Keep lines short
Aim for no more than seven words per line.
Guide
How to add captions to videos
Most people watch social video with the sound off, which makes captions the first thing they read. Good captions also help viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, people watching in a second language and anyone in a noisy place. This guide explains how to add captions that are accurate, easy to read and timed to the speech, whether you are starting from a script or from a finished video. Captions are also a quiet advantage in search and in sharing: a viewer who understands your first sentence without turning the sound on is much more likely to keep watching. Treat them as part of the design, not an afterthought. A caption that is too small, too fast or hidden behind a button is the same as no caption at all, so review them on the smallest phone you can find. Many creators also keep a plain text transcript, which they reuse in descriptions, blog posts and newsletters.
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Straight answer: Automatic captions make mistakes, especially with names and technical words. Always read them through before you publish.
How it works
- 1
Start with an accurate script or audio
Captions are only as good as the words behind them. A written script gives the cleanest result.
- 2
Generate the captions
Chitrio adds word-timed captions to videos it renders. For an existing video, use the caption tool and review the result.
- 3
Choose a readable style
Use a large, high-contrast font, two lines at most and a safe margin from the screen edge.
- 4
Check names and numbers
Fix any misheard word, especially brand names and places.
- 5
Export and test on a phone
Watch the final video on a phone with the sound off to confirm that it reads naturally.
What people make with it
Highlight key words
A change of colour on a key word keeps attention.
Avoid covering faces
Place captions in the lower middle of the frame.
Add a transcript
Post the script in the description for search.
Caption in the viewer's language
Render other languages for other audiences.
Questions, answered
Are captions required?
Not everywhere, but they improve access and reach.
Can I get captions in another language?
Yes, through rendering or dubbing in supported languages.
Will captions help search?
A transcript can help search engines understand your content.
Are the captions burned in?
Yes, they appear on the video itself.
Can I change the style?
Yes. You can set brand colours and fonts.