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A Federal Communications Commission rule requiring TV captioning display settings to be easier to access takes effect on August 17, 2026. People who use captions have long reported that adjusting how captions appear, including font, size, color, and background, often means digging through confusing menus that differ from one device to the next.
The rule applies to TV manufacturers and to video programming distributors such as cable and satellite providers. It requires that caption display settings be "readily accessible." The FCC will judge compliance using four factors: how many steps it takes to reach the settings, how easy they are to find, whether viewers can preview changes as they make them, and whether settings stay consistent across devices and over time. Covered devices include televisions, set-top boxes, and other equipment designed to receive or play back video with sound.
The rule was adopted in 2024, with a two-year window for compliance. That window closes on August 17. For people who rely on captions, the practical effect should be less time spent searching for caption controls and more consistent access to them across the devices they use.
Learn more from the FCC here.
