Gaming if you are deaf or have hearing loss: subtitles, visual cues and chat

Why sound matters more than you might expect in games

Films carry most of their meaning in pictures and dialogue. Games often use sound as part of the controls. A creak tells you an enemy is close; a chime tells you a puzzle is solved; a spoken line tells you where to go next. If you cannot hear those cues, a game can become confusing even when it is subtitled.

The good news is that most new games now offer subtitle options, and many go further with captions and visual indicators. Consoles also have their own audio and transcription settings. The aim of this guide is to help you combine the two.

Subtitles and captions: game settings versus console settings

There are two separate systems, and it helps to know which one you are changing.

• In-game subtitles are set in the game's own menu. They cover dialogue and sometimes sound effects during play.
• Console closed captions mainly apply to video: films, TV apps and discs. On Xbox, go to Profile & system > Settings > Accessibility > Captioning. On PS5, go to Settings > Accessibility > Closed Captions and turn on Display Closed Captions.

Microsoft notes that closed captions are provided by the video producers, so you may need to change them inside the app if the console settings do not seem to work. On Xbox you can customise caption colour, size, style, transparency and background. On PS5, select Closed Captions Settings and turn on Custom Caption Style to change font size, colour, edges and opacity.

Inside games, look for a subtitle size option, a background box, speaker names and a choice between subtitles (speech only) and captions (speech plus sounds). The Accessible Games Initiative tag Large & clear subtitles covers spoken dialogue only, so check separately whether sound effects are captioned.

Mono audio and volume balance for one-sided hearing

Stereo sound sends different audio to the left and right. If you hear better on one side, or use one earbud, you can miss half the mix. Mono output combines the channels so both sides play the same thing.

• Xbox: Profile & system > Settings > Accessibility > Audio, then select Mono output.
• PS5: Settings > Sound > Audio Output, then Headphones > Mono Audio for Headphones.
• Switch 2: System Settings > Accessibility, then turn on Mono Audio.
• Windows 11: Settings > Accessibility > Audio, then switch on Mono audio.

Mono removes left-right direction, so it works best alongside on-screen direction indicators where the game has them. Separate volume controls are also useful: turning music down and speech up can make dialogue clearer for players who use some hearing.

Voice chat without relying on hearing

Online play often depends on voice chat. All three consoles now offer transcription so you can read what others say and type replies that are spoken aloud.

• Xbox: Profile & system > Settings > Accessibility > Game and chat transcription. Select Speech-to-text to read other players and Text-to-speech to have your typed messages read aloud. Microsoft notes party chat transcription is available on Xbox consoles, and game transcription only works in games that support it.
• PS5: Settings > Accessibility > Chat Transcription. Transcribed speech appears on the voice chat card. You select Say something to type a message that is read aloud. It works in parties and in supported games.
• Switch 2: System Settings > Accessibility > Change Speech ⇔ Text During GameChat, then turn on Display speech as text and Convert text to speech. UK English supports both.

Microsoft's troubleshooting advice is to make sure everyone in the chat has a headset connected before the game starts and has communication privacy set to allow chat. Transcription accuracy can drop with background noise or fast speech, so text chat or a pinged location can still be useful in a busy match.

Balancing game audio and party chat on Xbox

If you have some hearing, getting the balance right between game sound and voices can make a big difference. Xbox has a chat mixer that sets party chat volume separately from game audio. Microsoft says you can open it from the Audio & music icon in the guide, or from Profile & system > Settings > Volume & audio output > Additional options. One option is to lower all other game sound while people are talking, which can make speech easier to pick out.

Microsoft also notes that the Xbox Wireless Headset lets you adjust the balance between game and chat audio and use equaliser settings, which it suggests may help when hearing loss affects particular frequency ranges. Similar balance and equaliser controls exist on many headsets, so check the manual for yours.

Inside games, separate sliders for music, speech and effects let you push dialogue forward. The Accessible Games Initiative tag Multiple volume controls marks games that offer this.

Visual cues that stand in for sound

The most helpful hearing features show what sound would tell you. Examples include:

• a ring or arc on screen that points to footsteps or gunfire;
• an icon that flashes when an enemy has noticed you;
• controller vibration patterns that match in-game events;
• captions that describe music changes or off-screen noises.

The Game Accessibility Guidelines, a widely used reference for developers, list "ensure no essential information is conveyed by sounds alone" as a basic guideline. If a game's accessibility page mentions visual sound indicators or a full set of captions, that is a good sign it has thought about deaf players.

On Windows you can also have audio alerts shown visually: Settings > Accessibility > Audio, then choose an option under Flash my screen during audio notifications.

Live captions on Windows PCs

Windows 11 (version 22H2 and later) includes live captions, which transcribe any audio playing on the PC. Turn it on with the Windows logo key + Ctrl + L, or go to Settings > Accessibility > Captions and switch on Live captions. Microsoft says the audio is processed on the device and is not sent to the cloud.

Live captions can help with games that have no subtitles, such as unvoiced trailers or older titles. They transcribe speech rather than sound effects, and they can lag behind fast dialogue. You can dock the captions above or below the screen, or float them, and change the caption style.

See our Windows accessibility for gaming guide for more PC settings.

Finding deaf-friendly games and getting more help

Before buying, check the store page and the publisher's accessibility page. On Xbox you can filter the Store by accessibility tags such as Large & clear subtitles, Multiple volume controls, Mono sound and Chat speech-to-text & text-to-speech. On PS5, the game hub in PlayStation Store lists accessibility features when the developer has added them.

RNID is the UK charity for people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus. Its website has information on hearing loss, tinnitus and assistive technology that can help with communication and entertainment. Our UK support page lists more organisations, and our game profiles show which games list full subtitle and audio-cue options.

Questions people ask

What is the difference between subtitles and captions?

Subtitles show spoken words. Captions also describe other sounds, such as music, alarms or footsteps. Many games only offer subtitles, so check whether sound effects are captioned too.

Can I read what my friends say in voice chat?

Yes. Xbox, PS5 and Switch 2 all have chat transcription that converts other players' speech to text. In-game chat transcription only works in games that support it.

I hear better in one ear. What should I change?

Turn on mono audio so both sides carry the same sound. On Xbox it is under Accessibility > Audio, on PS5 under Sound > Audio Output > Headphones, and on Switch 2 under System Settings > Accessibility.

Do console caption settings change subtitles in games?

Mostly no. Console caption settings mainly apply to video apps and discs. Game subtitles are set in each game's own menu.