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How to Change the Caption Language on YouTube

Tap a step to see it in order.

  1. Click the settings icon while a video plays

    Click the gear-shaped settings icon on the right side of the playback bar at the bottom of the video.

  2. Click the "Subtitles/CC" menu

    Select Subtitles/CC from the settings list.

  3. Choose the language you want

    Click your preferred language from the list of available caption languages. Choosing Auto-translate lets you view captions in a language the video was not originally captioned in.

  4. Auto-generated captions depend on what's available

    If a video has no official captions, only Auto-generated captions will be offered, and accuracy can be noticeably lower in that case.

  5. Why it's worth doing

    Turning on auto-translated captions for a foreign-language video helps you follow the gist of what's being said, and lets you keep up with a video even in situations where you can't turn the sound on.

Watching a Video in a Language You Don't Speak?

Turning on auto-translated captions gives you a rough sense of what's being said, and captions alone let you follow a video even when you can't play audio.

Auto-Translation Has Its Limits

Because it relies on machine translation, auto-translated captions can occasionally come out awkward or lose nuance depending on context β€” useful for the general idea, but worth treating as a rough reference rather than a precise translation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the caption font size or background?

Yes β€” clicking the gear icon next to Subtitles/CC in settings lets you adjust the font, size, background color, and opacity to your liking.

How accurate are auto-translated captions?

Since it is machine translation, wording can come out inaccurate or unnatural depending on context. It is helpful for getting the general idea, but best treated as a reference rather than an exact translation when precision matters.