How to Change Subtitles on Netflix
Turn Netflix subtitles on, off, or into another language from the speech bubble icon during playback, and set defaults and text style at netflix.com/account.
Applies to: current Netflix apps; account settings at netflix.com noted. Last checked September 11, 2026. Suggest an edit
You want subtitles on, off, or in a different language on Netflix. The fastest way is during playback. Defaults and the look of the text are set in a browser at netflix.com/account.
Open the audio and subtitles menu while playing
Start the title. In a browser or on a TV, move the mouse or press a button on the remote to show the controls, then click the speech bubble icon (Audio & Subtitles). On a phone or tablet, tap the screen and tap Audio & Subtitles at the bottom.
Pick a subtitle language or Off
Under Subtitles, click the language you want, or Off. The change applies immediately and Netflix remembers it for the next title on the same profile. The Audio column beside it changes the spoken language independently, so you can keep the original audio with English subtitles, for example.
Set the default language for the profile
Go to netflix.com/account in a browser, click Profile & Parental Controls (or Profiles), choose the profile, and click Change next to Languages. Under Shows & Movies Languages, tick the languages you prefer, then click Save. Netflix uses these to choose subtitles and audio automatically when a title offers them.
Change how subtitles look
On the same profile page, click Change next to Subtitle appearance. Pick a font, size, text color, shadow, and background, and watch the preview update. Click Save. The appearance applies on every device that uses that profile, including TVs.
Confirm the change on the device you watch on
Play a title and check the text. If it still shows the old style or language, close the Netflix app fully and reopen it.
Languages depend on the title. Each show or movie carries its own set of subtitle and dubbing tracks, so a language offered on one title may be missing on another. Netflix lists the handful of languages it thinks are most relevant to you first; adding a language under the profile's Languages setting brings it to the top of the list when a title has it.
TVs and appearance changes. Some TVs and streaming boxes keep the old subtitle style until the app is closed and reopened, and a few older TV apps ignore custom appearance entirely and use their own subtitle style.