Closed Captioning vs Subtitles: What is the Difference?

Hey there, today we are learning about closed captioning vs. subtitles, the difference between closed captions and subtitles, and how they improve the accessibility of a video content.

Have you ever been super into a foreign movie with subtitles on, totally glued to the TV, and then… the characters start panicking, but the subtitles… don’t explain why. Then, a few moments later, the camera shows a guy at the door. Oh, so, the doorbell rang! But the subtitles didn’t tell you – leaving you confused momentarily.

Subtitles and captions are not the same thing—even though everyone acts like they are. And knowing the difference between captions and subtitles is not about being pedantic – it’s about making sure no one misses out on the content of the video.

So… what IS the difference between closed captioning vs. subtitles?

Let’s chat about closed captions vs. subtitles, what each one does, why they matter, and how to use them so everyone gets the full experience when watching a video.

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Clarifying Captioning And Subtitle Terms

First, let’s clarify captioning and subtitle terms. Many countries around the world (like the UK), refer to on-screen dialogues as subtitles. US viewers call them captions.

US viewers define subtitles as a translation of the spoken foreign language into the viewer’s language. So, any foreign language film or video airing in America will have English subtitles.

I hope it makes sense till now.

Closed Captions vs. Subtitles: What Is The Difference?

Other countries call captions “subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing SDH.” But people in the US treat captions and subtitles as two separate things.

Let me explain while keeping things simple. Captions are for people who cannot hear the audio and Subtitles are for people who do not understand the language.

Captions

Captions are the transcription of speech and non-speech audio information in a video. They display the same language as is spoken in the video.

Captions include dialogues, sounds, speaker identification, music, and voice changes. They appear in white text with a black background and can be turned on / off.

Captions have two types, Open and Closed Captions. Open captions are also called burned-in, baked-on, or hard-coded captions. This is because they are embedded in the video and therefore, cannot be turned off.
Closed captioning (CC) can be turned on and off. This is because closed captions often come in a separate .srt file.

Captions assume that the viewer cannot hear a thing, so they over-explain the video content– in a good way!

Subtitles

Subtitles are the translation of speech of a video in a different language. They do not include music, speaker identification, song lyrics, or voice changes of the video content.

For example, if you’re watching a Spanish rom-com with subtitles, you’ll get the translated dialogue… but that is it.

Subtitles assume you can hear the video and just need help understanding the words. They appear in yellow or white text with no background. Subtitles cannot be turned on or off; viewers will see them if they are available with the video.

Subtitles have different types but SDH, Non-SDH and Forced Narrative Subtitles (FN) are the most popular ones.

So the main difference between captions and subtitles is that captions include everything. Subtitles, on the other hand, only translate spoken dialogues.

Why You Should Use Subtitles?

Subtitles are best for breaking the language barriers for the video. They can make content accessible to a global audience by translating it into different languages.

Think about Netflix’s Squid Game. Would it have blown up worldwide without subtitles? Probably not.

Subtitles are also excellent if you are trying to learn a new language and watching a movie to improve your speaking skills (Duolingo can’t teach you how to swear in Spanish, but subtitles of telenovela villain can, am I right? 😉).

Interesting Read: The Best Subtitle Font for Your Videos

Problems with Subtitles

Subtitles skip the sound effects. So, if a door slams or a phone rings… you’re on your own. That’s why pairing them with captions can be magic—more on that later.

Secondly, if a dialogue is spoken in the viewer’s preferred language, subtitles do not display it. For example, if you are watching a Japanese film with subtitles, any dialogue spoken in the English language will not be displayed. This, however, can be resolved if captions are turned on.

Another challenge with using subtitles is readability. They appear with no background, and if the yellow or white color does not contrast well with the colors in the scene, it can strain the viewer’s experience for some, if not all.

Why You Should Use Closed Captions?

Closed captioning engages all sorts of viewers with its in-depth description of the video content, particularly in genres like horror or crime drama. In the US, laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) require captions for public videos. So, yeah, they’re kind of a big deal.

Even if you can hear, closed captions are clutch. Watching a video at the gym with blaring music? Check. Trying not to wake your roommate at 2 a.m. while binge-watching Stranger Things? Double-check. Plus, from an SEO perspective, closed captions make your content easier to find online. Google reads captions, so your videos pop up in searches.

Closed captions are best for providing a more personalized experience to the viewer because you can turn them on and off, change their appearance and position on screen.

It is said that good captions are boring but this is because they make reading effortless.

Problems with Closed Captioning

Captions are mostly accused of using up the video because they explain everything happening and have a black background.

Sometimes, captions cover the subtitles and become irritating because you cannot read the translation of the dialogue. Here is an example: the speaker is speaking Spanish, and the subtitles are translating it, but the captions are overlapping the subtitles.

Captions are almost always in white color. But sometimes, the content creators write them on a white background instead of black or with no background. And, sometimes they are displayed in CAPS to distinguish them from subtitles. This makes them far from readable.

These problems lead to bad captions which are mockingly referred to as Craptions. 😂

Which One Should I Use? Closed Captions Or Subtitles

Depends on your crowd! Depends on who is watching!

Use closed captions if your viewers might miss the audio or if you want to be ADA-compliant. Horror movies, action flicks, anything with vibes that rely on sound?

Use subtitles if your audience speaks another language and needs translated dialogues. Subtitles will help it find fans worldwide.

Viewers find closed captions more readable while subtitles are readable due to their appearance.

But why not use both? Shows like Bridgerton do this brilliantly. They use captions for whispers and sound effects and subtitles when characters switch to Italian or French. Everyone wins!

Feature	CC	Subtitles
Text Transcribed	All	Dialogues Only
Dialogue Translation	Limited / None	All dialogues
Audience Assumption	Deaf / Hard-of-Hearing	Hearing
In Source Language	Yes	Sometimes
Text to Video Synchronization	Yes	Yes
Can be turned on & off	Yes	Sometimes
Music & sound effects	Yes	No
Speaker identification	Yes	No
Characters per line	32–42
Appearance	White text on black background	Yellow or white
Placement	Varies – usually bottom centered	Varies – usually bottom centered

What’s The Difference Between English Subtitles And Closed Captioning?

The main difference between English subtitles and closed captioning (CC) is their purpose and content:

English Subtitles

Used for translating foreign films in English Language.
Only display translation of spoken dialogue (what is said).
Assume the viewer can hear.

English Closed Captions (CC)

Used for native-English or learner viewers who cannot hear to watch a movie or show in a foreign language.
Include spoken dialogue plus sound effects, speaker identifications, and background noises (e.g., [door creaks], [music playing], [laughter]).
Can usually be turned on or off.

Tips for Accessible Subtitles And Closed Captioning

The key to good subtitles and closed captioning is they are both easy to read. They are well in sync with the scene and play nice together by not overlapping each other. Accessible captions and subtitles ensure viewers know what is said and heard in the scene, who said it and how they said it.

Accessible captions capture everything for the best viewing experience, whether your content is unilingual or contains multiple languages. Viewers need to know about sounds and voice changes. They need to know who is speaking when it is not obvious in the scene or the dialogue is too fast.

It is important to caption the dialogues in the viewer’s language if the movie or show is in a different language. It is necessary for viewers who don’t have the sound on or who cannot hear the dialogue; they won’t know what is said.

Another important thing to remember is that some viewers may have the captions turned on while others don’t. Best captions and subtitles ensure no one is left behind whether the captions are on or off.

Best captions and subtitles never leave any viewer behind.

To generate subtitles and supertitles to your video, use SubtitleBee. Login for free and check out how this AI-powered subtitle generator and video caption generator gives you so many different options to add subtitles to video with only a few clicks.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, captions and subtitles are not about checking a box. They are about making sure everyone can enjoy the content. So next time you post a video, ask yourself: Could someone miss out because of this? If the answer is yes, take the extra few minutes to add closed captions or subtitles. Trust me, your viewers will notice.

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FAQs

Are Captions And Subtitles The Same Thing?

No, captions include sound descriptions for the hearing impaired, while subtitles only translate dialogue.

Why Are Subtitles Called CC?

CC (Closed Captions) and subtitles are often confused because both display text on the screen, but they serve different purposes. The main reasons for the confusion are:

Similar Appearance – Both look like text overlays on a video, so people assume they serve the same function.
Streaming Platforms Merge Them – Many platforms, like Netflix and YouTube, use “CC” and “Subtitles” interchangeably or list them under the same menu.
Lack of Awareness – Many viewers don’t realize that subtitles are for those who can hear but need translation or clarity, while CC is for those who cannot hear and includes non-speech elements.
Automatic Captions (Craptions!) – Many auto-generated captions (often labeled as “CC”) are just plain subtitles, making people think they’re the same thing.

What Is The Difference Between Open Captions And Subtitles?

Open captions are permanently embedded in the video and cannot be turned off, while subtitles can often be toggled on or off.

What Is The Difference Between Subtitles And Surtitles?

Subtitles appear in videos, while Surtitles are displayed above or beside a stage during live performances like operas.

Why Is It Called Subtitles?

Stack Exchange very interestingly defines subtitles as “A subordinate title of a published work or article giving additional information about its content” in its article, Why movie captions are called subtitles?

Closed Captioning vs Subtitles: What is the Difference?

Table of contents

Clarifying Captioning And Subtitle Terms