Crunchyroll subtitle problems come in a few recognisable forms — missing entirely, out of sync, wrong language, or the wrong size. Each has a different cause, so identify which one you have before working through fixes.
Checked August 2026. Applies to Crunchyroll on the web, mobile apps, smart TVs and consoles.
Subtitles missing entirely
1. Check they are switched on for this episode
The setting is per playback session on many platforms, not a global preference.
- Start the episode.
- Select the CC or gear icon in the player.
- Choose your subtitle language.
2. Check whether you are watching the dub
The most common cause, and the least obvious. If you selected an English dub, subtitles are often off by default or unavailable — the dubbed audio replaces them.
Switch the audio track to Japanese and subtitles usually reappear. Look for a language selector in the player, or separate subbed and dubbed entries in the series listing.
3. Set your language preference in the account
So you stop doing this per episode:
- Open your account settings on the Crunchyroll website.
- Find Video preferences or the language section.
- Set your preferred subtitle language and turn subtitles on by default.
Preferences are stored on the account, so this applies across devices — though some TV apps keep their own local setting as well.
4. Some titles genuinely lack them
Licensing varies by region and by title. If one series has no subtitles in your language while others do, it may simply not be licensed that way where you are. Check the series page for what is listed.
Subtitles out of sync
Almost always a playback problem rather than a bad subtitle file.
- Reload the episode. Close the player entirely and reopen it rather than seeking within it.
- Lower the quality to 720p. Sync drift is common when the player is struggling with the bitrate.
- Clear the app or browser cache — see below.
- Try a different browser or the app. If one is fine and the other is not, the problem is that client.
- Check the connection. Buffering causes drift. A wired connection removes the question.
If the timing is wrong from the first second and stays consistently wrong, that is a rare source problem — report it through Crunchyroll support, since nothing local will fix it.
Wrong language, or the wrong subtitles
- Set the language explicitly in the player rather than relying on the default.
- Update the account-level preference as above.
- On a TV app, check the device’s own system language — some apps follow it and ignore the account setting.
Subtitles too small, too large, or unreadable
Crunchyroll’s own styling options are limited, but the platform usually provides its own:
- Windows: Settings → Accessibility → Captions, which affects apps that respect the system caption style.
- iOS and Apple TV: Settings → Accessibility → Subtitles & Captioning → Style.
- Android TV and most smart TVs: caption settings in the device’s accessibility menu.
- Browser: zooming the page with Ctrl + + before going full screen sometimes helps, depending on the player.
Clear the cache
Worth doing for any persistent playback fault.
Browser: with Crunchyroll open, select the padlock or tune icon in the address bar → Cookies and site data → Manage on-device site data → delete. Then reload and sign in. Clearing only that site keeps you signed in elsewhere — see managing browser site data.
Android: Settings → Apps → Crunchyroll → Storage → Clear cache. Try that before Clear data, which signs you out.
iOS: no cache option — offload or reinstall the app.
Smart TV and consoles: uninstall and reinstall the app. Most TV platforms have no cache control.
Browser-specific checks
- Disable extensions. Ad blockers and script blockers frequently break streaming players. Test in a private window, where extensions are off by default — see extensions in incognito.
- Try turning hardware acceleration off, then on. Both states fix problems on different machines: Settings → System in Chrome. See Chrome performance settings.
- Update the browser. Streaming playback depends on DRM components that are updated with it.
- Disconnect any VPN. Crunchyroll’s catalogue is regional, and a VPN can produce a different regional stream with different subtitle tracks.
When it is not you
Check Downdetector or Crunchyroll’s social accounts. Playback problems affecting many people at once are usually a platform incident, and there is nothing local to fix.
In order, what to try
- Turn subtitles on in the player for that episode.
- Check whether you are on a dubbed track.
- Set the subtitle language in your account preferences.
- Reload the episode; drop the quality to 720p.
- Clear the app or site cache.
- Disable browser extensions and any VPN.
- Reinstall the app on a TV or console.
Frequently asked questions
Why do subtitles disappear on the dub?
Dubbed versions frequently ship without a subtitle track, or with subtitles off by default. Switch the audio to Japanese and they usually return.
Can I change the subtitle font or size?
Only within the limits Crunchyroll offers. Most platforms have system-level caption styling that the app respects — that is usually where the real control is.
Why are subtitles out of sync only sometimes?
Buffering. When the player struggles with the bitrate, video and subtitle timing drift apart. Lowering quality and using a wired connection both help.
Does a VPN affect subtitles?
Yes. The catalogue and the available subtitle languages are regional, so a VPN can produce a different stream entirely. Disconnect it to compare.
Subtitles work on my phone but not my TV.
TV apps often keep their own settings and follow the device’s system language rather than your account preference. Check both, and reinstall the TV app if it will not take the change.
