Confirm that the selected programme offers text
Start the intended episode and open the player options. Look for the S or speech-bubble icon described in STV's help. An absent control and a visible control set to Auto are different starting points; the direct-language check applies to the latter.
Use a dialogue scene to observe the result. Some introductions contain music or titles without spoken words, so a few seconds without subtitles may not show a fault. Record the episode and approximate time where speech is clearly present.
Make one setting change
Open the subtitle list and select English rather than Auto. Return to the same passage and inspect whether text appears. Keep the device, episode and connection unchanged so the effect of the language selection is clear.
If the change works, continue with the explicit track. Show the control to the person who normally uses the device so they can repeat the choice. A direct selection is easier to understand when it is tied to the visible language name, rather than a vague instruction to change accessibility settings.
Check the programme version if text remains absent
STV points viewers to subtitled, audio-described and visually signed programme categories. Confirm that the chosen episode is the intended accessible version. Selecting English cannot add a track to a different video edition that does not offer it.
A signed version may satisfy a different access need and is not merely another text setting. If watching with someone else, use their preferred format. Keep the exact version label in any report so support does not reproduce the issue on a standard edition while you are using an accessible one.
Preserve the comparison for support
If English still does not display, note the iPhone or iPad model, app version and the result for that episode. Compare one other known subtitled item if available. This establishes whether the issue follows a single episode or the device's player.
Send the details through STV's official support route, with personal information removed from screenshots. The useful report states that Auto and direct English were both tried on a specified passage. Repeatedly reinstalling without that record can erase evidence while leaving the original question unresolved.
Questions about this guide
Is Auto required for English captions?
No. STV recommends choosing English directly when Auto fails on iOS.
Does selecting English create a missing subtitle track?
No. The selected programme version must offer it.