How to Turn Off Closed Captions on YouTube

Last Updated: 

February 1, 2025

Closed captioning is a great way to ensure you don’t miss any dialogue in your favorite shows or movies, but sometimes it can be distracting or irritating. If you’re trying to watch a video on YouTube with closed captioning and want to turn it off, there are a few different ways you can do it.

Let’s look at how to turn off closed captions on YouTube with a step-by-step review.

Want to Close Bigger Deals?

1. Turn Off Closed Captioning Directly from Youtube’s Settings Menu

Assuming you’re on a desktop computer, the first step is to start playing the video. Find the video you want to watch, and press the play button. Once the video starts playing, look in the bottom right-hand corner for a button that says “CC.”

The video doesn’t have closed captioning if you don’t see this button. If the button is there, though, go ahead and click it. That should turn off closed captioning for the video.

You can always turn it back on by clicking the “CC” button. Just remember that not all videos will have this option available.

On a mobile device, the process is similar. Start playing the video, and then look for the “CC” button. Tap it once to turn off closed captioning.

You can always turn it back on by tapping the button again. Just be aware that not all videos will have this option available.

If you’re having trouble finding the “CC” button or watching a video that doesn’t have closed captioning available, look for a settings icon (usually represented by a gear icon) somewhere on the screen, and click or tap it.

That should bring up a menu with various options related to the video you’re watching. One of these options should be Closed Captioning (or something similar).

Click or tap this option to turn off closed captioning for your watching video. Again, remember that not all videos will have this option available.

You can also access closed captioning options by clicking the three dots in the top right-hand corner of the video player, then selecting ” Closed Caption.” You can turn closed captioning on or off and select various language options.

2. Use A Browser Extension or Add-On That Allows You to Disable Closed Captioning

If you use the Google Chrome web browser, an extension called “Disable HTML5 Autoplay” will allow you to disable closed captioning on YouTube videos. Once you’ve installed the extension, go to the video you want to watch and click the “CC” button.

That should bring up a menu with various options related to the video you’re watching. One of these options should be Closed Captioning (or something similar).

Click or tap this option to turn off closed captioning for your watching video. Again, remember that not all videos will have this option available.

For Firefox users, an add-on called “disable html5 autoplay” does the same thing as the Chrome extension.

Once you’ve installed the add-on, go to the video you want to watch and click the “CC” button. That should bring up a menu with various options related to the video you’re watching.

One of these options should be Closed Captioning (or something similar). Click or tap this option to turn off closed captioning for your watching video. Again, remember that not all videos will have this option available.

3. Contact the Channel Owner

If you’re watching a live stream, there may not be any closed captioning options available. However, you can minimize the captioning by clicking on the “CC” button and then selecting “Hide.”

Your best bet is to reach out to the channel owner directly and ask them to turn on captions for their live stream. They may also be able to provide you with a specific link or code that you can use to disable the feature.

If not, they may be able to instruct you on how to do so. Once you have the necessary information, you can follow the steps below to turn off closed captioning on YouTube.

With a little effort, you should be able to find text-based transcripts of the most popular live streams online.

4. Use Third-Party Software

This method may be preferable for users who want more control over their video viewing experience. Various third-party software programs can help to disable closed captioning on YouTube.

Examples include CCleaner, CleanMyMac, and Onyx. These programs are typically designed for people who are hard of hearing or deaf, but anyone can use them.

Some of these programs are free, while others are purchased. We recommend doing some research to find the best program for your needs.

Once you’ve found a program that works for you, follow the instructions below to turn off closed captioning on YouTube.

5. Adjust Your Computer’s Settings

If you’re having trouble accessing the closed captioning options on YouTube, there’s a chance that your computer’s settings are the culprit.

To adjust your computer’s settings, go to the “System Preferences” menu and click on the “Accessibility” icon; from here, select “Closed Captioning.”

You should see a list of options related to closed captioning. Select the “Off” option to disable closed captioning on your computer. Remember that this will affect all videos you watch, not just those on YouTube.

If you’re using a Windows computer, the process is similar. Go to the “Control Panel” and select “Ease of Access.” From here, select ” Closed Captioning.”

6. Download the Video

If all else fails, your last resort is downloading and watching the video offline. You won’t have to worry about closed captioning options since you’ll watch the video on your terms.

Remember that this method will only work if the video you’re trying to watch is available for download. Not all videos on YouTube are downloaded, but many of them can. Find the “Download” button below the video player to download a video and click or tap it.

From here, you’ll be given various options for downloading the video. Choose the format and quality you want and click or tap the “Download” button.

Once the download is complete, you can watch the video offline without any closed captioning options.

Conclusion

These are just a few methods to disable Closed Caption on YouTube. As we mentioned earlier, not all videos will have this option available.

Additionally, some of these methods may not work for all users. Nevertheless, these are some of the most effective ways to disable Closed Caption on YouTube.

People Also Like to Read...

Don't forget to check out our Case Studies and also how Business Coaching can help your business. If you're ready to talk further and get the full coaching experience you can book a FREE 30-Minute Coaching Session.