Google has added automatic dubbing features to its YouTube apps recently. This helps translate audio into different languages. It can help some viewers, but it is annoying if you want the original voice.
If you want to disable this feature on your app, this step-by-step guide will help you learn how to turn off auto‑dub and listen to the original audio instead. The steps are easy and work on phones, computers, and for YouTube creators.
Table of Contents
What Is YouTube Auto‑Dub?
- YouTube can now create extra audio tracks in other languages using AI.
- These tracks are added to the video, so viewers can choose different languages.
- Sometimes YouTube automatically plays the dubbed track instead of the original voice.
When this happens, you hear a robotic or different voice, even though the creator spoke in another language. Many viewers do not like this and want to turn it off.
Turn Off Auto‑Dub While Watching (Desktop)
Use these steps when you are watching a video on a computer.
- Play the YouTube video.
- Move your mouse over the video and click the Settings icon.
- In the menu, click Audio track. It may also be called Audio.
- You will see a list of languages.
- Choose Original or the creator’s main language (for example, “English (Original)” or “Hindi Original”).
After you select the original track, the AI voice should stop, and you will hear the real voice again.
Important note:
- You must repeat these steps for each video that is auto‑dubbed. There is no global “turn off for all videos” button yet.
Turn Off Auto‑Dub While Watching (Mobile App)
These steps work on Android and iPhone.
- Open the YouTube app and play the video.
- Tap the video once, then tap the Settings icon (gear) or the three dots.
- Tap Audio track or Audio.
- From the list, choose Original or your preferred language.
- Close the menu and continue watching.
Now the video should play with the original audio. If you open another auto‑dubbed video, you may need to repeat the same steps.
Turn Off Auto‑Dub on Smart TV
On many smart TVs, the options look a little different, but the idea is the same.
- Play the YouTube video on your TV.
- Press the OK, Enter, or Settings/gear button on your remote to open the video menu.
- Look for an option like Audio, Audio track, or Language.
- Select Original or the creator’s language.
- Exit the menu and continue watching.
If your TV YouTube app does not show an audio track option, the feature may not be available on that device yet.
For Viewers: Tips to Hear Original Audio More Often
You cannot fully turn off auto‑dub for all videos as a viewer, but these tips can help:
- Always check the Audio track menu first when a voice sounds wrong.
- Set your YouTube language and location to the language you usually watch, so the app is less likely to switch to another dubbed language.
- If a video is still stuck on a dub, try another device or browser and change the audio track again.
For Creators: Turn Off Auto‑Dub on Your Channel
If you are a YouTube creator, auto‑dub may be turned on by default. You can stop YouTube from dubbing your future videos.
Follow these steps on a computer:
- Go to YouTube Studio (studio.youtube.com) and sign in.
- In the left menu, click Settings.
- Click Upload defaults.
- Open the Advanced settings tab.
- Scroll down to Automatic dubbing or Allow automatic dubbing.
- Remove the check mark / toggle off Allow automatic dubbing.
- Click Save.
After this, new videos you upload should stay in the original language only, with no automatic dubbed tracks.
For Creators: Remove Auto‑Dub from Existing Videos
If some of your old videos already have AI audio tracks, you can remove them one by one.
- Open YouTube Studio.
- In the left menu, click Content.
- Click on the video that has auto‑dub enabled.
- Go to the Languages or Audio section for that video.
- Find the language you want to remove under Audio.
- Click Unpublish or Delete for that dubbed track.
- Confirm to remove it.
After you delete the dubbed track, viewers will hear only the original audio for that video.
That’s all, folks. This is how you can disable auto dubbing and enjoy YouTube Shorts with their original audio. This way, creators can also maintain full control over how their videos should sound to the viewers.
