What does closed caption mean?

Closed captions are a specific type of caption that can be turned on or off by the viewer, depending on their preference. They're called "closed" because they're not permanently embedded in the video itself, but rather transmitted as a separate text file that can be displayed or hidden.

When you turn on closed captions, you'll see the text appear on the screen, usually at the bottom, in sync with the audio. This is different from "open captions," which are always visible and can't be turned off.

Closed captions are really useful because they give viewers control over whether they want to see the captions or not. This is especially handy for people who might need captions in certain situations, like when they're in a noisy environment or trying to watch a video quietly, but don't necessarily want them on all the time.

Most video platforms, like YouTube and Netflix, have options for turning closed captions on or off, and many even let you customize the font, size, and color of the captions to your liking.

Now, a lot of people confuse captions with subtitles, so here is how these two are different.