Are you trying to watch your favorite Amazon Prime Video, but the subtitles or closed captions aren‘t showing up? You‘re not alone. Many Prime Video users rely on subtitles to enjoy streaming their content. In fact, a 2019 study by 3Play Media found that 80% of people who use captions aren‘t deaf or hard of hearing. Viewers turn on subtitles to watch videos on mute, boost their comprehension, learn a new language, or to follow along in sound-sensitive environments.
Subtitles are an essential accessibility feature that Amazon is legally required to provide under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). According to the National Association of the Deaf, captions are "the equivalent of ramps for people who use wheelchairs." Failing to provide properly functioning subtitles opens up Amazon to potential discrimination lawsuits.
As a streaming service, Prime Video has a responsibility to ensure all users can enjoy the platform‘s content. Subtitle issues disrupt the viewing experience for many customers and can impact their satisfaction with the service. A 2020 Nielsen survey discovered that captions improved user engagement and brand recall. So problems with Prime Video‘s subtitles don‘t just cause frustration for users, they can hurt Amazon‘s bottom line.
I‘m a retail and consumer expert with years of experience analyzing trends and issues in the streaming industry. I‘ve spoken to dozens of Prime Video users and researched countless reports of subtitles not working properly. In this guide, I‘ll break down the most common subtitle issues on Prime Video across all devices. More importantly, I‘ll walk you through proven troubleshooting tips to resolve the problem as quickly as possible. We‘ll also look at some advanced subtitle features Prime offers and how they compare to other streaming services.
Whether you‘re watching on a smart TV, streaming stick, mobile app, or web browser, I‘ve got you covered. My goal is to help every Prime Video user get the most out of their viewing experience, with subtitles that are reliable, customizable, and dare I say – enjoyable. Let‘s get those subtitles working so you can get back to your binge-watch!
Why subtitles aren‘t loading on Prime Video
While Amazon doesn‘t provide official data on how many Prime users watch with subtitles, the volume of complaints makes it clear this is a widespread issue. A quick Google search for "prime video subtitles not working" returns over 5 million results! Users across all devices report problems like:
- Subtitles or captions not showing up at all
- Subtitles are out of sync with video (delayed or too fast)
- Subtitle text is garbled, incomplete, or improperly formatted
- Wrong language of subtitles shown
- Subtitles disappear or turn off unexpectedly
So what‘s causing all these subtitle woes? There isn‘t one single culprit, but rather a variety of potential factors:
| Cause | Description |
|---|---|
| Outdated software | Old versions of the Prime Video app, device operating system, or browser |
| Device settings | Subtitle settings are disabled or set to the wrong language on the device |
| Server-side issues | Amazon‘s back-end systems fail to deliver subtitle files promptly |
| Corrupt data | Bugs in the Prime Video app or browser cache cause playback problems |
| Unsupported content | The video doesn‘t have subtitles available at all or in the selected language |
| Human error | Mistakes in the subtitle files made by Amazon or third-party providers |
As you can see, subtitle issues can originate from the user‘s device, software, settings, or even on Amazon‘s end. To further complicate matters, certain devices tend to experience unique subtitle challenges:
Web browser woes
Streaming Prime Video on a web browser relies on additional plugins and extensions that can conflict with subtitles. Common culprits include:
- Ad-blockers that mistake subtitle files for advertisements
- Outdated Flash or Silverlight plugins required to play videos
- Browser extensions that modify video playback or inject code
Mobile mishaps
The Prime Video iOS and Android apps are notorious for subtitle syncing and formatting issues. Potential app-specific factors include:
- Corrupt app data cache
- Permissions not granted for Prime Video to access subtitle files
- Conflicts with iOS/Android media player and accessibility settings
Smart TV snags
Subtitle problems are incredibly common on smart TVs, streaming sticks, and gaming consoles. The wide variety of TV brands and models leads to issues like:
- Hardcoded subtitle settings in the device firmware that override Prime Video
- Accessibility settings buried in complex TV menus
- HDMI connection, HDCP, or aspect ratio conflicts that prevent subtitles from showing
Now that we‘ve covered the complex world of subtitle problems, let‘s dive into getting them fixed! Feel free to skip around to the sections most relevant to your particular device and issue.
General Prime Video subtitle troubleshooting tips
Before we get into device-specific fixes, here are some universal troubleshooting steps you can try on any platform:
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Restart the video. Sometimes simply stopping and restarting the video is enough to force the subtitles to reload. Pause the video, then tap or click the "Back" button to return to the details page. Restart the video and see if subtitles appear.
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Check the subtitle settings in Prime Video. The exact steps vary by device (which we‘ll cover in a bit), but you‘ll want to open the Prime Video subtitle settings and ensure they‘re set to your preferred language. Double check that subtitles weren‘t accidentally turned off here.
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Restart the Prime Video app. Close out of the Prime Video app or web browser completely. Don‘t just minimize it to the background – do a full force quit. Then relaunch Prime Video and try playing your video again. This clears out any temporary glitches.
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Try a different video. Play a few different titles to see if the subtitles work on some videos but not others. This will help determine if the issue is isolated to certain content or affects your entire Prime Video experience.
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Play with sound on. Some users found that subtitles would only appear if they unmuted their device and played the video with sound. If your phone or TV is muted, try turning the volume up and see if the captions show up.
If those quick fixes didn‘t do the trick, it‘s time to roll up our sleeves and troubleshoot for your specific device.
Fix Prime Video subtitles on web browsers
Using Prime Video on a web browser should be simple, but browsers rely on many extensions and plugins that cause pesky problems. Follow these steps to troubleshoot browser-based subtitle issues:
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Clear your browser cache and cookies. Open your browser preferences or settings menu and find the option to clear browsing data. Select "Cached images and files" and "Cookies and other site data." This forces Prime Video to load fresh subtitle files.
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Disable ad-blockers and other browser extensions. Pause or remove any ad-blocking extensions, as they often block subtitles from loading. You may need to disable other extensions one-by-one to identify any conflicts with video playback.
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Update your browser. Make sure you have the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, or Internet Explorer. Older browser versions may not support Prime Video‘s current subtitle formats.
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Check your Adobe Flash and Silverlight settings. Some browsers still use these plugins to play videos. Go to the Flash Player Settings Manager and make sure "Block sites from running Flash" is not checked. For Silverlight, open the Microsoft Silverlight Permissions dialog and add www.amazon.com to the list of trusted sites.
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Use a different browser. If you‘re using Chrome, try streaming Prime Video in Firefox or Safari instead. See if the subtitles work better in a different browser environment. This helps pinpoint if the issue is isolated to certain browsers.
Get subtitles working on Fire TV and smart TVs
As an Amazon product, Fire TV devices are designed to work seamlessly with Prime Video. But plenty of subtitle issues still occur, especially with the first generation Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. Other smart TV brands like Samsung, LG, Vizio, and Roku TV also have their quirks. Try these TV-specific troubleshooting tips:
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Update your device software. Install the latest firmware on your smart TV or streaming device. Each TV brand has a different process, but look for a "Software Update" option in the Settings menu. An outdated operating system is the most common reason for Prime Video subtitle failure on TVs.
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Restart your TV. A simple restart often fixes temporary software glitches. Unplug your TV from power for 60 seconds before plugging it back in and launching Prime Video again.
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Adjust subtitle settings on your TV. Most smart TVs have a dedicated Accessibility menu where you can control closed captions. Look for options like "Always enable subtitles" or "Closed captioning." However, turning on subtitles universally for your TV can cause them to overlap with Prime Video‘s subtitle settings.
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Change your TV‘s HDMI settings. Believe it or not, the way your TV connects to the internet impacts subtitles. Open your TV‘s HDMI settings and look for any mentioning of captions or subtitles. Make sure HDMI subtitles are enabled and set to Auto.
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Change the aspect ratio. Some users found that subtitles only worked when their TV was set to a certain aspect ratio like 16:9 or 4:3. Try playing with this display setting if you‘re running out of options.
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Factory reset. If all else fails, resetting your TV or streaming stick to factory settings may resolve deep software issues. This will erase all your preferences and downloaded apps, so make sure to have your logins handy. Look for a "Factory Reset" option in your device settings.
Troubleshoot Prime Video subtitles on mobile apps
Compared to smart TVs, troubleshooting subtitle problems on the Prime Video mobile apps is relatively straightforward. The Android and iOS apps are almost identical. Follow these steps on your smartphone or tablet:
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Update the Prime Video app. Open the App Store or Google Play Store and make sure you have the latest version of the Prime Video app installed. Uninstalling and reinstalling the app also clears the cache.
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Log out and back into Prime Video. Open the Prime Video app and go to "My Stuff" (bottom right corner). Tap the gear icon in the top right, then select "Sign out." Close the app and re-open it to log in again. This resets your watch history and subtitle preferences.
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Change subtitle appearance. In the Prime Video app, go to Settings > Subtitles and Captions > Subtitle Appearance. Adjust the font size, color, and background to make subtitles more visible on your device.
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Check your device accessibility settings. Both Android and iOS have universal settings to control closed captioning. On iOS, go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Subtitles & Captioning. Make sure the "Closed Captions + SDH" switch is off. Similarly on Android, go to Settings > Accessibility > Captions and turn off captions.
Expert tips for Prime Video subtitles
Congrats! By this point, your Prime Video subtitles should be loading properly. Here are a few expert tips to customize captions and make the most of your viewing experience:
- Turn on Dialogue Boost: Look for this setting to increase the volume of spoken dialogue over background sounds. It makes subtitles easier to follow along with.
- Expand subtitle size: If you‘re watching on a big TV across the room, expand the subtitle font size so they‘re easier to read.
- Customize subtitle appearance: Many devices let you change the caption font, color, opacity, and background. Explore the settings to find a style that‘s easiest on your eyes.
- Use Audio Description: In addition to subtitles, Prime Video offers Audio Descriptions that narrate relevant visual aspects for blind or low-vision users. Audio Descriptions let you follow the action, even during non-dialogue scenes!
The future of Prime Video subtitles
As you can see, getting subtitles to work correctly on Prime Video is a complex issue with no one-size-fits-all solution. My expertise in the streaming space has shown me that Amazon puts more effort into subtitle functionality than many of its competitors. Netflix, for example, doesn‘t allow subtitle customization on most devices. Hulu frequently has out-of-sync captions.
However, there‘s still plenty of room for improvement on Prime Video. Consulting Accessibility Specialist Bill Pereira told WebAIM that "Amazon needs to test their [subtitle] user experience under real-world scenarios with actual people with disabilities." By conducting proper user testing, Amazon can better understand the unique challenges its diverse user base faces.
I‘d love to see Amazon implement more advanced subtitle features in the future like:
- Instant quality feedback option on the subtitle settings menu (e.g. one-click "Report a problem")
- Ability to rate and flag inaccurate or poorly synced subtitles
- Crowdsourced subtitle improvements from the user community
- Real-time voice recognition and subtitle translation
- Integration with Alexa for voice-activated subtitle customization
No matter what the future holds, I‘m confident that Amazon will continue to improve the accessibility of Prime Video for all users. With the tips and expertise shared here, I hope you‘ll be better equipped to enjoy your favorite content with the subtitles you deserve.
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