When it comes to choosing an OTT platform, Netflix is a common choice that many people go for. Netflix is one of the biggest OTT platforms out there with content from all over the world and in all genres. Netflix partners with various productions to bring users the latest movies and TV shows that you will not get anywhere else.
When watching content on Netflix, many people opt to go for subtitles; especially when watching content in some regional language. If you opt to go for subtitles when watching Netflix, then these subtitles being out of sync can be a big issue for you. A similar issue has been faced by many users using subtitles on Netflix.
What to do when Netflix Subtitles are out of sync?
If you are unable to use Netflix’s subtitles or find them to be out of sync and looking for ways to fix it then your search brought you to the right place. In this article, we will be guiding you with different ways to fix Netflix Subtitles out of sync errors.
1. Close Netflix and Relaunch It
The first thing to do is close the Netflix app and then relaunch the app. Whether you are watching on TV, mobile, tablet, or PC, this method should fix the issue. Often the issue can be encountered due to some issue with the background tasks running from Netflix. The OTT platform has many processes running in the background; all of these processes ensure you get a seamless viewing experience without any jitter in the audio or video.
If any of these processes fails to run when using Netflix or starts with some bug then that can cause Netflix Subtitles to go out of sync. Restarting the Netflix app and then playing the content again should fix the issue.
2. Restart your Device
The next thing to do is restart your device. If you have tried relaunching the app but that does not seem to solve the error, then probably it’s some glitch with your device. If it’s some temporary glitch causing the issue, then a simple reboot should fix it.
3. Ensure Netflix’s Servers are Up
Netflix Server can also be the cause of this issue. Netflix’s servers often go under routine maintenance to provide the best experience to the user for the price they have paid. It is common for an OTT platform to sometimes have routine maintenance. It’s nothing but to handle more load and ensure that nothing interrupts the Netflix services.
But how can one know if the server is down or under maintenance? For this, you can simply head to your browser on your device and navigate to the Netflix page on Downdetector. The page will show you if there is any server outage going out with Netflix right now or not and also if other users have reported issues with Netflix in the past 24 hours.
But what to do if the Netflix server is down? Well, there’s nothing that can be done at your end if the issue is being encountered due to server issues. So my suggestion to you would be to wait until Netflix resolves the issue. However, if the servers are up and running then move to the next step in this article.
4. Sign Out of Netflix and Sign In Again
It can be some glitch with your account that can make subtitles out of sync. Often the old log files from the account are reported to be the reason behind this issue. To fix it, you can try signing out of your Netflix account and then sign in again.
If you are using the Netflix app on your phone then you can follow the steps given below to re-sign into your account-
- Launch the Netflix app and tap on the My Netflix icon in the lower right corner.
- After this tap on the Menu icon that you see at the top right.
- Tap on Sign Out.
- Confirm signing out of the app by tapping on Sign Out again.
- After this, relaunch the Netflix app.
- You will have the option to sign in to your account. Enter your account credentials and log in.
5. Update the Netflix app
To keep Netflix away from technical issues, you must always keep your app updated. Developers often release new updates with new features and patch bugs encountered by users previously. If this was a subtitle out of sync was a bug encountered by users before, then the new update will have the patch to it.
You can check if any update is available for Netflix and install it. You can do this from PlayStore if you have an Android device, or App Store if you are using an iPhone or iPad. Here are the steps to do so-
Android
- Launch Play Store on your device.
- Search for Netflix and tap on the first option that appears.
- Tap on the Update button under Netflix to update the app.
iOS
- Open the App Store on your iPhone or iPad, and head to your profile by tapping the profile icon.
- You will see all the updates available here.
- See if Netflix is available or not; if it is, then tap the Update button next to it.
6. Turn Off VPN
If you are using Netflix with VPN then that can be a cause of the issue. People often go for a VPN to access geo-locked content. OTT platforms often lock content for certain regions, i.e., they have a different library for every region. So chances you may not be able to access the content of some other region in your current region. To overcome this, many people connect to a VPN network and then stream Netflix.
But VPNs often cause slow networks and many OTT platforms block them as well, especially free ones. If you are using a VPN then ensure you use a paid and trusted one coming from a well-reputed brand or do not use a VPN at all.
7. Clear the Cache of Netflix
Cache files are often the reason behind Netflix subtitles being out of sync and other issues you face with the app. These files make the experience with the app better such as faster loading speed, and more. But with time, these files keep storing on your device and can get corrupted. It is suggested to clear the cache of Netflix once in a while to have a better experience.
To clear Netflix’s cache on your Android device, you can follow the steps given below-
- Tap and hold the Netflix app and tap on the App Info option.
- Now, tap on the Storage and Cache option.
- After this, tap on Clear Cache to clear the cache.
- Relaunch Netflix after this and see if the issue is fixed or not.
Note- We didn’t mention anything about iPhones and iPads for clearing the cache, because iOS doesn’t provide you with the option for the same.
8. Reinstall Netflix
If you are still stuck with the issue, then probably try reinstalling Netflix. When you reinstall the app, it gives the app a fresh start as all the files are deleted and then installed on the device again. You can reinstall Netflix by following the steps given below-
Android
- Tap and hold the Netflix app and then tap on the Uninstall option.
- In the confirmation prompt, tap on OK.
- After this, head to Play Store and then tap on the search bar at the top.
- Type Netflix and then on Install to install the app.
- After installing the Netflix app, launch it and sign into your account.
iOS
- Long press the Netflix icon.
- Tap on Remove App and then on Delete App.
- After this, launch the App Store, and tap on the Search icon at the bottom right.
- Search for Netflix and tap on Get next to the app to install it.
- Launch Netflix after installing it and sign into your Netflix account.
Conclusion
Tried everything mentioned in this article but the issue is still not fixed? In that case, you should try using Netflix on the browser or check if it works fine on any other device with your account. Else, you can reach out to Netflix support and they will guide you and fix the issue.