Check the specific TVNZ+ episode for a CC symbol, then enable captions in the player on the device you are using. TVNZ saves the caption preference per device, so a setting made on your phone does not complete the television setup.
Check the episode before playback
TVNZ says most TVNZ+ content includes captions and marks available titles or episodes with a CC indicator. Inspect the episode list or the programme's page before you start. If the item has no CC indication and the player offers no caption option, the help page says that particular content is not captioned.
This is a useful first split. A missing caption track requires an availability request or a different item. A visible caption track that fails after selection requires a more specific playback report. Moving between devices without checking the exact episode can blur those two questions.
Reveal the controls on your screen
On a smart television, press the remote's right arrow during playback to show the controls, select the CC icon and choose the caption option offered. On a phone or tablet, tap the video to reveal controls, then use the CC or speech-bubble icon. On a computer, move the pointer over the player and select CC.
TVNZ notes that Apple TV uses its native player and has a different control layout, so use its linked Apple TV guidance if the generic television instructions do not match. Do not look for the same remote gesture on every model. The useful result is the available caption option in the active player, rather than simply finding a general television settings menu.
Repeat the preference on each viewing device
TVNZ explicitly saves this setting on each device. After enabling captions on a tablet, check them again when you open TVNZ+ on a different television or computer. A fresh device can need its own choice even though you are using the same account.
For live viewing, inspect the current programme as well as the channel. TVNZ's channel-caption guidance says captions may not be offered on every programme on TVNZ 1, TVNZ 2 or DUKE. The guide's smart-TV route uses the right-arrow or select control to expose the caption icon. A captioned replay elsewhere in the catalogue does not establish that the current live programme carries captions.
Distinguish absence from accuracy
TVNZ says it uses both human-created and AI-generated captions, with AI used where human-created captions are unavailable. Its help warns that accuracy can vary, particularly for te reo Māori, names and technical terms. If captions appear but contain errors, record examples against the programme and episode rather than reporting that the CC switch is missing.
Include the device, whether viewing was live or on demand, and the approximate point in the programme where the problem occurred. TVNZ invites requests for captioning and feedback about accuracy through its contact form. These details give the request a clear purpose: supply a missing track, fix a player behaviour or improve a particular caption passage.