How to stop double subtitles on YouTube and set captions your way
Why some YouTube videos show two layers of subtitles, how to set captions on or off by default, and how to handle burned-in subtitles without losing captions you need.
A YouTube video can carry two kinds of text: closed captions you can switch with the CC button, and burned-in subtitles that are part of the picture. When both appear at once, only the captions can be turned off. Set your default in YouTube’s playback settings, use c to toggle captions on a single video, and reach for a caption extension only when you want rules per channel or automatic handling of burned-in subtitles.
You press play on a cooking video from Japan, a documentary clip, or a creator who adds their own on-screen text. Then two lines of subtitles stack on top of each other, sometimes in two languages, covering half the frame. Pressing CC fixes it until the next video, where the whole thing starts again.
The fix depends on which layer is in the way. Once you can tell them apart, most of the annoyance takes a minute to settle.
Why YouTube shows two layers of subtitles
| Layer | What you can do with it |
|---|---|
| Closed captions (CC), uploaded by the creator | Turn on or off, change language, restyle the font and background |
| Auto-generated captions | Turn on or off like other captions, but expect mistakes in names and jargon |
| Burned-in subtitles, rendered into the video image | Nothing. They are pixels, so the CC button cannot remove them |
- LayerClosed captions (CC), uploaded by the creator
- What you can do with itTurn on or off, change language, restyle the font and background
- LayerAuto-generated captions
- What you can do with itTurn on or off like other captions, but expect mistakes in names and jargon
- LayerBurned-in subtitles, rendered into the video image
- What you can do with itNothing. They are pixels, so the CC button cannot remove them
Double subtitles happen when a video has burned-in text and YouTube also shows a caption track over it. If you only want one layer, the caption track is the one you can switch off.
Set your default caption preference once
- 1Choose a default on desktop. Open your profile picture, go to Settings, then Playback and performance, and choose whether captions should always show and whether auto-generated captions are included.
- 2Toggle a single video with the keyboard. Press
cwhile the player is focused to switch captions for the video you are watching. - 3Make captions readable when you keep them. In the player, open Settings, then Subtitles/CC, then Options to change font size, colour, background, and window opacity. These become your default caption style.
- 4Repeat the setting on each device. Phones, smart TVs, and consoles keep their own caption settings, so a desktop change does not always follow you to the living room.
When one global setting is not enough
YouTube’s built-in setting is all or nothing. It works if you always want captions or never want them. It gets awkward when your viewing is mixed:
- You learn a language on some channels. You want captions on for those and off for everything else.
- You watch creators who burn in their own subtitles. Their videos look cluttered with captions on, while other videos need them.
- The two layers use different languages. Sometimes you want both, for example while studying. Sometimes you only want one.
- You share a computer. One person needs captions, another finds them distracting, and the default keeps flipping.
subtitle.im: detect burned-in subtitles and close duplicates
subtitle.im is an extension for desktop Chrome that manages the captions YouTube already has. You choose whether captions follow YouTube, open automatically, or close automatically. It also samples video frames and runs text recognition in your browser to spot burned-in subtitles, then closes, asks about, or keeps the caption track based on your settings, including a separate choice for when the two layers use different languages.
The free tier handles 10 videos per installation with no sign-up. Pro, at $17.99 a year or $29.99 once at the time of writing, adds unlimited videos plus rules per channel and per video. It does not generate or translate captions, and it cannot erase burned-in text. If it hides captions by mistake, you can restore them from its prompt or by pressing CC.
Check what a caption extension can see
Any extension that reads YouTube pages can see what you watch. Before installing one, spend two minutes on these checks:
- Read the permissions. It should need access to YouTube, not every site you visit.
- Check where processing happens. Prefer tools that recognise text locally instead of uploading frames or subtitle text to a server.
- Look at the update history and reviews. YouTube changes its player often, and an abandoned extension breaks quietly.
- Test the undo path. Make sure you can bring captions back in one click when detection guesses wrong.
Keep captions for the people who rely on them
For deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, captions are how the video works at all. If you share a device or set up YouTube for someone else, ask before turning captions off by default, and leave a visible way to switch them back. Automatic rules should make captions easier to live with, not harder to find.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t I turn off the subtitles on a YouTube video?
They are probably burned into the video image. The CC button only controls caption tracks, so burned-in subtitles stay visible no matter which setting you choose.
How do I make YouTube captions always on?
On desktop, open your profile picture, then Settings, then Playback and performance, and turn on the option to always show captions. You can also include auto-generated captions when no other track exists.
What is the keyboard shortcut for captions on YouTube?
Press c while the video player is focused. It turns captions on or off for the current video.
Can I turn captions on for some channels and off for others?
Not with YouTube’s built-in setting, which applies to every video. A caption extension with channel rules can do it in a desktop browser.
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Sources
- YouTube Help: Manage caption settings - official steps for turning captions on or off and changing the default caption style
- YouTube Help: Keyboard shortcuts - the official list of player shortcuts, including the caption toggle
- subtitle.im - caption modes, local burned-in subtitle detection, pricing, and limits