Last updated: October 2026
A large share of people scroll with the sound off, in public, at work or late at night. If your video has no captions, many of them never hear your hook. Captions also make videos accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, help non-native speakers follow along, and give platforms more text to understand what your video is about.
Option 1: Built-in auto captions (fastest)
TikTok
- Record or upload your video and go to the editing screen.
- Tap Captions in the side tools.
- TikTok transcribes your speech. Tap to edit any mistakes, then save.
Viewers can turn these captions on or off, and they display in TikTok’s own style.
Instagram Reels
- In the Reels editor, open the Sticker tray and choose Captions.
- Edit the text, pick a style and position it.
Instagram can also generate auto-captions that viewers can turn on; check your account settings under accessibility.
YouTube Shorts
YouTube generates automatic captions after upload for many languages. In YouTube Studio → Subtitles you can review and edit them, or upload your own file. For on-screen “burned-in” captions, add them in your editor before uploading.
Option 2: Auto captions in your editor (best for style)
Captions burned into the video look the same everywhere and let you control fonts, colours and animation — that’s the “creator style” with highlighted words.
CapCut
- Add your clip to the timeline.
- Tap Text → Auto captions, choose the spoken language, and generate.
- Edit errors, then pick a caption template or style.
- Select all captions to change size and position at once.
Some caption styles and AI features need a paid plan — see CapCut Free vs Pro.
Adobe Premiere (iPhone and desktop)
Adobe’s free Premiere app for iPhone and the desktop version both offer automatic captions from your speech, with editable text and styles. On desktop, look for the transcript/captions workspace and choose “Create captions”.
DaVinci Resolve
Recent versions can transcribe audio and create subtitles automatically; some AI transcription features are reserved for the paid Studio version. The free version supports importing and styling subtitle files.
Option 3: Subtitle files (SRT)
An SRT file is a simple text file with timecodes. It’s useful for long videos, multiple languages, or when you edit captions separately:
1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,800 This one setting fixed my blurry Reels. 2 00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:04,000 Here's where to find it.
You can upload SRT files to YouTube, and import them into most desktop editors.
Caption style rules that keep people watching
- Short lines: 2–5 words per caption on screen. Long sentences make viewers read instead of watch.
- Big and bold: a thick sans-serif font, white with a dark outline or shadow, readable on a small phone.
- Safe zone placement: keep captions in the centre or upper-middle of the frame, away from the bottom ~20% and right edge where buttons and captions sit (see our Reels specs cheat sheet).
- Highlight key words: one accent colour for the most important word in each line.
- Accuracy matters: fix auto-caption mistakes, especially brand names and numbers.
- Don’t cover faces or the action.
Make the first caption your hook
The first caption is often the first thing people read. Make it a promise or a question: “Stop doing this in CapCut”, “I tested 5 cheap mics”. Pair it with a strong visual in the first second — if your own footage starts slowly, open with a short clip from our hook library and put the caption on top.
FAQ
Do captions help reach?
Captions mainly help retention and accessibility — people who can follow your video without sound are more likely to keep watching. Better retention generally helps distribution.
Should I use platform captions or burned-in captions?
Burned-in captions give you control over style and work everywhere when you cross-post. Platform captions can be switched on or off by viewers. Many creators use burned-in captions for the hook and key lines.
What font is best for captions?
Bold, simple sans-serif fonts are easiest to read on phones. Avoid thin or script fonts.
Bottom line: add captions to every talking video, keep them short and bold, place them in the safe zone and make the first line your hook.
