YouTube has a handy option with which you can provide every video with subtitles. And with that you can even translate videos!
Entering subtitles on YouTube: This is how you set it up with every video
Sometimes it is useful to turn on the subtitles with a video on YouTube. For example, if you want to see a video on the train and you don’t have your AirPods with you, you can of course put the sound a little harder. But your fellow passengers will not thank you that.

It is better to (temporarily) turn on the subtitles at a YouTube video on your iPhone. You can then leave the sound off and yet know exactly what is said in the video.
With many videos, standard subtitles are included. You then tap the box with ‘CC’ at the top right of the video. But even with videos that are not there, you can still engage subtitles. It is even possible to automatically translate the subtitle of the video. You can read below how to set both ways.
Entering subtitles with a video on YouTube
- Open the YouTube app;
- Tap open a video that you want to watch;
- Tap the video again so that you get to see the play buttons;
- Tap at the top right of the logo of the gear;
- Choose ‘subtitles’ in the menu;
- Then select the option that says ‘(automatically generated)’.
The subtitles is then automatically shown on the video and is not always completely flawless. But it is good enough to be able to follow the video without having the sound on.

You can also choose to show subtitles on the video and then have them translated immediately (for example Dutch). This function is also useful, for example, to provide a Japanese video with (English) subtitles. This translation is often less good than the automatically generated subtitles for YouTube from above.
To set this, tap the gear at the top right. Then choose ‘Subtitling> automatic translation’. Then set the language that you want to use.
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