How to disable subtitles by default (but keep them available)?

Question

When I play a video in VLC it always starts with subtitles! I don't want this! I want subtitles OFF until I choose to turn them ON.

I tried unchecking 'enable sub-pictures' in the preferences menu, but this removed the subtitle user interface entirely, making it difficult to get subtitles on the occasions I really do want them (foreign films).

This seems to be the default now in VLC 3. 0 and above. Finally they got it right.... — FreeSoftwareServers, Jun 27 '18 at 04:51
Not what is being asked, but (in Ubuntu): `v` to cycle subtitle track, and `shift-v` to toggle subtitles. — Daniel, Jul 28 '19 at 19:29

score 90 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 21 '21 at 08:23

90

I know this is kind of an old thread, but if someone else is looking for the answer, I found an easier way.

In the simple settings menu, go to "Subtitles/OSD" and under "Preferred Subtitle Language," enter none. Subtitles will no longer be displayed unless you ask for them! This works in VLC 2.2.1 and 2.2.4 (windows 7 and 10 respectively) for sure, and probably others too, but I have not tested it beyond those two.

Hey VLC guys, how about just making the default none, so we don't have to do this? Pretty please??

edited Feb 21 '21 at 08:23

wjandrea

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answered Jun 16 '17 at 09:17

Justin Wilson

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This is BY FAR easier than all the other suggestions above and works like a charm, I'm on version 2.2.4 weatherwax with macOS. Please, upvote this answer for more attention. – chiappa Apr 05 '18 at 01:09
Preferred language option is no longer there in the latest version 3.0.4 – charsi Jan 10 '19 at 05:36
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Option has been moved to Input/Codecs > 'subtitle language' – charsi Jan 10 '19 at 05:40
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Works on macOS too with latest VLC 3.0.8 – Ilya Kozhevnikov Mar 25 '20 at 21:58
Works on macOS Version 3.0.17.3 Vetinari (Intel 64bit) – Søren Jul 04 '22 at 10:03
Works on macOS Ventura 13.2.1 with VLC 3.0.18 Vetinari. – loco.loop Mar 28 '23 at 20:39
Works on macOS 11.2, VLC 3.0.18 Vetinari. – Agustí Sánchez Apr 17 '23 at 09:10

Colonel Panic · Answer 2 · 2013-07-09T23:26:54.467

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Browse to the menu Tools / Preferences / (Show settings: All) / Input/Codecs
Then set 'Subtitles Track ID' to 0

enter image description here

per http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=62294

edited Jul 09 '13 at 23:26

answered Jan 13 '13 at 17:14

Colonel Panic

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+1 Warning to others, there's also an option just above `Subtitles Track ID` called just `Subtitles Track` that won't work. What a complicated way do disable something that should be disabled by default. I mean really, how often does the average person actually want their native language subtitled? – devios1 Jun 16 '13 at 01:47
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wow so obvious how did I miss that ಠ_ಠ – Damon Dec 11 '13 at 03:10
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Completely unintuitive. – Koobz Jan 08 '14 at 07:18
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They totally need to make this more prominent and simpler. Also it should default to off - most people don't want subtitles on. – niico May 25 '15 at 20:47
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Also, you need to click the "Show All" settings button to find these preferences. – Fabian Tamp Jun 28 '16 at 12:31
`-1` is used to disable subtitles – user25 Feb 25 '18 at 17:43
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@user25 `-1` is the default setting, and subtitles are very definitely enabled when set to that. – jmbpiano Mar 25 '18 at 07:24
@jmbpiano did you test it? – user25 Mar 25 '18 at 10:14
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@user25 Yes. Multiple times, switching it back and forth between `0` and `-1`. Set to `0`, subtitles are not displayed by default. Set to `-1`, they are. – jmbpiano Mar 25 '18 at 16:53
I do not recommend this. There is a much much easier solution here: https://superuser.com/a/1219880/169409 – chiappa Apr 05 '18 at 01:27

score 20 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 16 '13 at 13:00

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Setting it to 0 doesn't always work. It works about 50% of the time. I set mine to 99 which seems to work better ;-)

answered Jun 16 '13 at 13:00

SupremeUser

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The accepted answer didn't work for me, but this did. Thank you. – nc01 Sep 21 '13 at 08:22
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Same here - accepted answer didn't work; this one did. – David Feb 24 '15 at 03:42
`-1` is used to disable subtitles (or any other track) – user25 Feb 25 '18 at 17:43
This is what worked for me. Setting to "none" or setting track ID to 0 didn't. **Thank you!** – Mike Bethany Sep 01 '18 at 07:35

1 AlaskanAssassin · Answer 4 · 2015-03-21T04:24:37.647

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Just wanted to say that you can do this using the "simple" options as well: it's tools / preferences / and then "subtitles/OSD" which is the 4th big button on the left of the preferences menu, right above "input/codecs."

Then just uncheck "enable subtitles," the subtitles will remain available anytime via r-click/subtitles.

Also, after doing this, then switching to "show settings: all" in the lower left, the "subtitles track ID" that Colonel Panic suggests, is set to -1, not 0, which could be why some folks are having trouble with it. You can manually set this to -1, to achieve the same result. Cheerio!

edited Mar 21 '15 at 04:24

answered Mar 21 '15 at 04:17

1 AlaskanAssassin

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The question clearly says they don't want to disable subtitles, they want them off by default. Also -1 does *NOT* disable subtitles it makes the subtitles go to the default language. – Mike Bethany Sep 01 '18 at 07:27

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 25 '18 at 23:34

This answer corresponds to VLC 3.0.4 Vetinari on an ubuntu system. The subtitles can be disabled by unchecking Enable Subtitles on Tools-->Preferences-->Subtitles/OSD screen.

It can be enabled by pressing v during the running of video.

Screenshot below

How to disable subtitles by default (but keep them available)?

5 Answers5

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