Hulu offers its subscribers optional subtitles for their titles which are customizable in many ways. You can easily edit many subtitles characteristics, including font, text size, and opacity. Subscribers can also implement these settings through Hulu on a desktop, smart TV, or mobile streaming device.

How to Turn Subtitles On or Off on Hulu (Desktop)

To turn subtitles on or off through the Hulu website on a desktop, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to Hulu.com.
  2. Log into your account.
  3. Select a title and allow it to begin playing.
  4. Select the Settings icon in the lower right-hand corner.
  5. Click Subtitles & Audio.
  6. Choose a language available for that tile, or select off based on your preferences.
  7. When you exit the menu, Hulu will automatically save your selection.
Hulu Subtitle Menu with English selected

How to Turn Subtitles On or Off on Hulu (Mobile)

You can also enable subtitles with the Hulu app for Android or iOS. To access subtitle settings, take these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Hulu app on your mobile.
  2. Log into your account.
  3. Play the title you want.
  4. Tap the Settings icon.
  5. Select Auto, On, or Off in the Subtitles & Captions section.
  6. Tap the X icon to save your selection and continue watching the content.

If you want to add more descriptions to your viewing experience, try enabling audio subscriptions on Hulu.

How to Turn Subtitles On or Off on Hulu (Smart TV)

Enjoying Hulu on a smart TV? Subtitles can be enabled or disabled directly on your TV by following these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Hulu app on your smart TV.
  2. Log into your account if needed.
  3. Select the title you want to watch.
  4. Press the up button on your remote or swipe down on your remote to open the playback bar.
  5. Select the Settings Menu.
  6. Select Captions & Subtitles.
  7. Select On or Off based on your preferences.
  8. When you exit the menu, Hulu will automatically save your selection.

Dislike the time it takes to watch commercial breaks on Hulu? Try watching Hulu with no ads.

How to Format and Customize Hulu Subtitles (Desktop)

Using subtitles is one thing. But Hulu lets you change different elements of the appearance of subtitles based on the device you are using. These format customizations include font, style, color, and size of closed captions which can enhance the user experience.

To set customized closed captions on a Desktop, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to Hulu.com.
  2. Select a title and allow it to begin playing.
  3. Select the Settings icon.
  4. Click Subtitles & Audio icon.
  5. Select Settings.
  6. Adjust your subtitles to whatever you want, and tap Done to save your selections.

Hulu Subtitle Customization Option Menu with font choices

Within the settings menu, you will be able to adjust any of these format settings:

  • Font.
  • Text Color.
  • Text Size.
  • Text Opacity.
  • Shadow Style.
  • Background Opacity.
  • Background Color.
  • Transition.

How to Format and Customize Hulu Subtitles (Mobile)

You can still change and format your subtitles using the Hulu app, but the steps will change depending on what operating system you use.

How to Format and Customize Hulu Subtitles on iOS

If you are attempting to set formatting preferences with an iOS device, you'll need to go to your device's settings and do the following:

  1. Open the Settings app on your mobile device.
  2. Select Accessibility.
  3. Go to Subtitles & Captioning.
  4. Tap Style.
  5. Select a preset style, or select Create New Style and adjust the following:
    • Font.
    • Text Size.
    • Text Color.
    • Background Opacity.
    • Background Color.
    • Edge Style.
    • Highlight.
  6. When you're done, tap Save.

Once you have saved these closed caption preferences, they will automatically be put into effect when watching Hulu on your iOS device.

How to Format and Customize Hulu Subtitles on Android

If you are using any Android or Fire tablet device, you will only be able to edit the text size or caption style. To do so, take these steps:

  1. Select Account on your mobile device.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Tap Subtitles & Captions.
  4. Choose Text Size or Caption Style.
  5. Exit the Settings Menu to save your selections.

How to Format and Customize Hulu Subtitles (Smart TV)

To set customized closed captions on a Smart TV, take the following steps:

  1. From the Hulu home page, select the Account icon.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Select Subtitles & Captions.
  4. Adjust closed captions to fit your formatting preference.
  5. Select the back button on the remote to save your preferences

Customize Your Hulu Experience With Subtitles

Hulu's customizable subtitles allow for more accessibility as well as a personal preference to be implemented within your streaming experience. While many streaming services let you enable or disable subtitles, Hulu goes one step further by allowing subscribers to customize many formatting settings for subtitles.