TikTok automatically generates captions for many videos as an accessibility feature. However, some users may find the auto-generated captions distracting or unnecessary. Luckily, TikTok makes it easy to disable captions. Here are two simple methods to turn off captions on TikTok.
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Method 1: Disable Captions For All Videos
You can disable auto-generated captions for all TikTok videos through the app’s Accessibility settings:
- Open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner
- Tap on the 3-dot menu icon in the top right and select “Settings and privacy”
- Under “Accessibility”, toggle off the “Always show auto-generated captions” option
This will prevent captions from automatically appearing on any TikTok videos.
Method 2: Hide Captions On Individual Videos
If you only want to remove captions from certain videos, you can hide them on a per-video basis:
- While watching a video with captions, long press anywhere on the captions
- A prompt will appear – tap “Hide captions”
- The captions will minimize into a small icon in the corner. Tap this anytime to make them reappear.
You’ll need to do this each time for every video you want to hide captions on.
Why You Might Want To Disable TikTok Captions
Here are some common reasons people choose to turn off auto-generated TikTok captions:
- Find them distracting: Captions can cover up parts of the video or be visually annoying.
- Inaccurate transcriptions: Auto-captions often contain errors.
- Don’t need them: Some viewers have no use for captions.
- Prefer creator-added captions: Auto-captions look basic, while creators can style captions.
Benefits of TikTok Video Captions
While captions aren’t for everyone, they provide some useful accessibility features:
- Assist viewers who are deaf/hard of hearing: Captions display audio as text on videos.
- Help in loud environments: Viewers can understand videos even without audio.
- Aid non-native language speakers: Captions let people learn meanings of words they hear.
- Increase video reach: Captions make videos accessible to more people.
Customizing TikTok Accessibility Settings
Along with the auto-caption toggle, TikTok has other accessibility options you can customize:
- Enable/disable warnings for photosensitive epilepsy triggers
- Turn on text-to-speech to read text and captions aloud
- Increase text size for readability
- Reduce motion in certain videos that can cause discomfort
Exploring these settings can help optimize TikTok accessibility based on your needs and preferences.
Creating Accessible TikTok Videos
If you create TikTok videos, consider adding your own custom captions even with auto-captions enabled. Auto-generated captions often contain errors, but creator-made captions look more polished and professional.
Here are some tips for making your own TikTok videos more accessible:
- Manually add captions over your videos to display key audio and dialogue
- Use an easy-to-read font in a size that stands out well against the video
- Place captions in an unobtrusive position that doesn’t block important visuals
- Proofread your captions for spelling/grammar errors before posting
The more accessible your videos are, the more people can enjoy them!
Conclusion
TikTok’s auto-captioning makes videos more inclusive, but gives users the choice to hide captions if unwanted. Disabling captions completely or on certain videos is simple through Accessibility settings or by tapping “Hide captions”. Consider audience accessibility before removing captions from others’ videos. And if you create TikTok content, provide custom, high-quality captions when possible.
