Turning off closed captions on Snapchat is easy once you know where to find the setting. Snapchat added closed captioning in 2018 to make videos more accessible for deaf and hard-of-hearing users. While having captions available is great for accessibility, sometimes users just want to watch Snapchat videos without any text on the screen.
Where is the closed captioning setting in Snapchat?
The closed captioning setting is located in Snapchat’s Settings menu. To access it:
- Open the Snapchat app.
- Tap your profile icon in the top left corner.
- Tap the Settings (gear) icon in the top right corner.
- Scroll down and tap “Captions.”
This will open the Captions settings screen where you can turn captions on or off.
How to turn off closed captioning
Once you’re in the Captions screen:
- Tap the switch next to “Captions” so it turns grey and moves to the left. This turns it off.
That’s it! Snapchat’s closed captioning feature is now disabled. You’ll no longer see captions on any Snapchat videos.
Additional closed caption settings
While you’re in the Captions settings, there are a few other options you can customize:
- Caption Style – Choose between 3 styles: Classic, Serif, and Marker.
- Caption Size – Select Small, Default, or Large size.
- Text Color – Pick between White, Black, Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Violet, and Cyan.
These additional settings allow you to customize the appearance of captions if you want them on, but not the default look.
Turning captions back on
If you want to re-enable closed captioning on Snapchat down the road, just go back to Settings > Captions and tap the switch next to “Captions” so it turns white and moves to the right. This turns captions back on.
Who uses Snapchat’s closed captions?
Snapchat introduced closed captioning as a way to make videos more accessible for deaf and hard-of-hearing users. Here are some examples of people who use Snapchat’s closed captioning feature:
- Deaf users who rely on captions to understand video content.
- Hard-of-hearing users who need captions to aid their comprehension.
- Users watching videos in loud places like bars, concerts, etc.
- Users watching videos without sound in quiet environments like libraries, classrooms, offices, etc.
- Users watching videos in a second language they may not fully understand through audio alone.
- Young Snapchat users who are still learning to read and find captions helpful.
While not everyone needs to use Snapchat’s closed captions, they provide an invaluable accessibility feature for many. Captions allow deaf and hard-of-hearing Snapchatters to enjoy videos and follow along with conversations they otherwise may not be able to understand.
How Snapchat’s closed captions work
When enabled, Snapchat automatically detects speech in videos and generates captions in real-time. The technology behind Snapchat’s closed captions includes:
- Speech recognition – An AI system transcribes speech from videos into text.
- Natural language processing – Contextual awareness to correctly identify speech and convert into readable captions.
- Machine learning – Improves speech recognition and caption accuracy over time.
This automated system allows Snapchat to add captions to millions of videos without needing human transcribers. The captions may not always be 100% accurate due to the limits of current speech recognition technology, but they provide helpful supplementary text for many situations.
Closed captioning on other social apps
Snapchat isn’t the only social media app to offer closed captioning. Here are some other popular apps that support closed captions for videos:
| App | Closed Caption Support? |
|---|---|
| Yes | |
| Yes | |
| Yes | |
| TikTok | Yes |
| YouTube | Yes |
Most major social media platforms now offer closed captioning due to its importance for accessibility. The availability of captions opens up social media video content to millions of additional users. As speech recognition technology continues improving, closed captions will likely become even more accurate and widespread.
Troubleshooting closed caption issues
Snapchat’s closed captions rely on AI, so they won’t always be perfect. Here are some common issues users might encounter with Snapchat’s closed captions, along with troubleshooting tips:
Captions aren’t showing up
- Make sure closed captioning is enabled in your Snapchat Settings.
- Try restarting the Snapchat app if captions still don’t appear.
- The video may not have detectable speech. Some videos don’t work as well with captions.
Captions are inaccurate
- Imperfect transcription is common with AI-generated captions.
- Background noise, mumbling, accents, and mics can impact accuracy.
- Restarting the video may help if captions are way off.
Captions are lagging behind speech
- This occurs as the speech recognition processes in real-time.
- Internet connection impacts processing time and caption speed.
- Faster devices and connectivity improves the delay.
Captions aren’t styled as expected
- Double check your caption style, size, and color settings.
- Restarting Snapchat can refresh the styling if they’re glitched.
While imperfect, Snapchat’s closed captions are still useful for many situations. The technology and accuracy is constantly evolving to improve the user experience.
Conclusion
Turning off closed captioning on Snapchat only takes a tap in your app’s Settings. While captions are incredibly useful for some, others may want to disable them at times. Beyond simply turning captions on or off, Snapchat also provides styling options to customize their appearance. Troubleshooting issues with closed captions on Snapchat typically involves checking Settings, restarting the app, or recognizing the inherent limits in current speech recognition capabilities. As the technology progresses, closed captions will likely continue improving and becoming an increasingly common accessibility feature across social media.