How to Turn On Closed Captions on Peacock

Peacock lets you switch captions on or off from the video player while a title is playing. The option sits in the player controls rather than in a separate settings app. Its exact label and icon can differ between TV apps, streaming devices, mobile apps and web browsers. This guide covers turning captions on, confirming they work, and fixing common caption problems.

Before you start

Captions on Peacock are not generated on your device. Peacock streams the caption tracks along with each title, so you need a signed-in Peacock account, a working internet connection, and the Peacock app or a supported web browser. Nothing has to be downloaded or installed separately.

• Check that the title offers captions. Availability and caption languages vary by program, and live events may handle captions differently from on-demand shows.
• Update the Peacock app on your TV, streaming device or phone, or refresh the browser tab, so the player controls match the current version.
• Know whether your TV or streaming device has its own system-wide caption setting. That setting can affect what you see in Peacock, independently of the in-app option.
• Decide whether you want closed captions or subtitles. Closed captions usually also describe sounds and identify speakers. Subtitles usually show dialogue only. Where both exist, the track names in the menu tell them apart.

Step-by-step instructions

The basic process is the same on every platform: start playback, open the player controls, then pick a caption track. Only the way you bring up the controls changes from device to device.

• Open Peacock and start playing the movie, episode or event you want to watch.
• Bring up the player controls. On a TV or streaming device, press the select or OK button on the remote, or press up or down. On a phone or tablet, tap the screen once. In a browser, move the mouse over the video.
• Look for the captions option. It is usually a speech-bubble icon or a menu labelled for audio and subtitles. On some layouts it sits near the edge of the screen alongside the other playback icons.
• Select it and choose a caption or subtitle track, for example English or an English CC track if one is listed.
• Close the menu or go back to the video. Playback continues with captions shown.
• To turn captions off, open the same menu and choose Off.

The steps are fully reversible, and changing the track does not affect your account or downloaded content. Whether your choice carries over to the next episode or another device depends on the app and device. Treat that as something to confirm, not something to rely on.

Caption appearance, such as text size, color and background, is not handled the same way everywhere. Some devices apply caption styling from their own accessibility or caption settings, and some players offer their own style options. If you want larger or higher-contrast text, check the caption menu in the Peacock player first, then your device's accessibility settings. Confirm the result on screen, because not every app follows the system style.

Check the output

• Skip to a scene with dialogue and make sure text appears on screen.
• Check that the language matches the track you selected.
• Watch for timing. Captions should appear roughly as the lines are spoken, not well before or after.
• If you chose a closed caption track, look for sound descriptions or speaker labels to confirm it is not a dialogue-only subtitle track.
• Start the next episode or another title and see whether captions stay on, so you know whether you need to re-enable them each time.

Caption quality depends on the track Peacock provides for that title. Live programming can have captions that lag behind speech or contain more errors than captions prepared for on-demand content. Line breaks and placement may also differ between devices.

Common problems and next steps

Captions option missing: make sure the full player controls are showing, not just a progress bar. If an ad is playing, wait until the program resumes and open the controls again. If the option is still absent, the title may not have a caption track. Try another title to compare.

Captions will not turn off: first set the track to Off in the Peacock player. If text keeps appearing, check your TV's or streaming device's own caption or accessibility setting. A system-level setting can keep captions on, or show a second set of captions over the video, regardless of the in-app choice.

Captions out of sync or frozen: stop playback and start the title again, or turn captions off and back on. In a browser, reload the page. On a TV or streaming device, close and reopen the app, update it if an update is available, and restart the device if the problem continues.

Wrong language or captions reset each time: reopen the caption menu and pick the correct track for the title you are watching. If the setting does not carry over between episodes or devices, re-select it at the start of each session.

If none of these steps help, sign out of Peacock and sign back in. Then contact Peacock support with your device model, app version and the title where captions failed, so they can check whether the issue is with the device or the content.