VLC for Android, App: Formatting Subtitles (Size, Color, Background, Bold)

In the Android version of VLC, you can easily format the subtitles from the settings. Just go to Settings from the Menu ☰ and navigate to Subtitles where you will find all the options for formatting text. You can choose the size and color. In VLC for Android app, you can also bold the on-screen text or have a colored background behind it so that it is easy to read. On the same page, you will also find additional settings like auto loading the subtitles, choosing the subtitle download language when you’re downloading it and even the subtitle text encoding.

To configure and format subtitles in VLC for Android, follow these steps:

  • Go to Menu ☰
  • Tap on ⚙ Settings
  • Scroll down to Interface and tap on Subtitles

You will reach a settings screen page which is dedicated solely to subtitles.

Subtitles Formatting Option in VLC for Android

The formatting options:

  1. Subtitles Size: Choose from Small, Normal, Big and Huge.
  2. Subtitles Color: Choose a color like White, Gray, Pink, Blue, Yellow, Green.
  3. Subtitles Background: The on-screen text will have a background for easy visibility.
  4. Bold subtitles: The text will be bolded for legibility.

Besides the formatting options, the first one says Auto load subtitles which does exactly what it says. It will bring up the text every time a movie is played. Subtitle download languages option is used when you are downloading it from the player. Subtitle text encoding will allow you to switch to other encodings like UTF-16 from the Default (Windows-1252).

All the settings mentioned above are crucial to providing you a good experience in watching a movie with subtitles. Configure them to fit your taste. The size, color, and bold options are quite useful. You might take it up a size and choose a different color. Making it bold it will allow you to read it easily. But when you increase the size and make it bold, it might take additional space on the screen while making the video behind it less visible. Turning on the background will actually block things out so activate it only when you need it.

16 thoughts to “VLC for Android, App: Formatting Subtitles (Size, Color, Background, Bold)”

  1. Auto load subtitles do not work with network browsing smb.
    With the same name mkv/srt subtitles still disable but appears in list and it’s possible to select them./

  2. Auto load subtitles do not work with network browsing smb.
    With the same name mkv/srt, subtitles still disable but it appears in list of subtitles.
    (VLC Android 3.4.4)

  3. I can’t change subtitle position in android version (android TV). Please fix the problem in the next update

  4. Changing the font size does not work for mkv files containig subtitles on my android TV. I need binoculars to read the text.

    Is there fix for this?

  5. Could I change the subtitle font by replacing a file somewhere on my Android TV Box (I am quite particular about fonts)?

  6. Rather than subtitles, how can I increase the font size for the player (current song, song list, etc)?

    1. May be Android’s accessibility settings to increase the font size (Settings > Accessibility > Font Size) can help you in this.

      1. Increasing font size in Accessibility does NOT affect VLC listing font.

        Please, it’d be lovely not to have to use binoculars to see these listings from an Android set top box to a good TV screen across the room!

  7. would be great to be able to move the subtitles – at least to top – especially if you want two languages on at the same time

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