Netflix adds new subtitle options for US viewers
The change debuted with the release of Season 5 of ‘You,’ and will eventually extend to all new Netflix originals in every available language.
WASHINGTON — Nearly half of all Netflix viewing hours in the U.S. involve subtitles or captions, and now the streaming service is giving viewers a new way to personalize the experience.
Netflix recently introduced a new subtitle option that launched with the final season of “You.”
Under the new feature, viewers will see two English subtitle options: “English,” which shows only spoken dialogue and “English (CC),” which includes additional audio cues and speaker names for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SDH/CC).
Previously, users who wanted subtitles in the original language had to rely only on Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing settings, which include not just dialogue but also sound descriptions like [phone buzzing] or [dramatic music swells]. The new dialogue-only option removes those elements, offering a cleaner reading experience for people who just want subtitles for spoken words.
The change debuted on April 24 with the release of Season 5 of “You,” and will eventually extend to all new Netflix originals in every available language, according to the streaming giant.
For now, the new subtitle option will first be appearing on new titles coming to Netflix, but that could change in the future. Netflix is “actively exploring ways to expand this option to existing titles over time,” spokesperson Dorian Rosenburg told The Verge.
The update adds to Netflix’s existing subtitle customization features, which already allowed viewers to adjust size and font. Users can update their settings in Netflix’s language picker, which may be found under “Audio & Subtitles” or the on-screen speech bubble icon.