How to change the look of closed captions on Mac

How do you customize closed captions on the Mac? With accessibility settings!

Just like enabling closed captions on your TV, you can do the same in Accessibility on your Mac, and they'll be there for you when available. And you don't just have to stick with one style. If the default reverse text is too hard to read, you can switch it up to different presets or create your own.

Here's how!

• How to change the preset caption style
• How to create custom captions
• How to enable closed captions and SDH by default

How to change the preset caption style

1. Click the Apple menu button () on the top left of your screen.
2. Click System Preferences.

3. Click Accessibility.

   

4. Click Captions in the menu on the left. You'll have to scroll down just a bit.

5. Click one of the caption style options:

   • Default
   • Classic

   • Large Text

     

The window above the choices will preview each one so you can decide which works best for you.

How to create custom captions

1. Click the Apple menu button () on the top left of your screen.
2. Click System Preferences.

3. Click Accessibility.

   

4. Click Captions in the menu on the left. You'll have to scroll down just a bit.

5. Click the + button below the three style presets.

   

6. Enter a name for the style next to Style Name.
7. Click the dropdown menu next to Background Color.

8. Click a background color.

   

9. Click the dropdown menu next to Background Opacity.
10. Click an opacity option.
11. Click the dropdown menu next to Text Color.

12. Click a text color.

    

13. Click the dropdown menu next to Text Size.
14. Click a text size.
15. Click the dropdown menu next to Font.

16. Click a font.

    

17. Click the checkbox next to each dropdown menu to allow or deny video the ability to override each setting.

18. Click OK when you're finished.

    

How to enable closed captions and SDH by default

When available, you can use closed captions and subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH) by default.

1. Click the Apple menu button () on the top left of your screen.
2. Click System Preferences.

3. Click Accessibility.

   

4. Click Captions in the menu on the left. You'll have to scroll down just a bit.

5. Click the checkbox next to Prefer closed captions and SDH.

   

Questions?

Anything else you need to know? Sound off in the comments below!