YouTube subtitles are actually a very useful feature. But why does the app always play them automatically? Aren’t we allowed to decide for ourselves whether we want to watch videos with subtitles or not? A classification and a solution.
You’ve probably already noticed it: If you watch a YouTube video in English, the app on your smartphone will also show you the appropriate subtitles without prompting.
YouTube subtitles are also very useful. For example, if you’re on the go and want to watch a video without sound but still understand something, you need them.
And even those who don’t understand English and other foreign languages too well can still watch the corresponding clips. You can either read what is being said in English for easier understanding, or you can have everything translated into German.
YouTube subtitles as mandatory function
However, many users are so powerful in the English language that they do not need YouTube subtitles. They want to watch videos undisturbed and not be distracted by them.
Because let’s be honest: Sometimes subtitles can be quite annoying. They obscure the bottom screen and inevitably attract our attention – whether we want them to or not.
So it’s unnecessary for YouTube to treat us like children and automatically play subtitles. Numerous users have already complained about this in relevant forums and asked for solutions.
How to make YouTube subtitles disappear
Of course you can disable YouTube subtitles in the video settings – but only for a short time and until you close your app or start the next video. So basically, you can’t get rid of the feature after all.
But at least we have a tip for iPhone users on how to customize the subtitles to your own style and make them almost disappear. To do this, first scroll down to the “User Help” in the settings and select “Subtitles & extended UT”.
Here you can adjust the style of the subtitles and make them as small and transparent as possible. You can choose your own font, size and color and make sure that the text is almost invisible.
Of course, this isn’t a sensible solution for the imposed YouTube subtitles. After all, it’s also about the principle: YouTube is forcing the function on us without any way to turn it off. But if the subtitles really bother you a lot, they can at least almost disappear.
