Ever found yourself in the middle of a gripping Apple TV show, but those pesky captions keep distracting you? You're not alone! Many Apple TV users are often unsure of how to turn off captions. It's a common issue, but thankfully, it's one that's easy to fix.
Why are captions on?
Honestly, there are a multitude of reasons you might find yourself dealing with unwanted captions on your Apple TV. Let's delve into a few possibilities.
Firstly, it's possible that Closed Captions (CC) came enabled when you initially set up your device. This is actually a mandatory feature for devices sold in the United States. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires manufacturers to provide this accessibility feature on their devices. It's the law! So you certainly didn't switch them on by accident.
Secondly, Apple TV gives you the ability to customize your viewing experience, including turning on captions by default. So don't beat yourself up about it. A previous viewer could have intentionally turned them on for their viewing experience and forgot to turn them off.
Thirdly, there's also the factor of automatic updates. You're well aware that technology isn't always our friend, and sometimes, it tries to think for us. Apple TV updates can reset certain settings, including bringing back those pesky captions. Allowing automatic updates might seem attractive but it has its downsides.
So with that in mind, let's quickly summarize what we've looked at:
- Purchased Apple TV devices come with captions enabled by law.
- Captions could have been activated intentionally by another viewer.
- An automatic update might have reset your personalized settings.
Now you've got the 'why', let's move forward and dive into 'how to fix this'. Turning off captions on your Apple TV can be done fairly easily and quickly once you know the steps. And we'll walk you through those steps in the following sections. Don't worry, you'll be having a caption-free experience in no time.
How to turn off captions on Apple TV
You've read up on possible explanations for why captions may be switched on in your Apple TV. Now it's high time you got down to rectifying the situation. Below are simple steps that guide you through the process of disabling captions. Remember options may change depending on the model of your Apple TV so take note of that important little detail.
Firstly, from the Apple TV home screen you need to find and select Settings. Next, highlight General and click to open more settings. Within General settings, slide down to Accessibility.
Inside the Accessibility settings, you'll find a whole slew of options to adjust your Apple TV to fit your usage needs. But the one we're focused on is the captions. Navigate to the Closed Captions + SDH option and click on it. A tick denotes if your captions are enabled. To disable this, click on the option. The tick should disappear, indicating that you've successfully turned off the captions.
For those of you who have the latest Apple TV models, Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD, your journey ends here. No more captions! But if you're using Apple TV (3rd generation) pay attention to this extra step. You need to navigate to Audio & Video under the General settings. From there, find Closed Captioning and turn it off.
Do note that if you've downloaded apps for your TV, you may need to turn off captions inside individual apps too. Most apps use Apple's standard settings, but there can be exceptions.
And one last thing! Remember that turning off captions only applies to the profile setting you are currently on. If you switch profiles or add a new one, make sure you adjust the caption settings accordingly.
Be empowered by this newfound knowledge and enjoy your caption-free viewing experience.
Method 1: Turn off captions within the video settings
Let's dive deeper into the first method for disabling captions on your Apple TV, which involves navigating through the video settings. When you're watching content and the captions suddenly appear, it could be due to the settings of that specific video. So, before delving into the device’s main settings, it's a good idea to check the video settings first.
To illustrate, you're comfortably enjoying a movie from your iTunes library. Unexpectedly, captions pop up on your screen, covering the important scenes. Don't sweat! It's a straightforward fix.
Hit the menu button on your Apple TV remote. This button's location will vary depending on the remote model, but you'll generally find it one click away from your thumb. After pressing the menu button, a new settings icon, represented by a gear symbol, becomes visible on the screen. Once visible, use your remote to highlight and select this icon.
Once you're in the video settings menu, you'll see a variety of options. Look for the one labeled as "Subtitles" or "Closed Captions". You'll find this either at the bottom of the list or in the Subtitles section. Highlight this option and change the settings from On to Off.
Executing these steps should help you enjoy your movie without any uninvited captions. Just remember that turning off captions in the video settings applies to the video you're currently watching. Each video or show may have its own settings. Therefore, if captions show up while watching a different video, you might need to repeat these steps.
Alright, now that you're familiar with this method, let's move on to the next part of our guide where we'll discuss a second method that tackles the issue at a device-level: within the Apple TV's accessibility settings. Stay tuned to learn more.
Method 2: Disable captions in the Accessibility settings
So you've tried the first method but it's not offering you the lasting solution you're looking for? The second method we're suggesting applies universally across all content. There's no need to repeat the steps for each video. Let's dive into the details of this process.
First, gather your Apple TV remote control. You'll want to start at the Apple TV home screen. This is easily accessible by pressing the 'Menu' button a few times on your remote until you see the home screen.
Look around, you'll notice an icon labeled 'Settings'. That's where your next step lies. Navigate to 'Settings' using the trackpad on your remote and select it. Inside 'Settings', you'll find 'General'. Now things are getting interesting. Select 'General' and you're one step closer to the finish line.
On the 'General' settings screen, you'll notice the 'Accessibility' option. This is where Apple hides all the settings related to user interface customization. Are you with me? Good. Proceed to select 'Accessibility'.
Time for the final stretch. Within the 'Accessibility' settings, there's an option labeled 'Subtitles and Captioning'. Sounds like exactly what you need, right? Navigate to it and select it. Here lies the treasure you've been hunting.
The first option appearing under 'Subtitles and Captioning' is 'Closed Captions + SDH'. This is the switch controlling those captions you want to disable. So go ahead and select it to turn it off. Voila! You've done it! All future videos played on your Apple TV will now be free of automatic captions.
There's one final piece of information you need to know. You have to be aware that this setting overrides video-specific subtitles settings, meaning it turns off captions for all videos, regardless of what's set in their individual settings. On the flip side, you can easily switch it back on if you need captions in the future.
You're now armed with the knowledge to control captions on your Apple TV as per your preference. Grasp that remote confidently, content in the knowledge that you've mastered the manipulation of captions.
Method 3: Use the remote control to turn off captions
While both methods explained earlier give you complete control over captions, there's yet another effective way to handle captions on your Apple TV. This entails the use of your trusty remote control. By learning the proper series of commands, you'll have the ability to toggle captions quickly and efficiently.
First, ensure your Apple TV remote has sufficient battery life. As you know, failing to charge or replace your remote's batteries might result in unresponsive buttons hindering your desired actions. Once you are sure of its battery life, pick up your Apple TV remote. You'll then want to press down on the Play/Pause button for a few seconds. Remember, this gesture has a dual function, so you'll need to exercise patience as you hold down the button until an options menu shows up on the screen.
The options menu is central to this method as it holds the controls you seek. Find the captions control in the aforementioned options menu. It will be grouped with the audio settings. The layout of commands might vary a bit based on the app you're utilising. However, the controls will, in most cases, be located towards the bottom of the screen.
Now that you've found the captions control, proceed to toggle captions off with your remote. Normally, there are several caption options available such as English, Auto, and Off. So, ensure you select 'Off' to turn captions off.
Just like the earlier methods, these steps aren't bulletproof as there are apps on Apple TV that ignore platform-level captions controls. If you find that this method isn’t working for you, it could be that the app you’re using has its subtitles controls.
We've made it accessible for you to understand the steps. However, practice perfects skills. As you get more comfortable with these instructions, disengaging captions will become an easy task that you can perform in seconds.
This method's effectiveness and applicability could be hindered by the type of content you're watching, or the specific video app you're using. In such situations, you'll have to revert to other caption-disabling techniques as described earlier.
Conclusion
You've now got the know-how to manage captions on your Apple TV. Whether it's through the video settings, the Accessibility settings, or using your remote, you're in control. Remember, the video settings method applies to the current video only, while the Accessibility settings method works universally. The remote method might not work with all apps, but it's still a handy tool to have in your arsenal. Don't worry if you change your mind later - switching captions back on is as simple as following these steps in reverse. So go ahead, tailor your Apple TV viewing experience to your liking. Here's to enjoying your favorite shows and movies just the way you want them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn off captions while watching a video on Apple TV?
While watching a video on your Apple TV, press the menu button on the remote, select the settings icon, and find the "Subtitles" or "Closed Captions" option to turn them off. Remember, these settings apply only to the current video.
Can I disable captions universally on Apple TV?
Yes, you can disable captions universally by going to the Accessibility settings of your Apple TV. This setting overrides the video-specific subtitles settings and applies to all content.
Can I use my remote to turn off captions on Apple TV?
Yes, by pressing down on the Play/Pause button on your Apple TV remote, an options menu will appear on screen. There, you can find the captions control and select the "Off" option to disable them. This method may not work with all apps.
Do I have to disable captions for each video on Apple TV individually?
If you disable captions within the video settings, yes, because those settings apply only to the current video. But if you turn them off in the Accessibility settings, no, because it applies universally.
Is it easy to switch captions back on if needed on Apple TV?
Yes, the process of enabling or disabling captions on Apple TV is quite straightforward and can be easily done through the mentioned methods in the article.
