Netflix has introduced a new subtitle feature designed specifically to display only spoken dialogue, removing extraneous audio cues such as “door slams” or “phone rings.” Announced on Thursday, the new dialogue-only subtitles can be accessed by users navigating to the platform’s Audio settings, selecting “Subtitles,” and choosing the option labeled simply “English,” as opposed to the traditional “English (CC)” option.
The existing closed captioning (CC) will remain available, continuing to serve deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers by displaying dialogue alongside important audio descriptions and sound effects. In contrast, the streamlined dialogue-only option provides viewers with a less cluttered on-screen experience, displaying subtitles only when characters speak.
This change was implemented due to the continual increase in subtitle use among Netflix viewers. The company noted that nearly half of all viewing hours in the U.S. now involve subtitles.
Initially, this dialogue-only subtitle option is available with the latest season of the popular series “You.” Netflix plans a broader rollout soon, covering additional original titles and eventually offering this feature across all available languages on the streaming platform.
