How it works
Closed captions can usually be turned on or off. Open captions are permanently visible in the picture. Streaming menus sometimes use the terms loosely, but labels such as SDH indicate subtitles designed for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.
What people often miss
Caption quality depends on timing, accuracy, speaker identification, and sound descriptions. Automatic captions can help, but professionally prepared tracks are generally more reliable.
Why this question comes up
Viewers encounter several language and accessibility tracks in modern streaming menus.
Key points
- Subtitles primarily translate or transcribe dialogue, while closed captions also identify speakers and describe meaningful sounds for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Closed captions can usually be turned on or off. Open captions are permanently visible in the picture. Streaming menus sometimes use the terms loosely, but labels such as SDH indicate subtitles designed for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.
- Caption quality depends on timing, accuracy, speaker identification, and sound descriptions. Automatic captions can help, but professionally prepared tracks are generally more reliable.
Bottom line
Subtitles primarily translate or transcribe dialogue, while closed captions also identify speakers and describe meaningful sounds for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Source and verification
This Answer was checked against Federal Communications Commission: Closed Captioning. Follow the source for the full official explanation and any later updates.