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Category: CaptionCall

Want to Reverse Hearing Loss? Try These Tips to Improve Hearing Naturally

Older couple wearing backpacks enjoying an outdoor hiking trail.

Say what? If you find yourself asking, maybe you’re having trouble hearing. And you’re not alone — nearly 15% of people in the U.S. over 12 years old have hearing loss in both ears. If you’re among them and are wondering how to improve hearing loss naturally, there are things you can do.¹

In this post, we break down common types of hearing loss and natural remedies you can use to help protect and improve your hearing.  

Before we dive in, let’s talk about the basics of hearing loss. 

Types of hearing loss 

There are three main types of hearing loss that each affect different parts of the ear. 

Conductive hearing loss comes from an obstruction in, or damage to, the middle or outer ear. The damage or obstruction prevents sound from reaching the auditory nerve. Conductive hearing loss can be temporary or permanent. 

The most common type of hearing loss is sensorineural hearing loss. We hear when sound waves move the hair cells (cilia) in our inner ear, and that movement creates electrical impulses that travel to the auditory nerve in our brains. Damage to our auditory nerve or cilia results in sensorineural hearing loss. 

Diagram depicting parts of the ear: outer, middle, and inner.

Mixed hearing loss is a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss. It happens when a blockage or damage in your middle or outer ear makes your sensorineural hearing loss worse. 

Causes of hearing loss 

Several things cause hearing loss.  

While age itself doesn’t cause hearing loss, 33% of people over 65 have hearing loss.² Age-related hearing loss, known as presbycusis, is a slow loss of hearing in both ears that results from changes in the inner ear as we age. 

A variety of factors can cause hearing loss, including:

  • Genetics: age-related hearing loss tends to run in families 
  • Exposure to loud noises:
    • Noises above 85 decibels (dB), the sound of a gas lawnmower, can damage your ears and hearing in a few hours³
    • Noises above 120 dB can immediately damage your ears and hearing³
  • Smoking: smokers are more prone to hearing loss than nonsmokers 
  • Medical conditions, including diabetes 
  • Some medications, including chemotherapy drugs for cancer treatment 

Knowing what type of hearing loss you have can help you determine if it’s possible to improve it at home, or if you need the help of a doctor or hearing specialist.    

Whether you have hearing loss now or want to avoid it in the future, there are things you can do to protect and improve hearing loss naturally.  

How to improve hearing naturally 

If you’re experiencing hearing loss, there are things you can try to improve it, including natural remedies for hearing loss.  

The best thing is to prevent hearing loss in the first place. And many of the ideas here can help. 

Note that the methods here are not intended as medical advice. Before trying anything at home, talk to your doctor. And if your hearing gets worse, we advise you to see a doctor about it. Know that some hearing loss is permanent and may require assistive devices. 

Clean out the wax 

Built-up earwax is one of the leading causes of conductive hearing loss. It prevents sound waves from reaching your inner ear.  

The good news is that you can safely remove earwax. If you do it regularly, you can help maintain hearing.  

When you clean your ears, keep in mind that they’re delicate. Don’t put cotton swabs, earwax candles, or sharp instruments in your ears. Instead, follow this home remedy for cleaning your ear canal naturally:

  1. Soften the wax: Put a few drops of baby oil, mineral oil, glycerin, or diluted hydrogen peroxide in the ear canal. 
  2. Flush with warm water: Once the wax softens (usually after a day or two), gently squirt warm water into your ear canal. The warm water should flush out the softened wax and clear the blockage. Tip: Tilt your head to the side, so the water drains out of your ear. 
  3. Dry your ear: After removing the wax, gently dry your outer ear with a soft, clean towel. 

Your doctor can also remove excess earwax for you or recommend an over-the-counter ear drop or removal kit. 

Woman stretched her earlobe.

Exercise your brain 

A study by the Perelman School of Medicine found a possible connection between hearing loss and grey matter atrophy. Grey matter is the part of the brain that handles sensory perception (including hearing).  

While the study suggested a link between hearing loss to grey matter loss, it may also work the other way: grey matter atrophy may also lead to hearing loss.   

Exercising your brain — and body — can protect your grey matter. Solving puzzles is a great mental workout to get the blood flowing in your brain and improve brain and hearing health. 

Consider the following games to keep your brain and hearing sharp:

  • Crossword puzzles 
  • Word searches 
  • Sudoku 
  • Jigsaw puzzles 
  • Card games 

Exercise your body 

Cardio exercise, like jogging, biking, hiking, and walking, can help improve your overall health, your brain health, and your hearing.⁴  

Just as working out your brain increases blood flow to it, working out your body increases blood flow to your brain and ears. And like the rest of your body, the tiny hairs in your ears responsible for most of your hearing are more likely to stay healthy and fully functional with good blood flow.

Do yoga 

Yoga won’t get your heart pumping as much as jogging, but it improves blood flow. Some studies show that it may improve sensorineural hearing loss too.⁵

Woman practices medication on yoga mat in front of lush greenery.

Nix the nicotine

A study in 2013 found that smokers have a higher risk for hearing loss, particularly sensioneural hearing loss.⁶ It also found that the more someone smokes, the higher their risk.⁶ That holds for the number of cigarettes smoked a day and the number of years someone smokes. The older a smoker gets, the greater the chance of hearing loss.⁶  

Smoking can also cause tinnitus.⁸ Tinnitus isn’t hearing loss. It’s a noise or ringing in your ear. And it’s a problem for 90% of people with hearing loss and a nuisance for anyone dealing with it.⁸ 

Bottom line: If you smoke, cut back, or quit altogether to protect and improve your hearing. 

Turn down the volume already 

Listening to loud sounds, such as music or power equipment, can damage your hearing. The longer you listen, the higher the risk of noise-induced hearing loss.   

Everyday noises, even at lower volumes, can lead to some form of hearing loss over time. 

To protect your hearing and prevent further damage, avoid loud, prolonged noises. And if you can’t avoid the noise, use hearing protection. 

Hearing protection devices won’t reverse existing damage but can protect and preserve the hearing you have left. 

Earplugs 

Loud noises contribute to roughly 15% of hearing loss cases.⁹ Using earplugs can reduce the volume of loud noise. Earplugs decrease the number of sound waves entering your ear canal.  

When using earplugs to preserve your hearing:

  • Find a pair that fits snugly in your outer ear canal. 
  • Consider custom-fit earplugs if you work in a job with regular exposure to loud noises.

Also, turn down the volume when using headphones to listen to music or the TV. 

Earmuffs 

Earmuffs function like earplugs, but protect the entire ear, not just the outer ear canal. You want earmuffs that form an airtight seal around your ear for the best results. You can also use earmuffs with earplugs for up to 15 dBs of added hearing protection. 

Young woman wearing protective earmuffs in machine shop.

Feed your nutritional needs with vitamins and minerals 

Studies aren’t conclusive, but vitamins and minerals may help hearing health.¹⁰,¹¹ They have other benefits too. 

Always talk to your doctor before adding any supplement to your diet. 

Person rinses fresh vegetables using collander in kitchen sink.

Folate 

Folate, or Folic acid, is one of the B vitamins. One study found that men over 60 who take more folate have a lower risk of hearing loss.¹² Other studies have also found correlations between low folate intake and hearing loss.¹³

Foods high in folate include:

  • Peanuts 
  • Beans 
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Dark green leafy vegetables 
  • Liver 
  • Seafood  

Many common foods are also fortified with folic acid, such as bread, flour, pasta, rice, and cereal. 

Potassium 

Potassium may help balance the natural fluid in the inner ear and in the part of the brain that translates noise into recognizable sounds. Research suggest higher potassium intake might lower the risk of hearing loss.¹⁴

The best way to add potassium to your diet is though foods. Potassium-rich foods include:

  • Potatoes 
  • Spinach
  • Lima beans
  • Tomatoes 
  • Raisins 
  • Bananas 
  • Oranges 
  • Yogurt 
  • Milk  

Remember to check with your doctor before taking supplements. Also follow their instructions if they’ve told you to restrict your potassium intake. 

Omega 3 

Omega 3s are known for their anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. They may also promote brain function and communication between the brain and the ear, which might improve your hearing.¹⁵ Studies have shown Omega 3s may reduce the risk of age-related hearing loss.¹⁶

Omega 3-rich foods include:

  • Mackerel 
  • Salmon 
  • Cod liver oil 
  • Herring 
  • Oysters 
  • Flaxseed 
  • Chia seeds 

Investigate herbal remedies 

Some herbal remedies show promise for treating hearing loss naturally. Traditional Oriental Medicine (TOM) has used herbs to treat hearing loss for centuries.  

Again, ask your doctor before adding any supplement to your diet. 

Promising herbal options as natural remedies for hearing loss 

One study found that 25 herbs and 40 compounds used in TOM might help with sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus caused by noise, aging, ototoxic drugs, and diabetes.¹⁷ Ginkgo biloba, Panax ginseng, and Astragalus propinquus showed particular promise to improve hearing in patients with sensorineural hearing loss and to reduce symptoms of tinnitus.¹⁸ 

A year-long study found that 10 mg of Vinpocetine (VPC) three  times a day might improve acquired sensorineural hearing loss.¹⁹ Study participants reported their hearing loss not only stopped progressing but reversed. 

Another study found that Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) holds promise for treating sudden-onset sensorineural hearing loss.²⁰

There’s an app for your ears 

Technology isn’t necessarily natural, but it does offer helpful, do-it-yourself ways to improve hearing. Playing these apps and programs for just a few minutes a day might maintain or improve your hearing health. 

AudioCardio hearing & tinnitus 

AudioCardio is an app for hearing and sound therapy. After an initial test, the app creates a therapy session for each ear. You can complete daily sessions while you do other things. 

The app is clinically proven to “maintain, protect, and strengthen hearing.” Find AudioCardio in the app store. 

LACE (Listening & Communication Enhancement) auditory training and aural rehabilitation 

LACE is designed to train your hearing to keep up with conversations in noisy environments. The online trainings use artificial intelligence to adapt to your hearing level and keep you on track for improved comprehension.   

While LACE can’t improve your hearing as far as how your ears function, it may improve your brain’s ability to comprehend what you do hear. Find LACE online. 

Offline hearing exercises 

If you don’t want to use apps or computer programs, you can train your hearing at home, offline, with auditory training exercises. 

Start by enlisting a friend or family member to:

  • Have a conversation in a noisy environment (turn up the TV or radio) and focus on the conversation to train your brain to cut through the noise. 
  • Have someone move around you while your eyes are closed so you can practice identifying the direction and distance of the sound. 

When alone (or not), sing. One study found that singing helps people with age-related hearing loss better perceive speech in noisy environments.²¹

Don’t shun assistive devices 

If you find you still don’t hear as well as you’d like, talk to a doctor. Your doctor may suggest an assistive device, such as a hearing aid or a cochlear implant. You can also try captions on your TV or captioned calls on your own. 

Using assistive captioning improves perception, memory, and comprehension, which helps you and your brain.  

You may qualify for captioned calls at no cost if you have hearing loss that requires call captioning to effectively use the phone. Sorenson offers call captioning on a specially designed phone with a captioning screen and through the CaptionCall Mobile app for your cell phone.

Sources 

  1. Quick Statistics About Hearing, Balance, & Dizziness
  2. Age-Related Hearing Loss (Presbycusis)
  3. About Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
  4. Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Brain Volumes
  5. Improving Hearing Performance through Yoga
  6. The Effect of Smoking on the Hearing Status–A Hospital Based Study
  7. The Link Between Smoking and Hearing Loss
  8. Tinnitus — Symptoms and causes
  9. Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
  10. Interplay between Nutrition and Hearing Loss: State of Art
  11. A prospective study of vitamin intake and the risk of hearing loss in men
  12. A prospective study of vitamin intake and the risk of hearing loss in men
  13. Folic Acid for Hearing Loss
  14. Association between a High-Potassium Diet and Hearing Thresholds in the Korean Adult Population
  15. Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids and fish and risk of age-related hearing loss
  16. Fish and fatty acid consumption and the risk of hearing loss in women
  17. Traditional oriental medicine for sensorineural hearing loss: Can ethnopharmacology contribute to potential drug discovery?
  18. Traditional oriental medicine for sensorineural hearing loss: Can ethnopharmacology contribute to potential drug discovery?
  19. Evaluation of vinpocetine as a therapy in patients with sensorineural hearing loss: A phase II, open-label, single-center study
  20. Coenzyme Q10 in combination with steroid therapy for treatment of sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a controlled prospective study
  21. Short-Term Choir Singing Supports Speech-in-Noise Perception and Neural Pitch Strength in Older Adults With Age-Related Hearing Loss  

Can You Get Closed Captioned Phone Service without Internet Access?

Older man uses CaptionCall home phone in his kitchen.

More than 63% of the world’s population uses the internet every day. It’s the go-to tool for everything from banking and shopping to filling prescriptions and connecting with friends and family. Most captioning services and phones also use it. But you can get closed captioned telephone service without having home internet access. 

A captioned telephone uses the internet and Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) instead of the traditional phone network to provide call captioning over the phone. IP CTS is a type of telecommunications relay service (TRS). But you don’t necessarily need home internet service to use call captioning. 

Before we dig into having call captioning with no home internet service, let’s review what call captioning is and when you want it. 

What is call captioning? 

Call captioning transcribes one or both sides of a phone conversation into easy-to-read captions. The transcription is virtually real-time and uses a live captioning agent and/or automated speech recognition (ASR) or another voice recognition technology.  

Close up of CaptionCall phone's screen displaying example text of a captioned phone call.

If you have a captioning app on a smartphone, you see captions on your phone’s screen. You can also use a captioning service at home with a specially designed captioning phone with a built-in screen. 

You can get call captioning service and a home phone with a captioning screen at no cost if you have hearing loss and need the service to effectively use the phone.  

Captioned calls over IP CTS are a critical tool if you’re hard of hearing. Its dependence on the internet can be a challenge, but newer phones and cellular data can help keep you connected. 

"It’s a marvelous invention. One of the best things that could happen to people with hearing loss."

— Lou

Not everyone has internet access

For people on a fixed income or living in a rural area, access to internet service with at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds continues to improve, but still falls behind access for other groups. In its last Annual Broadband Report, the FCC reports that 14.5 million Americans lack reliable high-speed internet access.  

Pew Research Center reported in 2021 that 43% of households with incomes below $30,000 annually lacked home broadband service.  

In another 2021 survey, the Pew Research Center found that 7% of the general U.S. adult population doesn’t use the internet, but of the population over 65, 25% doesn’t use it. 

Even for people who have internet service, outages can knock out service for minutes, hours, or days. And Wi-Fi requires a power connection. So, if the power goes out, so does your internet. 

You don’t want to be in a situation where you need to make a call, especially during an emergency, and find that you can’t.  

Why a closed caption phone without internet is important

If you have hearing loss, call captioning empowers you to effectively use the phone. It’s a convenience and even a lifesaver. Especially when you’re in an isolated area or can’t reach out via online communication tools, a captioned phone or mobile phone with a captioning app keeps you connected.  

How to get captioned telephone service without internet access

Select call captioning phone services can give you closed caption phone access without an internet connection. Some use an analog-only connection, and some include a built-in access point, giving the phone the ability to create its own internet connection without the need for home internet service.

You can also get caption telephone service on your mobile phone. All you need is a captioning app and a smartphone with Wi-Fi or a cellular mobile data connection. 

Woman in bright home office sits in front of open laptop looking at her smartphone.

Note that Wi-Fi connections depend on having internet service, especially at home. Some merchants, public libraries, and government offices do offer free public Wi-Fi access.  

Almost all cell phones offer a mobile data connection. Just be aware that you might have a limited data plan that caps the amount you can use each month. If you go over your cap, you may pay extra. Ask your mobile phone provider for details about your plan or how to get a plan with unlimited data. 

A mobile data connection also uses the internet over a cellular connection. If you’re in “dead zone,” you won’t be able to make a call. But 95% of the world’s population now has mobile broadband access. Chances are, you won’t hit dead zones too often. 

Whether your use a mobile phone or a landline home phone, you don’t need home internet service to make captioned calls.  

Here’s how to get a closed caption phone without internet 

Whether you have Internet service or not, you can get a closed caption phone at no charge to you, a family member, or friend.  

If the phone user has hearing loss that makes captions a necessity, they qualify for service and a phone from CaptionCall by Sorenson, the CaptionCall Mobile app, or similar products from other providers. As long as they qualify, there’s no cost for either service or the caption phone.  

Call captions without internet with CaptionCall by Sorenson 

If you, your family member, or friend live in a rural area, on a fixed income, or don’t have internet service, a CaptionCall captioning phone includes technology to create its own internet access point (that only the CaptionCall device can use) so you can connect without home internet service.    

Call 1 (833) 691-1600 to find out about no-internet call captioning solutions, or visit the CaptionCall page on the Sorenson website to learn more and sign up for an account.

Captioned calls without internet on your cell phone with CaptionCall Mobile  

You, your family member, or friend can also get captioned calls on a cell phone anywhere you have Wi-Fi or a mobile data connection. CaptionCall Mobile is a call captioning app available for phones with Android or IOS operating systems. 

Call +1 (800) 359-3186 or visit the web page to learn more about CaptionCall Mobile or download the app. 

Does CaptionCall Work on a Cell Phone? Is It Really No Cost?

Man uses CaptionCall Mobile app on his smartphone while sitting on couch.

Call captioning is much like closed captions or subtitles on your TV or computer. It is also called assistive captioning. You can use it on a landline phone designed to support call captioning, and there are a variety of apps that give you the benefits of call captions on a mobile phone too.  

For example, you can get call captioning on your mobile device with the CaptionCall Mobile app. 

If you have hearing loss and require captions to use a phone effectively, you can get call captioning at no cost. That applies whether you use a landline phone, a cell phone, or both. 

What is call captioning? 

Call captioning is an internet-based relay service officially known as Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS). If you have hearing loss that that makes captions necessary to use the phone effectively, you can use it at no cost in the U.S through a Federal Communications Commission (FCC)-authorized IP CTS provider. 

How call captioning works 

Call captioning works by turning the spoken part of a phone conversation into easy-to-read captions that display on your cell phone screen or the screen on a specially designed landline phone. One or both sides of the conversation are captioned for the person using call captioning. The best captioning services and apps work in real time. That keeps conversations flowing at a natural pace.  

When using call captioning, you see a caption of what the person on the other side of the line says as they speak. Depending on the app or phone service you use, captions may be black text on a white screen, white text on a black screen, or look more like text messaging. If you use CaptionCall Mobile, each side of the conversation displays in a colored text bubble.  

Smartphone screen displaying example captioned call on CaptionCall Mobile app.Does call captioning work on any cell phone? 

There are a variety apps that provide call captioning on virtually any smartphone.  

Some cell phone operating systems let you turn on live captions and automatically see captions for calls, videos, and voice mails. Some enable captions only for video and other media.  

Try it for yourself, look for “Live Captions” your phone’s Accessibility settings.  

Note that live captions may not be as sensitive or accurate as an app specifically engineered for phone calls.  

Download CaptionCall Mobile for your cell phone!

Smartphone screen displaying example bill.Is Call Captioning no cost? 

If you have hearing loss that necessitates the use of telephone captions to talk on the phone, you can get call captioning at no cost through an FCC-authorized IP CTS provider. The U.S. federal government manages a fund to cover the cost for FCC-certified services.  

Before you can use an FCC-certified service on your home phone or cell phone, you need to create an account. When creating the account, you self-certify that you’re hard-of-hearing and need call captioning to reliably use the phone. 

Captioned calls bill to the FCC thanks to a provision of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As part of the ADA, the U.S. government established a fund to provide call captioning service at no cost to people who need it. 

The funds the FCC uses come from surcharges on all telephone bills. You contribute to this important service every time you pay a phone bill.  

Smartphone screen displaying settings page titled Subtitles & Captioning.What are the benefits of Call Captioning? 

If you have hearing loss, you can more easily have phone conversations with friends and family using call captioning. You don’t miss crucial parts of the conversation or have to ask the person you talk with to repeat themselves or speak up. You’re empowered to use the phone and can communicate with your friends and family, customer service, doctor’s office, and make appointments for yourself.  

When you use call captioning, you can also understand conversations more easily. Studies show assistive captioning increases comprehension for people with hearing loss.  

“I used to dread phone calls and now I'm so relieved.”

— A CaptionCall Mobile customer review

The best services, like CaptionCall by Sorenson, include a live captioning agent to get the most accurate and near real-time captioning possible. And apps, such as CaptionCall Mobile, use automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology without an agent. Some people prefer the privacy of not having a live agent on the line. 

If you don’t have hearing loss, you can still benefit from closed captions, live captions, subtitles, and call captioning — though you aren’t eligible for FCC-funded call captioning services. If you work or play in loud environments where hearing a call is difficult and want to use captions, try your phone’s built-in accessibility options. There are also no cost apps and paid apps you can try.  

What is CaptionCall? 

CaptionCall by Sorenson is an FCC-authorized captioned home telephone service. It uses a specific landline phone designed to support call captioning. You get the phone from Sorenson at no cost as part of your CaptionCall service. We even offer to install it and show you how to use it with our popular Red-Carpet Service. When you sign up — and certify you need call captioning to use the phone because of your hearing loss — you can schedule an install and demo of the CaptionCall service and phone.  

The CaptionCall service and phone allows you to read what your caller says and listen to your caller’s voice at the same time, so you don’t miss anything.  

Woman in bright home office sits in front of open laptop looking at her smartphone.

When you make or receive a call using CaptionCall, a live captioning agent automatically connects to your call. The agent uses voice-recognition technology and manual corrections to turn your phone conversation into captions. 

Combining technology and human transcription lets CaptionCall by Sorenson deliver the most accurate captions possible. Sorenson follows strict confidentiality regulations from the FCC.

Qualify for CaptionCall by Sorenson today! 

What is CaptionCall Mobile? 

CaptionCall Mobile is a mobile app that brings call captioning to your cell phone in real-time. You use your cell phone to have natural conversations without any delays or lag. And you can have call captioning anywhere you have mobile data service — you don’t have to depend on Wi-Fi.     

“I'm deaf and can finally answer calls after 30 years of never answering.”

CaptionCall Mobile doesn’t use live agents. Instead, it uses the highest quality automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology available. Some people prefer conversations without a live agent—even though CaptionCall agents never record or share your calls. 

Just like with CaptionCall, CaptionCall Mobile also gives you access to full call transcripts in your phone’s history. Only you can access those transcripts.

Download CaptionCall Mobile for your cell phone!

How Assistive Captioning Benefits Adults with Age-Related Hearing Loss

Audiologist administers hearing test to older man.

Roughly 25% of Americans aged 65 to 74 have age-related hearing loss. After the age of 75 that number increases to 50%.1 Age is the strongest predictor of hearing loss in adults, and age-related hearing loss affects quality of life more than most people realize.2 One of the effects of hearing loss is that when people with hearing loss struggle try to hear, their ability to comprehend and remember speech decreases. The increased effort to understand is a hidden effect of hearing loss — one that’s critically important in understanding the challenges that anyone with hearing loss deals with.3 One way to help people with hearing loss is with assistive captioning.

What is assistive captioning and how does it help?

Assistive captioning, or closed captioning, is an assistive technology that transcribes speech or speech and sound into written text. Captioning includes:

  • Subtitles that translate spoken words to written content. Subtitles are common for translating one language into another.
  • Closed captions that translate spoken words and contextual sounds and actions into written content. Closed captions are ideal for viewers who have very limited hearing or are Deaf.
  • Call captioning that translates what a speaker says on a phone call into written content. Call captioning requires a phone designed to show captions on a screen or an app that can add captions to a call on a smart phone

Captioning benefits people with hearing loss by:

  • Improving perception, comprehension, and memory, even when there’s background noise.
  • Helping them interpret sounds and speech more clearly and quickly.
  • Helping them understand sounds and speech, sometimes even better than with the use of hearing aids.3

Qualify for CaptionCall by Sorenson today!

Studies have looked into how captions benefit adults with age-related hearing loss. Four of these studies showed how captions give adults with age-related hearing loss a way to overcome the challenges caused by struggling to hear.

Captions and comprehension

In the one study, researchers asked participants to listen to a list of numbers. The first half of the list was presented without distracting background sounds. The second half was presented with background noise. After participants listened to both halves of the list, they were asked to repeat the entire list of numbers.

Researchers found that listeners tried so hard to hear the numbers said with background noise that most forgot the beginning of the list.4

This study showed that adults with age-related hearing loss can have a harder time understanding sounds with background noise. The conclusion was that background noise interferes with comprehension and memory. The findings present a strong argument for ensuring aging adults with hearing loss have access to tools, such as assistive captioning, to help them struggle less and better understand sound and speech.

Discover CaptionCall Mobile for mobile captioning

Seeing and hearing are key

Researchers in the second study had participants listen to sentences that varied in complexity. They found that older adults with hearing impairments struggled with comprehension and recall of sentences when spoken quickly, even though they accurately perceived what was said.5

The study shows that perception, comprehension, and memory of speech improve for adults with age-related hearing loss when they can see and hear what’s said.

Other studies show that even just a one decibel (dB) improvement in signal-to-noise ratio corresponds to a 10% increase comprehension and memory.3

The improvement in this second study equaled a speech-to-noise ratio improvement of as much as 15 dB, which led to a significant increase in comprehension and memory.

Words and sounds work together

In a third study, researchers showed participants two videos with captions and sounds. In the first video, the captions and sounds matched. In the second video, the captions and sounds didn’t.

The results of the study determined that sounds and words (such as captions in a conversation) complement each other to help listeners understand sounds better and to hear sounds more clearly and quickly.6
Series of hearing aids in white, grey, and various skin tones.

The benefits of captions versus hearing aids

In the last study, researchers determined that real-time closed captioning of speech in television improves comprehension for adults with hearing loss. The study also showed that the benefits of captions outweigh the benefits of hearing aids. In fact, hearing aids provided no benefit to recognizing words when captioning was available.7 This study shows just how important captions are for hearing loss.

Assistive captioning for phone conversations

Call captioning, like CaptionCall, transcribes phone calls in real time so users can read the conversation. Call captioning, such as that provided by CaptionCall, provides advanced call captioning for phone calls. Assistive captioning for phone calls lets anyone with hearing loss necessitating call captioning better comprehend, remember, and actively participate in conversations, even when there’s background noise. Call captioning is also available at no cost.
Series of hearing aids in white, grey, and various skin tones.

Learn more about how CaptionCall by Sorenson and CaptionCall Mobile can help anyone with hearing loss, including adults with age-related hearing loss.

Sources

  1. Quick Statistics About Hearing, Balance, & Dizziness
  2. Declining Prevalence of Hearing Loss in US Adults
  3. Text Captioning Buffers Against the Effects of Background Noise and Hearing Loss on Memory for Speech
  4. Rabbitt, P. M. (1968). Channel-capacity, intelligibility and immediate memory. Q J Exp Psychol, 20, 241–248.
  5. Wingfield, A., McCoy, S. L., Peelle, J. E., Tun, P. A., Cox, L. C. (2006). Effects of adult aging and hearing loss on comprehension of rapid speech varying in syntactic complexity. J Am Acad Audiol, 17, 487–497.
  6. Frost, R., & Katz, L. (1989). Orthographic depth and the interaction of visual and auditory processing in word recognition. Mem Cognit, 17,302–310.
  7. Gordon-Salant, S., & Callahan, J. S. (2009). The benefits of hearing aids and closed captioning for television viewing by older adults with hearing loss. Ear Hear, 30, 458–465.

How to Turn on Closed Captioning for Streaming Content

Woman in living room watches television with subtitles on.

Closed captions and subtitles show the dialogue and/or audio portion of a program as text on your TV, computer, or phone screen. They’re an important usability aid whether a viewer is hearing, hard-of-hearing, or Deaf. A 2022 survey found that 50% of Americans regularly use subtitles when watching content.1

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires closed captioning on TV, but how do you turn on closed captioning for streaming services and devices?2 It’s not hard. And, if you’re in a typical American household, you watch 5.4 streaming services a month. So, you may need to set up captions multiple times.3

In this guide, we show you how to turn captions on across the most popular streaming services, Pay TV  providers, and streaming devices.

Once you get captions set up, you won’t miss a moment of dialogue even if you’re hard-of-hearing or Deaf, or when the dog barks, the kids holler, or you need to jump on a phone call.

Read on to find out how to turn captions on or jump straight to your provider or service.

Netflix | Amazon Prime Video | Hulu | Disney+ | HBO Max | Paramount+ | Peacock | Apple TV+ | YouTube | Xfinity | Spectrum | Cox | DirectTV | DISH | Amazon Firestick | Chromecast | Roku | Apple TV

What are closed captioning, subtitles for the Deaf and hard of hearing and subtitles?

Closed captions and subtitles are common terms. People often use them interchangeably, but they are not the same.

  • Closed captions show words on the screen for spoken dialogue, intention, and tone, as well as descriptions of unspoken sounds, which creates full context for the viewer.
  • Subtitles simply translate and show spoken dialogue and are targeted at users watching content in a language other than their native language. They are a good alternative when full closed captions are unavailable.
  • Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH) combine subtitles and closed captions. SDH is often available when closed captions aren’t.

Now let’s dive in to how to turn on closed captions on TV shows and streamed content.

How to get closed captions on TV video streaming services

Video streaming services are the most popular way to watch TV content today. 78% of U.S. households subscribe to Netflix alone.4 Whether you use Netflix or the next most-popular service, Amazon Prime Video — or both — here’s how to turn on closed captioning.

Keep your eyes open for this symbol or this one as you set up captions.

Woman in living room watches television with subtitles on.

Turn on captioning for Netflix

Getting started with Netflix closed captions or subtitles on any device is easy. Simply follow the steps below.

Hint: To turn captions on for all shows, start with an adult profile (not a kid’s profile) and pick a show with a maturity rating for teens and older. Then watch for at least 2 to 3 minutes to save your preferences for future shows.

For mobile phone, tablets, and Mac or PC computers:

  • Open Netflix.
  • Pick a show to watch.
  • Push play.
  • Tap or click on the screen.
  • Select audio & subtitles.
  • Turn on subtitles or English (CC) for closed captioning.

For smart TVs, Blu-ray players, or gaming system, and streaming media player:

  • Open Netflix.
  • Pick a show to watch.
  • Push play.
  • Press your remote’s up or down arrow to select audio & subtitles.
  • Turn captions on or off and select your preferred language.

On Apple TVs:

  • Open Netflix.
  • Pick a show to watch.
  • Push play.
  • Swipe down on the remote (Apple TV 4 and 4K) or hold down the remote’s center button (Apple TV 2 or 3) to select Audio & Subtitles.
  • Turn captions on or off and select your preferred language.

Netflix offers up to seven language options for subtitles and closed captions. They depend on your location and language settings. If you don’t see your preferred language, subtitles or closed captioning isn’t available for that language yet.

Netflix help center

Using Amazon Prime Video with captions

Amazon Prime Video is Amazon’s on-demand streaming service. Up to 66% of U.S. households subscribe.5 All Amazon Prime members get free access to Amazon Prime Video. Available content includes movies, TV shows, sporting events, and the ability to combine Prime Video with other popular streaming services, such as HBO Max, Paramount+, and Discovery+.

Adding captions or subtitles to Prime Video is quick and simple from the Prime app. 

First select the language you want to see captions or subtitles in:

  • On a show, select the overview screen.
  • Select subtitles.
  • If subtitles are available in your language, you’ll see the closed caption or subtitles symbol.

 To see subtitles or closed captions for a show that supports them:

  • Open the Amazon Prime Video app.
  • Select a show.
  • Push play.
  • On the playback menu, select the closed caption or subtitles symbol.
  • You may need to hit the enter button on your remote or controller to access the playback menu.
  • Turn subtitles on (or off) and select a language.

Amazon Prime Video and many other services give you the added benefit of letting you modify the size and color of captions and subtitles. You can do that under the Subtitles Settings menu. 

Amazon Prime help center

Access closed captions for Hulu

Hulu is another favorite streaming service of U.S. households with more than 40 million subscribers.6

To use subtitles or closed captions on Hulu-supported TV or TV-connected devices where available, simply:

  • Select a show.
  • Push play.
  • Press the up button or swipe down on your remote to open the playback bar.
  • Press or swipe up to open the settings menu.
  • Under captions & subtitles, select on or off.

On supported mobile devices:

  • Select a show.
  • Push play.
  • Under subtitles & captions, tap auto, on, or off.
  • Tap the X to save your preferences and return to your show.

On supported mobile devices:

  • Select a show.
  • Push play.
  • Click to enter the subtitles & captions menu.
  • Choose a language for your captions or select on.

A nice benefit of subtitles and closed captions on Hulu is that you can choose English or Spanish, when available, format captions, and each profile can manage captions independently. They can also be turned on and off based on the content being watched.

Hulu help center

Disney+ with closed captions

Disney+ is every streamer’s one-stop shop for shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. It has 152 million subscribers around the globe.7

To keep up with its global audience, Disney+ supports closed captions and subtitles in up to 28 languages.

Woman in living room watches television with subtitles on.

Setting up subtitles and closed captions on Disney+ is straightforward. Here how to do so on any device:

  • Select a show.
  • Push play.
  • Open the audio & subtitles menu icon (usually located in the top right corner of the screen. Actual location depends on the device).
  • Choose the language you want to see captions in.

It’s that simple to watch Disney+ content with closed captions.

You can also format captions and subtitles for Disney+ on a variety of devices, including those running iOS and Android, Smart TV, streaming devices, the web, and Xbox or PlayStation.

Subtitles with HBO Max

About 73.8 million people worldwide subscribe to HBO and HBO Max.8

Today, subscribers can only access closed captioning in English. And turning captions on for HBO Max varies slightly based on the device you’re using. For details on your specific device, visit the HBO Max Help Center. Here’s the basic process.

  • Start watching a show,
  • Click the screen or the Select button on your remote.
  • Select the Audio and Subtitles icon.
  • Choose English CC.
  • Click X or press the back button to save your changes.

If you want to change the captioning style, choose your profile, then Settings, choose Closed Captions and/or Manage Preferences.

Paramount+ captions

Paramount+ supports closed captions. Turning them on varies depending on the device you’re watching Paramount+ content on. Regardless of device, you turn them on through the Accessibility menu. Look for Subtitles and Captioning, Subtitles, Captions, Closed Caption, or Caption Mode to turn closed captioning on.

Paramount+ help center

How to use subtitles with Peacock

Peacock is NBC’s streaming app. It offers free and paid plans. More than 20 million people watch Peacock each month.9

You can access subtitles on Peacock, but not true closed captions. Find out how to use subtitles with Peacock.

Man looking at streaming service menu on tablet screen.

Apple TV+ with subtitles

Apple TV+ is Apple’s streaming service. You can watch it on Apple devices, the web, and through other services and streaming devices.

Apple TV+ supports only subtitles for individual shows if available. You can turn closed captions and SDH on by default and see them if/when available for specific content.

Apple support center

Seeing captions on YouTube and YouTube TV

You might think of YouTube as simply a repository for videos of any and every kind, but it also offers YouTube TV, a popular paid TV streaming service for more than 100 channels, including ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN, and AMC.

Seeing closed captions on YouTube and YouTube TV content depends on the availability of captions on the individual video or channel you watch.

Screenshot of YouTube video with closed captioning turned on.Screenshot of YouTube video with closed captioning turned on.

Turn Captions on for YouTube

YouTube captions and subtitles are set up the same way, regardless of the device you watch on. If you watch from a YouTube account you created, captions will be in the preferred language you select for your account. Click to accept marketing cookies and enable this content

On your computer:

  • Select a video.
  • If the CC icon shows in the lower right corner, captions are available. Click the icon to turn captions on.

On an Android or IOS device:

  • Select a video.
  • Tap the video player.
  • If the CC icon shows, captions are available. Tap the icon to turn captions on.

On TVs and game consoles:

  • Select and play a video.
  • Hit Pause.
  • Tap the CC icon.
  • Choose a language for captions.
  • Select Caption Style.
  • Customize settings if desired.

You can customize caption format and language for YouTube videos.

YouTube help center

Turn captions on for YouTube TV

YouTube TV is an app. Turning captions on for YouTube TV is similar to turning them on for YouTube.

On your computer or Android device:

  • Select a video.
  • Select Play.
  • If the CC icon shows in the progress bar or under More in the upper right corner, captions are available. Click the icon to turn them on.

On an iOS device:

  • Select a video.
  • Select Play.
  • If the CC icon shows, captions are available. Select the icon to turn them on.

If you watch on-demand or recorded videos on YouTube TV that offer captions, you can format them; for live TV, you can’t.

YouTube TV help center

Pay TV over cable captioning

Cable isn’t as popular as streaming services: just 56% of U.S. households have a cable box compared to 78% who subscribe to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Disney+.9 But 56% of U.S. households is nothing to sneeze at.

If you get Pay TV by cable through Xfinity, Spectrum, or Cox, here’s how to turn closed captions on and off, as well as how to customize them to your preferences.

Accessing captions on Xfinity

If you use Xfinity from Comcast for your Pay TV services, you can access closed captioning with the Voice Remote, during a program, or through the XI Accessibility Setting menu.

With your Voice Remote:

  • Hold down the microphone button.
  • Say “Closed Captions” or “Captions.”

During a program:

  • See accessibility setting for the program under the transport bar or press the down arrow or the OK button to access the accessibility buttons on your X1 remote.
  • Press the left arrow button to select Closed Captioning (CC).

Using the X1 Accessibility Setting menu:

  • Push the B button on your remote to access Accessibility Settings.
  • Press OK to turn captions on or off.
  • To customize your Xfinity closed caption options — such as size and color — go to Closed Captioning Options.

Learn more and see how to change the font size, color, and formatting of captions.

Xfinity support center

Setting up closed captions on Spectrum

Spectrum from Charter is the second largest cable TV provider in the U.S.

Follow these simple steps to turn captions on or off for Spectrum content.

  • Press Menu on your remote control.
  • Use the arrow buttons to go to Settings & Support.
  • Press OK/Select.
  • From the highlighted Accessibility section, choose:
  • Closed Captioning Settings to choose the style and color for your captions.
  • Highlight Save and press OK/Select to save your changes.

Learn more and deep-dive into Spectrum’s closed captioning settings.

Spectrum support center

Watching Cox Cable TV shows with captions

Cox Contour TV is a cable service from Cox Enterprises. Cox also offers a streaming device that works with any TV and provides access to Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+ and other streaming services.

To turn captions on for your Cox Contour TV or Stream Player, on your Cox remote control:

  • Turn your TV on.
  • Press the CONTOUR button to see the Main Menu.
  • Highlight Settings (the gear icon), press OK to access the Settings menu.
  • Highlight Device Settings, press OK.
  • Do one of the following:
  • Use the voice command, “Closed Caption” to turn captioning on or off.
  • Press the down arrow to display the playback control bar and select the closed captioning shortcut.
  • Go to the Accessibility Menu by pressing the B button, highlight Settings, and scroll down to Accessibility Settings.

You can adjust the formatting of closed captions on your Cox services.

Cox support center

Seeing captions with others cable TV providers

If you’re not using one of the providers already covered, here are a few more Pay TV providers and how to set up captions through their services.

Optimum from Altice USA (formerly Suddenlink)

Accessing captions with Optimum cable service depends on the device you’re using. Find your device and see how to turn on captions on Optimum’s website.

Mediacom

Mediacom lets you turn closed captioning on or off for all shows or a single show while you’re watching. Just press the Info icon and select On or Off for Closed Captioning. Mediacom also lets you choose how closed captions are display.

Mediacom answer center

Getting captions with pay TV by satellite

Turning on closed captions on subtitles on DirecTV or DISH is simple and straightforward.

Turn on closed captioning for DirectTV

DirectTV is an AT&T brand. It’s still used by many subscribers, but use is declining. It lost 300,000 subscribers in the first 3 months of 2022 alone.10 Even so, it’s still the leading satellite choice for Pay TV.

If DirectTV is your go-to choice for watching content, it’s easy to turn subtitles on and off. Simply follow these steps.

  • Press the INFO button on your remote.
  • Scroll to the right and select CC.
  • Select Closed Captioning to turn captions on or off.

DirectTV support

Watching DISH content with closed captions

DISH, from the DISH Network, is the second most popular satellite TV provider in the U.S. DISH makes enabling captions a simple two-step process.10 Just:

  • Press the red or Options button on your remote twice.
  • Select the CC icon to turn on or off closed captioning.

You can also adjust your caption settings and set up other usability options, including audio description, screen magnification, and text to speech.

DISH accessibility settings

Using captions on streaming devices

A streaming device, aka streaming media player, is a physical piece of hardware. It connects to your TV through the HDMI port and uses your internet connection to stream online content to your TV, making it possible to access all your favorite services in one location.

Here’s how to turn captions on and off for with streaming devices.

Captions for Amazon Fire TV or Fire TV Stick

Amazon Fire TV and the Fire TV Stick are among the most popular streaming media players. In 2021, Amazon said more than 50 million people used Fire TV each month.11

Fire TV devices let you see captions on shows that support them. Here’s how to turn captions on or off.

  • Select a video.
  • Press play.
  • Press the Menu button on your Fire TV remote or in the Fire TV App.
  • Choose Subtitles.
  • Select the Off button under Subtitles.
  • Select from the options on-screen to turn captions on.
  • Press the Menu button again to return to video playback with subtitles on.

Amazon help & customer service center

Watching Google Chromecast and Google TV Content with closed captions

Chromecast is Google’s media streaming player. It uses your phone to control your TV and deliver content, essentially making your TV a smart TV. The technology is also built into some Google TVs.

Google TV is a complete operating system and can include Chromecast built in.

Adding captions to Google TV or Chromecast is fast and easy:

  • On the Google TV home screen, go to the user profile icon in the top right and select Settings.
  • Select System and Accessibility.
  • Choose Captions.
  • Turn on Display and choose your options.

Google TV help center

Roku with captions

You can turn captions for Roku on or off for the device itself or within individual channels that you download. Note that the availability of captions through Roku depends on the service provider offering them.

On your device:

  • Press the Home button on the Roku remote.
  • Select Settings.
  • Select Accessibility or Captions if Accessibility isn’t shown.
  • Select Captions mode and choose:
  • On replay
  • On mute
  • Off

Find out how to customize closed captions for Roku to use them only with specific channels and more.

Roku support center

Captioning on Apple TV and Apple TV 4K

Not to be confused with Apple TV+ or the Apple TV app on your phone, Apple TV is Apple’s physical streaming media player. It’s also the name for the Apple TV app.

You can turn closed captions on for any Apple solution. Here, we cover turning them on for the Apple TV streaming device.

  • Select a video.
  • Hit play.
  • On your streaming device press the button that brings up the video timeline.
  • Use your Siri Remote or Apple TV remote to swipe up and select the Subtitles button. Or use your smart TV, streaming device, or game console remote to navigate to the Subtitles button.
  • Choose the subtitles that you want.

Closed captions aren’t just for streamed content

Now that you’re set to take advantage of closed captioning for streamed content, keep in mind that you can use them other places as well. Amazon Echo Devices with screens support closed captions and call captioning. Google Nest also supports closed captioning.

And if you’re Deaf or hard of hearing and require captioned phone calls, you can access call captioning on a landline or cell phone at no cost to you.

Happy watching! 

Sources

  1. Survey: Why America Is Obsessed with Subtitles
  2. Closed Captioning on Television
  3. Americans Are Adopting Ad-Supported Streaming Services at a Faster Rate Than Non-Ad Subscription-Based Streaming Services, Signaling a Shift in the Market
  4. Top SVOD services in the U.S. 2022 | Statista
  5. Americans Are Adopting Ad-Supported Streaming Services at a Faster Rate Than Non-Ad Subscription-Based Streaming Services, Signaling a Shift in the Market
  6. Hulu Revenue and Usage Statistics (2024)
  7. Disney Plus Statistics 2025 – Subscribers & Revenue Data
  8. Disney+ and HBO Max show streaming strength against Netflix
  9. Cord Cutting – Streaming Subscriber Vs Cable: Statistics and Trends in 2024
  10. Latest Cord Cutting Statistics, Facts and Trends
  11. Stories worth talking about
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