Guides

Caption and subtitle guides

Short, practical answers about captions. Start with the basics if a term or file format is new to you, or jump to the app you already use.

The basics: terms and formats

Open vs closed captions
Open captions vs closed captions: open ones are burned into the video and always on, closed ones can be switched off. When to use each, with examples.
Captions vs subtitles
Closed captions vs subtitles: captions are for viewers who cannot hear the audio, subtitles for viewers who do not speak the language. SDH explained too.
What is an SRT file?
What an SRT file is, how the format works line by line, SRT vs VTT, and how to make an SRT file by hand or automatically from a video in a minute.
Word-by-word captions
Word by word captions highlight each word as it is spoken, the style used on TikTok and Reels. How they are made and how to create them free online.

Add captions step by step

Captions inside other apps