stick
Apple TV
Roku
Google TV/Chromecast
Turning on/off captions for programs watched via streaming providers:
If you’re watching a program via a streaming provider, you’ll want to check out their specific accessibility settings. Below are some of the most commonly used streaming platforms with links to instructions for turning on captions for each:
Netflix
Amazon Prime
Paramount+
Peacock
Hulu
Disney+
HBO Max
Apple TV+