It turns out that a love for subtitles isn’t just limited to non-native English speakers. A recent study indicates that over half of viewers in the United States prefer watching shows with subtitles enabled. There are a myriad of reasons fueling this trend. Sometimes, viewers might want to keep the volume low while relaxing in bed, or perhaps the dialogue is simply difficult to decipher. In some instances, using budget speakers might hinder the clarity of the audio.

Recognizing this shift, Netflix is adapting its offerings. The platform has introduced a new dialogue-only subtitle feature. With this enhancement, viewers can enjoy content without text options that describe sound effects or the speakers involved.

Rest assured that the Closed Captions (CC) option will still be available for those who prefer additional context. This feature will continue to provide valuable information about background noises, music, and changes in the scene.

Activating Dialogue-Only Subtitles on Netflix

The rollout of this feature will occur gradually, initially for the concluding season of You and the film Havoc, featuring Tom Hardy.

While it remains uncertain if all existing titles will receive the dialogue-only subtitles, Netflix has committed to including this feature for every upcoming original series, available in all languages. This means international users will also get to enjoy this enhancement, with options like dialogue-only subtitles available in German as well.

To enable dialogue-only subtitles, start playing a title that supports this feature, then navigate to the Subtitles settings. Select English (or your preferred language) under the Audio options, followed by choosing English in the Subtitles category. If you desire more than simple dialogue subtitles, go for English (CC).

That’s all there is to it. You are now set up to enjoy your viewing experience with subtitles focusing solely on the dialogue. It’s just you and the characters in the story.