Closed captions
Closed captions (CC)
Captions that the viewer can toggle on or off, typically delivered as a separate text track encoded into or alongside the video.
In depth
Closed Captions (CC) are toggleable text tracks transmitted with broadcast or streaming video. The 'closed' refers to the fact that they're hidden by default — the viewer chooses to display them. CC originated in 1980s US broadcast (line-21 captions, then CEA-608/708) and the term now covers any toggleable caption track including SRT, VTT, and platform-native captions on YouTube and streamers.
When to use it
Use closed captions whenever you publish video on a platform that supports them. They're the standard accessibility deliverable, the most flexible (viewers can disable), and don't permanently alter the video file.
Frequently asked
What's the difference between closed captions and subtitles?+
Historically, captions describe the full audio (speech + sound effects) for accessibility, while subtitles transcribe only speech (often translated). On streaming platforms the distinction has blurred — most user-facing settings just say 'Subtitles/CC.'
Are closed captions and open captions different?+
Yes — open captions are burned permanently into the video frame and can't be turned off. Closed captions are a separate, toggleable track.
What format are closed captions delivered in?+
On streaming, usually WebVTT (HTML5), SRT (legacy), or platform-specific formats. On broadcast, CEA-608/708 carried inside the video signal.
Captions burned permanently into the video frame so every viewer sees them. The opposite of closed captions, which can be toggled.
Subtitles permanently rendered into the video frame. They can't be turned off, but they look identical on every player and platform.
Subtitles that include speaker labels and non-speech audio cues like [music], [door slams], so deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers get the full experience.
The most common subtitle file format. Plain text with numbered cues and HH:MM:SS,mmm timestamps.