Are you stuck wondering why Prime Video’s subtitles are out of sync?
You’re not alone! Every day, thousands of the platform’s subscribers find themselves in the same situation.
I know how annoying it can be to have this happen. After all, nothing can ruin an intense scene as quickly as hearing dialogue and reading something entirely different on screen.
But don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place for answers.
Below, you’ll find a list of several steps you can follow to fix this problem once and for all.
The 8 simple steps you can take to get your Prime Video subtitles back in sync are:
Keep reading to stop stressing and start streaming!
The first thing I want you to do is to enable closed-captioning on your streaming devices.
Most of the time, streaming services are configured to ignore our device’s settings. But in certain cases, this may not be possible. Having them set up the wrong way could explain why Prime Video’s subtitles are out of sync.
If you suspect this to be the reason why you’re having these issues, go to your device’s settings and enable this function.
Solution:
For iOS devices:
For Android devices:
To enable closed captions on other streaming devices, I’d recommend going on Google and searching for “How to enable Closed Captions on <Your Device’s Name Goes Here>”. You should be able to find several detailed instructions for your particular case.
VPNs are simply amazing.
Not only do they give us secure browsing, but also open up a world of international content we can enjoy. There’s really a lot to love and very little to complain about!
…which makes it a real shame that streaming companies hate them.
In fact, many of them, like Disney Plus, HBO Max, Prime Video, Hulu, Netflix, and many more have made this very clear. Some have even gotten to the point of blocking subscribers who use virtual private networks.
And while I don’t agree with these actions, I can understand them.
You see, some of the content on these streaming platforms is only licensed to be played in certain countries and regions. Since VPNs allow people from outside these areas of the world to access said content, streaming companies have to take action.
It’s either that or facing legal issues.
If you can’t live without using a VPN while streaming Prime Video, I’d recommend getting a premium subscription with a company that has obfuscated servers.
These will make it much harder for Prime Video to detect your VPN traffic, reducing your chances of being blocked.
Solution: If you want to be 100% certain that your current VPN is to blame for this situation, try disabling it for a while.
If Prime Video’s subtitles are no longer out of sync, there’s your answer.
While it’s true that Internet service drops have gone down a lot in the last few years, it’s not safe to say they don’t happen anymore.
In most cases, this is easily noticeable, as you won’t be able to browse the web. But sometimes, you may only have a weak signal. This would allow you to keep browsing lightly or chatting while also having Prime Video’s subtitles be out of sync.
That’s when diagnosing a bad connection gets tricky.
If you think about it, though, it makes a lot of sense. Streaming your favorite content online is much harder on your home network than texting your friends about your day.
Prime Video needs an Internet signal of at least 5 Mbps to stream in Full HD resolution (1080p), and an incredible 25 Mbps for 4K (2160p).
Solution: Do you have a large family, or is it just you at home? I ask you this because the answer will determine the Internet plan you should have.
If it’s the former, I recommend that your plan is at least 5-6 times faster than Prime Video’s requirements. For example, if you want to stream in Full HD resolution, you should have a connection of 25-30 Mbps.
If it’s the latter, you could get away with something 2-3 times faster than what the platform needs.
Assuming that your current plan is already fast enough, you might want to try giving your provider a call and asking if they’re having issues. If they tell you everything’s fine on their end, you should try resetting your modem and see if that works.
Doing so is really simple, you just have to follow these steps:
If this solution didn’t work either, don’t lose hope, we still have a lot of ground to cover. Keep reading to discover more fixes you can try!
Moving on, let’s make sure the platform’s servers are doing ok.
As you may know, these are responsible for storing important information and providing millions of Prime Video subscribers with quality service.
Given how important they are to its everyday operations, that company has put a lot of work into making them as resistant as possible. And while I’m not saying they’re as fragile as glass, I’d be lying if I told you they can’t ever fail.
Things that seem unimportant, like a coding bug, a broken hard drive, or even minor hacking can affect the platform’s performance and have a negative impact on its features.
The best way to tell if this is happening is by looking out for login difficulties, issues verifying your subscription, or out-of-sync subtitles. Sometimes, you may also get random flickering.
Solution: If you suspect this to be the source of the problem, I’d recommend checking the real-time status of the platform’s servers.
Here’s how to do that:
Sadly, if the servers are currently failing, your hands are tied.
But I wouldn’t worry too much about it. These events don’t last very long. You should expect everything to be back to normal within 2-24 hours.
I know how keeping your apps outdated doesn’t sound like a big deal. And while it’s not a federal crime, it can cause your streaming services to act strange, restart randomly or fail to connect to your home network,
You see, with every new release, app developers try to keep as much backward compatibility as they can, but it’s not always possible. Using an older version of the platform’s software on a fully updated streaming device could explain why Prime Video’s subtitles are out of sync.
Normally this shouldn’t be your concern, as automatic updating takes care of everything. But sometimes network interruptions or strict device privacy settings can get in the way.
In that case, you’ll have to manually install the latest version of Prime Video to your devices.
Solution: There are hundreds of streaming devices out there. If I were to guide you through the process of updating Prime Video within each one, we’d be here all day.
And while I don’t mind it, I’m sure you’ve got a very busy schedule!
Instead, I’d recommend going to Google and searching for “How to update apps on <Your Device’s Make And Model Go Here>”.
To give you a general idea of the process, here’s how to do it on iOS and Android devices, as well as on a Roku system.
For iOS devices:
For Android devices:
You may be prompted with a notification asking for your permission to proceed with the updates. If so, simply accept and be patient.
Maybe the answer is much simpler than you think.
You may not know this, but every piece of content within Prime Video has its own ID and space on the company’s servers. This is why sometimes you might have trouble streaming a specific title, but be able to enjoy another uninterrupted.
By keeping its content organized this way, the platform can prevent a single issue from becoming a general failure.
This is normally a good safety measure, but it could also trick you into thinking that the problem you’re having is bigger than it actually is!
Solution: Try switching between different shows and movies and see what happens.
If subtitles are not out of sync on the rest of the platform’s content, chances are the title you were trying to watch is the only one having issues.
In that case, all you can do is wait until things go back to normal.
If you have no idea what these are, that’s ok! Most people are in the same boat.
But now that you’re reading this, I’d like to take this opportunity and shed some light on the concepts, starting with the cache.
This is where your favorite apps store important information. In it, you’re likely to find preset configurations, user preferences, audio, and video. By keeping this data handy, Prime Video can load much quicker when launched.
Cookies, on the other hand, are tools used to make your browsing more efficient and help targeted ads be more accurate. They’re the reason why you’re suddenly bombarded on social media with ads for cupcake molds right after looking up a recipe for pastries.
For the most part, leaving them both alone does more good than harm. But in certain cases, this could be the reason why Prime Video’s subtitles are out of sync.
In that scenario, your best bet will be to clear them.
Solution: Deleting your cookies and cache is really simple in most major browsers and operating systems out there. For this example, I’ll show you how to do it on Google Chrome and an Android device.
On Google Chrome:
On Android devices:
Finally, let’s try something different.
If none of the solutions above have worked, we might need to be a little more aggressive.
In most cases, closing and relaunching the Prime Video app should get rid of most problems. But sometimes things are more complicated.
Now and then, a corrupted file or bug might not go away until the app is fully removed from your streaming devices. By uninstalling and reinstalling Prime Video, you’re giving the service a fresh start.
And the best part is that this fix works for about 90% of all technical difficulties out there, so don’t be afraid to try it out!
Solution: In case you’ve never uninstalled an app on your devices, here’s how to do it on a Roku to paint you a picture:
Having Prime Video’s subtitles play out of sync can be very annoying. Especially when you consider that you’re paying a monthly subscription. The least you’d expect for your money is a decent service.
What a disaster!
Luckily, as I hope you’ve learned in this piece, addressing most of the causes behind this situation is very simple. Most of the time, simple actions, like keeping your app fully updated, and using the right VPN, should do the trick.
Thank you so much for sticking with me all the way to the end. If you found this article helpful, you’ll be glad to know that we upload new content every week. Check out our other incredible resources below to become a Tech Detective yourself!
I wish you all the best.
Detective ‘Gerry’ Molina is one of the most prolific detectives on our TechDetective team. He’s known for his ability to crack down on multitudes of tech crimes on behalf of you – the citizens of the internet. Molina is often the first point of contact for many cases, working to help free victims from the tyranny of tech issues.
