Make subtitles easier to read

Adjust text size, colour, outline and background to suit your screen and viewing distance.

Size and position first

Text sized for a monitor is too small on a television. Step the size up and, if the lines sit over on-screen text or a letterboxed edge, move them vertically until they sit clear of the picture. Every subtitle control is listed on the subtitles page.

Making them readable on any scene

White text disappears against snow, sand and daylight. An outline or background box can improve contrast; choose a colour and size you find readable.

On the TV

When you cast, the subtitle you chose shows on the TV. The size, colour and outline you set here shape the subtitles on your PC; on the TV the text can look different, so judge it from the sofa rather than the desk. More on subtitles when casting.

Sizing for the distance you actually sit at

Choose text size for your display and viewing distance. Set it for where you actually watch.

Outline, shadow or a solid box?

Each solves the same problem differently. Try Outline, Drop shadow or Background box and compare readability on the scene; combinations are available if they suit your display.

When a file brings its own styling

Some subtitle formats carry their own fonts, colours and positions, chosen by whoever made them. Sometimes that is better than anything you would set; often it is a small yellow font that suited a different screen. Style override, which is on by default, tells AIX Player to ignore what the file specifies and use your settings instead, which keeps every film consistent. Switch it off in Settings → Subtitle when the file’s own styling is the better one. Picture-based subtitles such as PGS keep the look they were made with.

Worth knowing