youtube audio description turn off

To turn off YouTube audio description, open the video, tap the three-dot menu, select Audio and subtitles, then choose the standard audio track instead of the one labeled "(Audio Description)." The narrator voice stops instantly. If that menu option doesn't appear at all, the fix lives in your device's accessibility settings, not inside YouTube.

Audio description is a separate narrated audio track added by the video uploader. When it's active, a second voice plays over the video describing on-screen visuals: "she walks toward the door," "text appears on screen," that kind of thing. It exists to help blind and low-vision viewers follow what's happening visually.

Most people didn't turn it on intentionally. A remote button, a system accessibility toggle, or YouTube remembering the last track from a previous session are the 3 most common causes. Below you'll find the exact steps for every device, plus the system-level fix for when the narrator keeps coming back.

YouTube audio and subtitles menu showing how to turn off audio description
The Audio and subtitles menu inside the YouTube app is where you switch off the audio description track.

How to turn off audio description in the YouTube mobile app

These steps work identically on iPhone and Android. YouTube handles audio tracks the same way on both platforms.

  1. Start playing the video with the unwanted narrator.
  2. Tap anywhere on the video to show the player controls.
  3. Tap the three-dot icon in the top-right corner of the player.
  4. Select Audio and subtitles from the menu.
  5. Under the Audio section, find the track labeled with "(Audio Description)" after the language name, for example "English (Audio Description)."
  6. Tap the standard track. It shows only the language name, like "English," with no extra label.
  7. Tap the X to close the panel. The narrator stops immediately.

YouTube doesn't save this choice globally. If another video has an audio description track uploaded by its creator, you may need to repeat these steps for that video. The app remembers your track selection per session, not permanently across all videos.

What if the Audio and subtitles option doesn't appear?

That menu item only shows up when the video has more than one audio track uploaded. If it's missing, the video has a single track and the narrator is coming from your phone's system accessibility settings instead. Skip to the device-level fix section below.

Disable audio description on YouTube in a desktop browser

This works in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge with no extensions required.

  1. Play the video on YouTube.com.
  2. Click the gear icon in the bottom-right corner of the video player.
  3. Click Audio track from the settings menu.
  4. You'll see a list of available tracks. The audio description option has "(Audio Description)" appended after the language name.
  5. Click the standard track, for example just "English."
  6. The track switches immediately. No page reload needed.

If "Audio track" doesn't appear in the gear menu, that video only has one audio track. The narrator you're hearing isn't coming from YouTube. Check your operating system's accessibility settings instead.

Stop YouTube audio description on TV and streaming devices

Smart TVs, Fire Stick, Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast all run a version of the YouTube app with similar controls. The difference is you navigate with a remote instead of tapping a screen.

Amazon Fire Stick

  1. Start playing the video.
  2. Press the select button on your remote to bring up the player toolbar.
  3. Navigate to the three-dot or settings icon in the player bar.
  4. Select Audio and subtitles.
  5. Choose the audio track that does not have "(Audio Description)" in the name.
  6. Press back to resume playback.

Fire Stick also has a system-level toggle. If the problem returns on every video, go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio Descriptions > Off. That setting overrides everything, including YouTube.

Roku

  1. While the video plays, press the OK button to open the player controls.
  2. Navigate to the settings or captions icon in the player bar.
  3. Open Audio track or Audio and subtitles.
  4. Select the standard language track without an "(Audio Description)" label.

Apple TV

  1. While the video plays, swipe down on the Siri Remote touchpad.
  2. Select Audio from the options that appear.
  3. Switch from the audio description track to the standard language track.

Samsung and LG Smart TVs

  1. Press the select button during playback to open the YouTube player controls.
  2. Navigate to the settings icon in the player bar.
  3. Select Audio track.
  4. Choose "English" or your preferred language without "(Audio Description)" next to it.

Some TV remotes have a dedicated accessibility shortcut button. If you pressed it accidentally, it may have toggled audio description at the TV's system level rather than inside YouTube. Check your TV's own accessibility menu if the narrator returns after you've changed the YouTube setting.

Turn off audio description at the device system level

This is the fix for 2 situations: when YouTube's Audio track option doesn't appear at all, or when audio description keeps switching back on automatically across multiple videos. Your operating system is applying it to all media output, not just YouTube.

Find the accessibility setting for your specific device below:

  • iPhone / iPad: Settings > Accessibility > Audio Descriptions > toggle Off
  • Android: Settings > Accessibility > Audio Description (exact location varies by manufacturer)
  • Amazon Fire Stick: Settings > Accessibility > Audio Descriptions > Off
  • Samsung Smart TV: Settings > General > Accessibility > Audio Description > Off
  • LG Smart TV: Settings > Accessibility > Audio Description > Off
  • macOS: System Settings > Accessibility > Audio > Enable Audio Descriptions > Off
  • Windows: Settings > Ease of Access > Audio, then check your media player's own accessibility settings

Turning it off here stops