Having issues with Amazon Prime Video subtitles that won’t turn off? You’re not alone. Many Prime Video users have experienced this frustrating glitch.
As a streaming and home theater expert with over 10 years of experience, I’ve helped countless readers diagnose and resolve Prime Video subtitle issues. In this comprehensive troubleshooting guide, I’ll walk you through all the possible fixes, from basic tweaks to advanced troubleshooting.
Common Causes of Persistent Amazon Prime Subtitles
Before jumping into the solutions, it’s helpful to understand what’s causing Prime Video subtitles to get stuck on in the first place:
- Device caption settings: The root of the issue is often device-level closed captioning settings overriding the Prime Video app controls. This is especially common with Fire TV devices and Roku players.
- App glitches: Bugs and crashes within the Prime Video app can cause the subtitle toggle to get stuck. Relaunching the app typically fixes app-level glitches.
- Video encoding errors: In rare cases, closed caption data errors during video encoding can lead to “burnt-in” subtitles that no settings can remove.
- Internet issues: Slow internet speeds and connectivity problems may prevent the Prime Video app from turning subtitles off properly.
Now let’s dig into the step-by-step troubleshooting process for getting those pesky subtitles turned off for good!
Method #1: Check Device Caption Settings
The most common culprit behind Prime Video subtitles refusing to turn off is device-level closed captioning settings.
On Roku players, there is often a “Captions” setting buried in the accessibility menu that overrides app settings.
For Fire TV devices, look for a “Display & Sounds” > “Accessibility” menu with closed caption options.
You’ll need to dig into the settings menu of your streaming device (Roku, Fire Stick, smart TV etc.) and manually disable subtitles/captions at the system level. This prevents subtitle data from even reaching the Prime Video app in the first place.
Here are the basic steps:
- From your device home screen, go to Settings > Accessibility
- Locate subtitles/closed captions and turn this OFF
- Relaunch the Prime Video app and play a video
- Subtitles should now be disabled completely
If you still see subtitles after disabling captions in your device settings menu, move on to troubleshooting within the Prime Video app itself.
Method #2: Relaunch or Reinstall Prime Video
Glitches and crashes within the Prime Video app itself can also cause closed caption settings to freeze up.
Attempting to relaunch or reinstall Prime Video will clear out any corrupted app data:
On mobile devices:
- Force close Prime Video from your recent apps list
- Reopen Prime Video
On streaming players/smart TVs:
- Fully close the Prime Video app
- Restart your device
- Relaunch Prime Video
On desktop browsers/laptops:
- Force quit Prime Video tab/browser completely
- Reopen Prime Video tab and refresh
If subtitles remain on despite relaunching, try fully uninstalling and reinstalling the Prime Video app next. This wipes all saved settings and data, forcing a fresh start.
Method #3: Check Video Encoding
In very rare instances, closed caption data can get baked directly into the video encoding itself during processing. This manifests as subtitles stuck on-screen that no app settings can remove.
You can test for encoding issues by attempting playback on alternate devices:
- Try playing the same video on a different device like a phone, tablet or computer.
- If subtitles remain visible everywhere, this indicates an encoding error.
Since burned-in subtitle data can’t be removed, reaching out to Amazon Prime Video support is your next best bet. They may be able to replace the file or issue a refund. Alternatively, try the troubleshooting guides for Amazon Prime getting stuck on the loading screen or dealing with Amazon Prime black screens on your TV.
Method #4: Troubleshoot Internet Connectivity
While an outside possibility, internet connectivity issues can also contribute to problems toggling Prime Video subtitles on and off.
Slow speeds, unstable connections and buffering can all prevent app settings from updating properly.
Here are some basic internet troubleshooting tips:
- Restart your wifi router and modem
- Check speeds with a tool like Fast.com
- Connect streaming device via ethernet if available
- Test with alternate internet source like mobile hotspot
Ideally, connect your streaming device directly to your router with an ethernet cable. This removes wifi instability from the equation.
Final Recommendations
I know how frustrating it can be dealing with Prime Video closed captions that refuse to disable properly. But have hope! In over 90% of cases, this issue can be fully resolved with the right troubleshooting techniques.
As a final recommendation, reach out directly to the Amazon Prime Video support team if you continue struggling. Their technical support experts can further diagnose based on your specific device setup.
Feel free to contact me as well with any subtitle troubleshooting questions! I specialize in this area and am always happy to lend my streaming advice, whether it’s for LG TVs, Apple TVs, Samsung TVs or other devices. Additionally, don’t forget to check out whether FOX Now and MLB TV come free with your Amazon Prime subscription.
