The short answer is:  everyone!

Morton Ann Gernsbacher’s 2015 study concluded that captioning on video benefits virtually everyone who watches video – Children, adolescents, college students, adults – with no difference based on hearing status or their native language.

It improves comprehension, attention and memory.  Even if you are a hearing person fluent in the language you are hearing, you get the benefit of information in noisy settings, better focus and retention during fast-paced dialogue, or when multitasking.

Recent surveys show this isn’t just theory—caption use (often called subtitles or closed captions) has gone mainstream, especially among younger viewers:

• A 2025 AP-NORC Center poll found 33% of U.S. adults always or often use subtitles when watching TV or movies. But the numbers jump for younger adults: roughly 40% of those under 45 use them “always” or “often,” compared to about 28–30% of adults 45 and older.
• Younger people (especially under 45) are more likely to turn them on for noisy environments (40% vs. 25% for older adults) or multitasking (30% vs. 19%).
• Other common reasons include wanting to catch every word (50-55% of users), understanding accents or foreign-language content (around 40%) or dealing with poor audio quality (about 25%)

This generational shift aligns with older findings that still hold up.

The widely cited 2019 Verizon Media/Publicis Media study found 80% of caption users have no hearing impairment—many prefer them because they watch videos with sound off (e.g., in public or shared spaces), and 80% are more likely to finish a video when captions are available.

Streaming platforms like Netflix report that 40% of global users keep subtitles on constantly, with 80% using them at least monthly—reflecting how captions have become a default enhancement for engagement and retention.

Gen Z leads the pack: Surveys from 2023–2025 show 70–80% of them use subtitles “most of the time” or “some/most of the time,” often for multitasking, diverse accents, or silent viewing habits (e.g., 85% of some social media videos watched muted).

PEOPLE WITH HEARING DISABILITIES

Did you know that roughly 15% of American adults—about 37.5 million people ages 18 and older—report some trouble hearing? That’s according to the latest from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Rates climb with age, and broader estimates put the number closer to 50 million when including milder cases. For kids, around 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 are born deaf or hard of hearing in one or both ears (NIDCD and CDC data).

Without captions, a huge group—adults and children alike—misses out on spoken content in videos, TV, social media, live streams, and events. Closed captioning turns audio into on-screen text, so people with hearing loss can follow along and enjoy everything from TikToks to Netflix shows, sports broadcasts, news, and family movies.

Several U.S. laws back this up:

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ensures accessibility in public spaces, services, and communications.
• FCC rules require closed captioning on most TV and video content, with standards for accuracy, timing, and completeness (plus new display options rolling out in 2026).
• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act covers federal tech and media.

Want tips on making your own content more accessible? Check the ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments on ADA.gov. The NIDCD site has tons more info too.

If you’re pushing for better captioning on your go-to shows or events, reach out to groups like:

• National Association of the Deaf (NAD)
• Hearing Loss Association of America
• Hearing Loss Association of Oregon (formerly SHHHOR)
• Hearing Loss Law & Washington State Communications Access Project

CAPTIONS IN NOISY OR SOUND-SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTS

Captions aren’t only for those with hearing challenges—they’re a lifesaver in everyday situations where sound gets drowned out or turned down. Think blaring stadiums at NASCAR races or monster truck events, packed graduations with echoes and cheers, busy airports, gyms, bars, restaurants, or even outdoor concerts where crowd noise swallows the commentary.

Recent polls back this up big time:

• About one-third (33%) of U.S. adults who use subtitles do it specifically because of noisy surroundings, per a 2025 AP-NORC Center poll.
• Younger folks (under 45) lean on them even more—around 40% say they use captions regularly in loud settings, versus about 25% of older adults.
• Plenty of people mute videos in public (up to 69% in some reports) out of politeness, no headphones, or just overwhelming background racket—captions keep them in the loop.

At a thundering monster truck rally or massive graduation ceremony, captions on big screens or phone streams help fans grab announcements, scores, or speeches without yelling over the din. It’s practical inclusion for real-life chaos where cranking the volume isn’t feasible.

A well-known Verizon Media survey found that 80% of caption users have no hearing loss at all, often pointing to noisy or shared viewing as the main draw. Bottom line: captions make content work for just about anyone, anywhere.

NEURODIVERSE LEARNERS

People who are neurodiverse—think ADHD, autism, dyslexia, auditory processing differences, and similar conditions—often get a real boost from closed captioning too. Spoken audio alone can be tough: fast dialogue, accents, background sounds, or just staying locked in when your brain wanders or processes differently.

Captions help by giving a steady visual track that:

• Sharpens focus and attention—especially for ADHD—by providing text to anchor to, cutting down on distractions and overload.
• Boosts comprehension and memory with combined audio + text input, making it easier to follow, recall details, and catch nuances (great for autism or processing challenges).
• Aids understanding for dyslexia or auditory issues by linking spoken words directly to their spelling and form, clarifying tricky terms right on screen.

A major review by Morton Ann Gernsbacher (2015) looked at over 100 studies and found captions consistently improve comprehension, attention, and memory for video content—benefits that extend to folks with ADHD, learning disabilities, and more (see the full paper here). Educators and accessibility experts note captions reduce cognitive strain in classes, lectures, and casual viewing, helping neurodiverse people engage without extra effort.

In schools or online courses, it’s a simple switch that opens up content for everyone without making anyone feel singled out.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

Approximately 10.6% of U.S. public school students (about 5.3 million based on recent NCES numbers) are English Language Learners (ELLs). This group keeps growing steadily and remains one of the fastest-expanding in K–12.Captioned videos make a noticeable difference for English learners by strengthening grammar, vocabulary, listening, word recognition, and reading comprehension. The synced text + sound combo reinforces learning, builds confidence, and helps process new material more deeply. That’s why captions have become a go-to tool in so many ELL classrooms, supporting this ever-growing community.

Kindler, A.L., “Survey of the States’ Limited English Proficient Students and Available Educational Programs and Services, 2000-2001 Summary Report,”

National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instruction Educational Programs, 2002.
United States Department of Education. (2006) Secretary Spellings Announces Partnership with States to Improve Accountability for Limited English Proficient Students.

Ellsworth, T. (1992), October. Integrating subtitled video into your teaching, “English Teaching Forum.”

Garza, T. (1991). Evaluating the use of captioned video materials in advanced foreign language learning. “Foreign Language Annals, 24(3), “ 239-58.

Rees, T. (1993). “Closed captions in the classroom.” Unpublished manuscript. Northampton, MA: International Language Institute of Massachusetts.

LITERACY IMPROVEMENT

A big chunk of American adults—estimates put it at around 54% reading below a sixth-grade level—face real literacy hurdles, and plenty of schoolkids struggle with reading too.

Research keeps showing that closed captioning helps build literacy skills, especially for beginners or those with lower comprehension. Watching captioned videos in class improves word recognition, vocabulary, reading understanding, and engagement overall. The matching text reinforces sounds, spelling, and meaning in a natural way.

National Adult Literacy Survey (1992) NCED, U.S. Department of Education, www.ncld.org

National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), http://nces.ed.gov.
Rogner, B.M. (1987). Adult Literacy: Captioned Videotapes and Word Recognition. The Union Institute, The Graduate School. Cincinnati, Ohio (Sept 1992).

Adler, R., (1985). Using Closed-Captioned Television in the Classroom. New Directions in Reading, Research & Practice, Yearbook of the State of Maryland International Reading Association 11-18.

In short, captions started as an accessibility tool for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but they’ve evolved into a universal feature that boosts clarity, inclusivity, and enjoyment for just about anyone watching video—especially in our noisy, multitasking, on-the-go world. Adding them isn’t niche anymore; it’s smart for reaching and keeping viewers of all kinds.