How to change the subtitle style on a Mac
2 min read · 5 steps · Updated 4 October 2026
Open System Settings, click Accessibility, then Captions, and click a style in the list: Transparent Background, Classic, Large Text or Outline Text. The preview at the top shows how subtitles will look. Switch on Prefer closed captions and SDH to get captions for the deaf and hard of hearing when they are available.
- Device
- Mac
- Shown on
- macOS Tahoe 26
- App
- System Settings
- Path
- System Settings › Accessibility › Captions
- Real screenshots
- 5 of 5 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 1 official, linked below
Subtitles in videos on a Mac follow one system-wide style. If they are too small or hard to read against the picture, choose another style or create your own.
The screenshots show System Settings on macOS Tahoe 26.
Step by step
Open System Settings
Click the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen and choose System Settings.
Click Accessibility, then Captions
Accessibility is in the sidebar. Captions is in the Hearing group on the right.
Click a style
Four built-in styles are listed. The picture above the list previews the selected one with the line: Subtitles will look like this.
Create your own style if you like
Click the plus button below the list to create a style. The minus button deletes a style that you added.
Prefer closed captions
With Prefer closed captions and SDH on, the Mac uses closed captions or subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing in place of standard subtitles, if they are available.
Good to know
Show automatically when languages do not match, on in the picture, shows subtitles when the language of the video is not your preferred system language.
In short: System Settings, Accessibility, Captions, click a style.
Links checked on 3 October 2026. Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.