Netflix is now offering a new subtitle option focused purely on spoken dialogue, eliminating speaker labels and audio cues like “[door slams]” or “[music playing].”
This feature gives viewers a simpler reading experience and is especially useful for those who want subtitles without the extra noise.
Previously, Netflix only provided Closed Captions (CC) or Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SDH), which included both dialogue and descriptive audio.
The new dialogue-only mode is launching first in English and is currently available for newer Netflix Originals, such as season 5 of You.
Netflix says that nearly half of all viewing hours in the US involve subtitles, driven by everything from low TV volumes to unclear audio quality on modern streaming devices. The company is already exploring ways to roll out this new option to more titles in its library.
To enable it, simply open a supported show, go to the language picker, select the English tab, and choose the basic “English” subtitle option—distinct from “English (CC),” which includes sound cues.
It’s a small change, but one that may make a big difference for millions of subtitle users.
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