How to Get Subtitles on Apollo Group TV, Device by Device

Subtitles make a big difference, whether you're watching in a noisy room, keeping the volume down while others sleep, following a film in another language or relying on captions because of hearing loss. If you're wondering how to get subtitles on Apollo Group TV, the answer depends on two things: whether the title or channel you're watching includes subtitles, and where the subtitle switch lives on your device and player.

How subtitles reach your screen explains why some titles have them and others don't, so that comes first. Then you'll find the switch for each device, settings that make subtitles easier to read, and fixes for when they don't appear.

How subtitles reach your screen

There are a few different kinds of subtitles, and they behave differently.

Subtitle tracks on on-demand titles

Films and series are often delivered with one or more subtitle tracks, for example English, Spanish or French, or subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH). When a title includes them, your player can show a list of tracks to choose from. When it doesn't, there's nothing to switch on.

Closed captions on live channels

Many broadcasters add closed captions to their live programmes. Captions are carried inside the video stream itself, and whether they're available depends on the broadcaster, the programme and the region. Some live channels carry captions for most of the day, some for certain shows only, and some not at all.

Burned-in subtitles

Some videos have subtitles permanently drawn onto the picture, for example foreign-language lines in an English film. These can't be turned off or restyled, and they appear on every device.

What this means in practice

• Not every title or channel includes subtitles. Availability depends on how each title or broadcast was delivered.
• Where they exist, your player decides how you switch them on. That's why the steps differ between devices.
• Device-wide caption settings help, but don't add subtitles that aren't there. They mainly control whether captions show by default and how they look.

Where to find subtitles during playback

On most devices and players, the subtitle option is in the playback controls:

1. Start playing the title or channel.
2. Bring up the controls. On a TV, press the select or OK button, or the down button, on your remote. On a phone or tablet, tap the screen once.
3. Look for a subtitles, captions or CC option, or a speech-bubble icon. Some players put subtitles together with audio tracks under a single Audio & Subtitles menu.
4. Choose a subtitle track. If there's a choice, pick the language you want, or SDH if you'd like sound descriptions too.

If the option is greyed out or the list only shows "Off", the title or channel you're watching doesn't currently include subtitles.

Turning on captions on each device

These system settings control captions for apps that use the device's built-in caption support, and the style they're shown in.

Fire TV

Go to Settings > Accessibility > Closed Captioning (on some models, Subtitles) and turn it on to show captions by default. In many apps you can also press the Menu button (three lines) on the remote during playback to open the subtitle options. The Accessibility settings also let you change the text size, color and background. Amazon describes these options in its Fire TV accessibility help.

If you use Apollo TV on a Fire TV, check the in-player options as well, as described in the previous section. Our Fire TV and Android TV guide covers installing the app.

Android TV and Google TV

Go to Settings > System > Accessibility > Captions (menu names vary between manufacturers), turn captions on and choose the language, text size and style. Google's caption settings help explains each option. Our guide to Apollo TV on Google TV covers Google TV setup.

Android phones and tablets

Go to Settings > Accessibility > Caption preferences (sometimes under Hearing enhancements), turn on captions and set the style. Apps that support system captions follow these settings. Setup is in our Android phone and tablet guide.

iPhone and iPad

Go to Settings > Accessibility > Subtitles & Captioning. Turn on Closed Captions + SDH if you'd like captions to appear by default when they're available, and use Style to change how they look. Apple explains these settings in its guide to subtitles and captions on iPhone. Many player apps also have a subtitle button during playback. Player setup is in our iPhone and iPad guide.

Apple TV

Go to Settings > Accessibility > Subtitles and Captioning and turn on Closed Captions and SDH. During playback, swipe down on the remote's touch surface to open the info panel, where many apps show subtitle and audio options. Our Apple TV guide covers player setup.

Windows and Mac

In the Apollo Group TV app on a computer, look for the subtitle or CC option in the player controls, as described above. On a Mac, caption styles can also be set under System Settings > Accessibility > Captions, and on Windows under Settings > Accessibility > Captions. Setup guides are on our Windows and Mac pages.

Subtitles in VLC

If you watch with an M3U playlist in VLC on a computer, subtitles are in the menu bar:

1. Play the stream.
2. Open the Subtitle menu (on a Mac, Subtitles) and choose Sub Track.
3. Pick a track from the list.

VLC's documentation covers subtitle options, including size and encoding settings. Our guide to using an M3U URL in VLC shows how to open the playlist in the first place.

Subtitles and audio language are separate settings

It's easy to mix up subtitles with the audio track, especially when a player shows both in one Audio & Subtitles menu.

• Audio track changes the spoken language you hear, when a title has more than one. Not every title offers a choice.
• Subtitle track changes the text shown on screen. It doesn't change what you hear.
• SDH subtitles add descriptions of sounds, such as "[door slams]" or "[music playing]", for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing.

If a film suddenly plays in the wrong language, check the audio track rather than the subtitles. If you hear the right language but see text in another, switch the subtitle track or turn subtitles off.

Using subtitles for language learning and with children

Subtitles aren't only an accessibility feature. Two common uses:

• Learning a language. Watching with the audio and subtitles in the language you're learning helps connect the spoken and written words. When it's too hard, keep the audio in that language and switch the subtitles to your own.
• Watching with children. Subtitles let younger viewers follow along with the volume lower, and many parents find they help early readers practise. Keep the text large, so it can be read from the sofa.

For both, look for titles in the on-demand library that list several subtitle tracks, since live channels usually carry one caption language at most.

Making subtitles easier to read

Default subtitles can be small or hard to read against a bright picture. Most devices let you change:

• Text size. Larger text is easier from across the room. Try one or two sizes up from the default on a TV.
• Background. A semi-transparent dark box behind the text keeps it readable over bright scenes.
• Color and edges. White or yellow text with a drop shadow or outline is the most readable for many people.
• Font. Simple sans-serif fonts are clearer at a distance.

These options live in the device's caption settings listed above. Some players also have their own subtitle style settings, which override the device's when they're used.

When subtitles don't appear

Check the title or channel itself

Try a different title or channel. If subtitles appear there, the first one simply doesn't include them. On live channels, captions can depend on the programme that's airing.

Check the in-player option, not just the device setting

Turning on captions in the device's settings doesn't always switch them on inside every app. Open the player controls during playback and look for the subtitle option there.

Pick the right track

Some titles have several tracks, including "Forced" tracks that only show foreign-language lines. If you see subtitles only occasionally, choose the full track for your language instead.

Update the app or player

Older versions can have bugs with subtitle tracks. See how to update Apollo Group TV, or updating on a Firestick for Fire TV.

Restart the stream

Stop playback and start it again. Subtitle tracks are read when playback starts, so switching tracks after a long session sometimes needs a fresh start.

Subtitles out of sync

If subtitles appear too early or too late on an on-demand title, try restarting playback. Some players, including VLC, have a subtitle delay setting that lets you shift them by small steps. If a particular title is consistently out of sync, report it.

Clear the app's cache

If subtitles stopped working on one device only, clearing the app's cache can help. Our guide to clearing cache on a Firestick shows how on Fire TV.

Reporting missing subtitles

If a title you'd expect to have subtitles doesn't, or subtitles stopped working everywhere, open a ticket from your dashboard through support. Include the title or channel name, the device and app you're using, whether subtitles worked before, and a photo of the player controls if you can. We can't promise subtitles for every title, because availability depends on how each one is delivered, but clear reports help us check what's going on.

Example scenario: captions for a household member with hearing loss

*An illustrative scenario based on common support questions, not a specific customer's account.*

In this scenario, a customer wanted captions on by default for a parent who is hard of hearing. On their Fire TV, they went to Settings > Accessibility, turned subtitles on, and changed the style to large yellow text on a dark background. For on-demand films, they used the subtitle option in the player controls to pick the SDH track whenever one was listed. On live news channels that carry captions, the captions appeared in the larger style they'd chosen. For titles without subtitle tracks, they knew there was nothing to switch on, which saved them from hunting through menus.

Frequently asked questions

Does Apollo Group TV have subtitles?

Many on-demand titles and live channels include subtitles or captions, but not all. Availability depends on how each title or broadcast is delivered. Where they exist, you turn them on from the player controls.

How do I turn on subtitles on Apollo TV on a Firestick?

During playback, open the player controls and look for the subtitles or CC option. You can also turn on subtitles and change their style under Settings > Accessibility on your Fire TV.

Why are there no subtitles on some channels?

Live captions are added by broadcasters and vary by channel, programme and region. If a channel or programme doesn't carry captions, there's nothing for the player to show.

Can I change the subtitle size?

Yes, on most devices. Look in the device's accessibility or caption settings for text size, color and background options.

Why do subtitles appear only for foreign-language lines?

You may have a "Forced" subtitle track selected. Choose the full subtitle track for your language from the player's subtitle menu.

Can I add my own subtitle files?

Some players on computers, such as VLC, can load a subtitle file you have for an on-demand video. Streaming apps on TVs generally don't support this.

How do I fix subtitles that are out of sync?

Restart playback first. If the player has a subtitle delay setting, adjust it in small steps. If a title is always out of sync, report it to support.

Conclusion

Getting subtitles on Apollo Group TV comes down to two checks: whether the title or channel includes them, and where your device and player put the switch. During playback, open the player controls and look for the subtitles, CC or Audio & Subtitles option. Then use your device's accessibility settings to make captions show by default and look the way you want.

If subtitles are missing where you'd expect them, work through the troubleshooting steps above, then contact our support team. For everything else, the Help Center brings every setup and troubleshooting guide together.