Watching your favorite anime or international series on Crunchyroll is a seamless experience, but the addition of subtitles can transform it from enjoyable to essential. Whether you are hard of hearing, learning a new language, or simply prefer to follow along with the dialogue, activating captions is a straightforward process. This guide walks you through every method to turn on subtitles on Crunchyroll, ensuring you never miss a line again.
Understanding Subtitle Options on Crunchyroll
Before diving into the "how-to," it is important to understand the two distinct types of text available on the platform. Crunchyroll offers both subtitle tracks and closed captions, and confusing the two can lead to frustration. Subtitles are typically translations of the original audio into another language, allowing you to watch a Japanese show in English or Spanish. Closed captions, on the other hand, are a translation of the audio for the deaf and hard of hearing, often including sound effects like [Door creaks] or [Music swelling] to provide context. Depending on your device and the specific show, the method for enabling these can vary slightly.
How to Enable Subtitles on the Crunchyroll Website
Using the desktop browser is the most traditional way to watch Crunchyroll, and it provides the most control over your viewing settings. The process is intuitive and requires only a few clicks to get your text overlay working exactly how you want it.
Step-by-Step Desktop Instructions
Begin by navigating to Crunchyroll and signing into your account.
Start playing any video content you wish to watch.
Once the video loads, locate the "CC" button in the bottom right corner of the video player.
Click the "CC" button to turn on the default subtitles. If the button is highlighted, captions are active.
Click the gear icon next to the "CC" button to open Settings. Select "Subtitle / CC" to choose your preferred language or toggle additional accessibility features.
Subtitle Controls on the Crunchyroll Mobile App
The Crunchyroll app for iOS and Android is optimized for on-the-go viewing, but the subtitle controls are cleverly hidden behind a tap on the screen. Unlike the desktop version, there is no permanent "CC" button floating in the corner of the video.
Mobile Viewing Guide
Open the Crunchyroll app and select a video to play.
Tap anywhere on the video to reveal the playback controls.
Look for the "Dialog" icon, which usually looks three dots or lines stacked vertically, typically located in the top right corner of the screen.
Tap the "Dialog" icon to open the audio and subtitle menu.
Select the "Subtitle" or "CC" option and choose your desired language from the list.
Managing Subtitles on Streaming Devices
If you are casting your Crunchyroll content to a Smart TV, Roku, Fire Stick, or gaming console, the remote controls are often limited. Fortunately, the process for turning on subtitles is designed to be simple, though it varies slightly by device.
Universal Remote Shortcut
Most streaming devices utilize a standard remote layout. While watching a video, press the Up button on your remote. This action should reveal a translucent control bar over the video. Navigate to the "Settings" or "CC" icon, usually represented by a speech bubble or gear, and confirm your selection to turn on the text track.
