iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 can generate subtitles for videos that do not have any, and turning them on takes a couple of taps. The same menu in Settings controls how captions look and when they show up on their own.
Apple previewed AI-generated subtitles in May as part of its iOS 27 accessibility updates. The steps are nearly identical on iPhone and iPad, so this guide covers both. The only differences are the name of the player button and which models support generated subtitles.
Generated Subtitles Need iOS 27 or iPadOS 27 and a Recent iPhone or iPad
Regular subtitles and closed captions work on any iPhone or iPad when a video includes them. Generated subtitles and subtitles in multiple languages are newer, and they have hardware limits. You need iOS 27 on iPhone or iPadOS 27 on iPad, plus one of the supported models below:
| Device | Software | Supported models |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone | iOS 27 or later | iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPhone 16 models or later |
| iPad | iPadOS 27 or later | iPad mini (A17 Pro) and iPad models with M1 or later |
Generated subtitles are available for English content from the United States and Canada, and they only appear when the video does not already come with subtitles.
Open the Player Controls and Pick a Subtitle Track to Turn Subtitles On
Open a video in any supported app and use the player controls, because the button has a different name on each device.
On iPhone
- While the video plays, tap the More Controls button, then tap Subtitles.
- Choose a subtitle or caption track from the list.
On iPad
- While the video plays, tap the Legible Options button.
- Choose a subtitle or caption track from the list.
Your iPhone or iPad usually shows standard subtitles and captions. If the video includes subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH), you can pick those from the same list, and subtitles may also appear on their own in supported apps.
In the list, subtitles created from the spoken audio carry a Transcribed label, while subtitles translated into another language carry a Translated label.
The Subtitles & Captioning Settings Control How Captions Look and When They Appear
Open Settings, tap Accessibility, then tap Subtitles & Captioning. Turn on Closed Captions + SDH if you want closed captions or SDH subtitles whenever a video has them.
To change the look of captions, tap Style and choose an existing style or create a new one. A custom style covers the font, size and color, the background color and opacity, and the text opacity, edge style and highlight.
Tap Automatic Subtitles in the same menu to decide when subtitles show up without you asking for them. This includes generated subtitles for videos in Photos and Messages, and there are three switches to work with.
- When Languages Don’t Match shows subtitles in your preferred language when the video is in a different one.
- Show When Muted turns subtitles on whenever the volume is muted.
- Show on Skip Back turns subtitles on for a moment when you skip back in a video.
Translated Subtitles Need a Second Preferred Language and English Subtitles in the Video
Your iPhone or iPad can translate subtitles into another language on the device. The video needs English subtitles available, and you need more than one preferred language added in Settings. To add one, go to Settings > General > Language & Region, tap Add Language, then select a language.
- While the video plays, tap the Captions button.
- Tap Languages.
- Choose the language you want to read subtitles in.
The language list only includes the preferred languages you have added in Settings.
Turn on Show When Muted first. It covers the most common situation, a video playing with the sound off, and it also applies to clips in Photos and Messages.
Home videos and shared clips rarely come with subtitles, so this fills a gap that regular captions could not. If you have recently installed iOS 27, this belongs on the same checklist as the other changes in our guide to things to do after installing iOS 27. iPad owners can find more in our list of things to try after installing iPadOS 27.
