Trying to figure out why Disney Plus subtitles or closed-captions are not working?
While most shows on Disney Plus are in English, it is undeniable that some users prefer watching movies with subtitles. Closed captions or subtitles help you understand the show better.
There are points in a movie or TV show where characters speak quietly, which can be challenging to understand without subtitles. This can be crucial as you can miss plotlines in the story, which ruins your movie experience.
Subtitles are also helpful if you watch a movie on the go or for people with hearing problems.
However, it is common for users to report that Disney Plus subtitles or closed-captions are not working on their devices. Some noticed that subtitles are out of sync, not working on consoles, and are not showing up.
For the most part, technical issues on Disney Plus’ end is the reason for this problem. On the other hand, installation problems and corrupted data should also be considered when addressing this error.
If Disney Plus subtitles or closed-captions are not working on your device, keep reading as we’re here to help you out!
Today, we’ll show you the best methods for fixing Disney Plus subtitles or closed-captions if they are not working.
Before we start, if you are using a Playstation 4, we suggest that you visit our dedicated guide for your device to address this problem.
Let’s dive right in!
1. Check Disney Plus Servers.
Before consuming your time playing around with your device and account’s settings, you should identify first where the problem is coming from. In this case, we suggest that you check the status of Disney Plus’ servers by using third-party tools like Downdetector.
It is a website that shows information about the status of applications and other platforms.
Now, if Disney Plus’ servers are down, the best option to do for now is to wait. However, you can still do the rest of the methods below and see if they work on your end.
2. Restart Disney Plus or Reload the Web Page.
One of the easiest ways to fix the subtitles on Disney Plus is restarting the app or reloading the website. The video probably did not start correctly and caused the subtitles to appear out of sync with the audio and video.
Temporary bugs and glitches could also be the reason for subtitles or closed-captions not working on Disney Plus.
Restart Disney Plus App.
For iOS and Android devices, you can restart Disney Plus using the application switcher. To access it, swipe upwards from the bottom of your display until the app switcher appears. Now, find Disney Plus from the list and flick it upwards to stop it from running.
On the other hand, if you are using older iOS devices, you can access the app switcher by tapping the Home button twice.
Reload Web Page.
If you are using a web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge), you can reload a web page by pressing the F5 on your keyboard or clicking the dedicated Refresh button beside the URL box. You can also use CTRL + R if you prefer that route.
On Safari, you can reload a web page by pressing COMMAND + R on your keyboard.
If you want to be sure, you can also restart your browser. Simply close your current sessions and relaunch your preferred web browser afterwards.
Hard Refresh Disney Plus Page.
If reloading the webpage did not work, you can also perform a hard refresh on your browser to clear the website’s cache, which forces your browser to reload the most recent version.
On Windows, you can perform a hard refresh by pressing the CTRL + F5 keys on your keyboard.
For macOS users, use COMMAND + OPTION + R keys on your keyboard to hard refresh Disney Plus’ website.
Once done, go back to the movie or TV show you are watching to check if the subtitles are now working.
3. Update Disney Plus App.
The current version of Disney Plus on your device may be out of date or has an underlying issue related to subtitles or closed captions. In this case, we suggest that you update the app to the latest version possible to patch the error.
On Android, you can update Disney Plus by doing the following steps:
- First, open the Google Play Store on your device and tap the Menu button inside the search bar.
- Next, access the list of apps with available updates by tapping on My Apps & Games.
- Lastly, find Disney Plus and tap the Update button.
For iOS users, check out the guide below to update Disney Plus:
- On your device, go to the home screen and open the App Store.
- After that, tap on your Profile.
- Finally, locate Disney Plus from the list and hit the Update button.
If you are using a Playstation 4, see the steps below to update Disney Plus:
- On your main screen, highlight the Disney Plus app using your controller.
- Now, press the Options button on your controller to open the side menu.
- Select Check for Update and press the O or X button on the controller to confirm the action.
Visit the Help Center if you don’t see your device from the list and look for the specific guidelines for your system.
4. Enable Closed-Captioning on Your Device.
There are hidden options on your device’s settings that enable closed-captioning on the videos you are watching whenever possible. This also allows you to change the styling of subtitles and captions to optimize your movie-watching experience.
On Android, follow the steps below to enable closed-captioning:
- First, open the Settings app on your device and access the Accessibility tab.
- After that, select Caption Preferences.
- Lastly, enable the feature on your device.
If you are using an iOS device, check out the guide below to turn on closed-captioning:
- On your device, access the Settings app and tap on Accessibility.
- Now, go to Hearing and open Subtitles & Captioning.
- Finally, enable Closed Captions + SDH.
For Apple TV, follow the video below to guide you in the process:
On the other hand, visit the guides below if you are using a different device:
Once done, go back to Disney Plus and see if the subtitles are now working.
5. Change Subtitles Settings and Styling.
Your subtitle configuration could also be the culprit behind Disney Plus’ subtitles or closed captions not working correctly. Its styling could be distracting or showing up on the wrong side of the display.
On the other hand, some users found that after toggling the subtitles on and off, it started to appear on the movie or TV show that they are watching.
With this, follow the methods below to toggle Disney Plus’ subtitles and modify its styling.
Toggle Disney Plus Subtitles.
Follow the steps below to toggle Disney Plus subtitles On/Off:
- First, open Disney Plus on your device and select a movie or TV show.
- After that, access the Video Controls and open the Subtitles tab.
- Now, turn off the subtitles and go back to the show you are watching.
- Lastly, go back to the Subtitles tab and select your preferred language.
Do note that you may need to do these steps several times before the subtitles start working on your device.
Change Subtitles Styling.
If you find Disney Plus subtitles distracting, follow the guide below to change its styling based on your preferences:
- On your device, launch the Disney Plus app and play a random movie or TV show.
- Now, go to the Subtitles tab and click on the Settings icon at the top right corner of your display.
- Lastly, change the subtitles’ styling depending on your preference and taste.
Go back to Disney Plus afterwards and check if the problem is solved.
6. Try Another Movie or TV Show.
Movies and TV shows on Disney Plus can encounter unexpected problems and become unplayable for some time. It is also possible that the title is playable, but video, audio, and subtitles are not in sync.
If Disney Plus subtitles or closed-captions are not working, go back to the library and try playing another show.
This way, you can determine if the problem is with the entire platform or a particular movie or TV show.
7. Use Another Device.
The current device you are using may have an issue with closed-captioning, which causes subtitles on Disney Plus not to work. In the past, PS4 consoles and Roku devices encountered the same problem.
As it turns out, the operating system on those devices has a common issue related to subtitles or closed-captioning.
For now, we recommend that you watch your favorite Disney Plus shows on a different streaming device until your device’s manufacturer releases an update.
8. Clear Disney Plus Cache and Data (Android / Android TVs).
Caches and data are temporary files consisting of photos, scripts, and other media that help Disney Plus to run faster on your device. However, this data may have gotten corrupted when the servers went down, or an unexpected problem occurred on the platform.
This method will work on any system that is running Android, including NVIDIA Shields, Amazon Fire Sticks, and other similar devices.
To fix this, follow the steps below to clear Disney Plus cache and data:
- First, open the Settings app on your device and go to the Apps tab.
- After that, tap on Disney Plus and access the Storage tab.
- Now, tap the Clear Cache button.
- Lastly, tap on Clear Data to complete the process.
For Amazon Fire TVs, visit this link to know the steps in clearing Disney Plus’ cache and data on your device.
Once done, re-login to your Disney Plus account and check if the subtitles are now working.
9. Reinstall the Disney Plus App.
If Disney Plus subtitles are still not working, we suggest that you reinstall the app on your device. This will eliminate any corrupted files from your system and ensure that you have a working copy of the app.
On Android, follow the guide below to remove Disney Plus:
- First, locate the Disney Plus app from your app drawer.
- After that, press its app icon to access the selection screen.
- Lastly, tap on Uninstall to delete Disney Plus.
For iOS users, you can delete Disney Plus by doing the following:
- On your home screen, find Disney Plus from the list.
- Next, tap and hold its app icon to open the options menu.
- Finally, tap the Remove App button to uninstall Disney Plus.
If you are using other devices, follow the guide below to help you out:
- Reinstall Disney Plus on Xbox One
- Remove Disney Plus on Roku Devices
- Uninstall Disney Plus on Apple TV
- Delete Disney Plus on PS4
Once done, reinstall the Disney Plus app on your device. Log back into your account and check if the subtitles are now working.
10. Turn Off VPN.
Virtual private networks or VPNs are third-party programs that protect your home and local connection. They work by making changes to your IP address to keep your identity private and secure.
However, this process makes it difficult for your device to maintain a stable connection with Disney Plus servers.
To fix this, turn off your VPN first before watching any Disney Plus shows.
On the other hand, you can also try other services like PureVPN.
Compared to other VPNs, it doesn’t interfere with your network connection and works well with other applications like Disney Plus, HBO Max, and Netflix.
Visit our dedicated guide on how you can use Disney Plus if you are outside the supported regions.
11. Check and Reset Your Internet.
Disney Plus requires a minimum internet speed of 5 Mbps to enjoy its services without problems. If Disney Plus subtitles or closed-captions are not working, it may indicate that your internet connection is running slow.
To verify this, run a test on your network using Fast.com to measure its current upload and download speed.
If the result shows that your network is the problem, restart your router to re-establish the link with your service provider’s servers. Unplug the power chord of your network router and wait for 10 seconds before plugging it back in.
Once done, perform another test to check if the restart solved the problem. If your internet connection continues to run slow, contact your ISP and ask them to fix the problem.
You can also inquire about an upgrade if your current plan is lower than the minimum bandwidth requirement.
12. Clear Your Browser Cache and Cookies.
Browsers store temporary data on your device, which are called caches and cookies. These are used to speed up website loading times and improve your browser’s overall performance. However, caches and cookies accumulate over time and get corrupted without any warnings.
If Disney Plus subtitles or closed-captions are not working, try clearing your browsing data to eliminate any corrupted files.
Check out the steps below to clear your browsing data:
- On your browser, click the Options button at the top right corner of your display and open Settings.
- Now, go to Privacy and Security and click on Clear Browsing Data.
- After that, change the Time Range to All Time and include caches and cookies in the process.
- Lastly, click the Clear Data button to proceed.
Once done, go back to Disney Plus and check if the problem is solved.
13. Report the Problem to Disney Plus.
At this point, we recommend that you step aside and let the experts take over the situation.
Go to Disney Plus’ Help Center and contact their support team to report the issue. When asking for help, make sure to provide all the details to speed up the process, including your account information, the device you are using, and the show you are trying to watch.
You can also browse the other guides from there, where you can find possible solutions.
This ends our guide in fixing the Disney Plus subtitles if they are not working on your device. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below, and we’ll do our best to answer them.
If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂
