Captions and subtitles,explained.

Practical answers for creators: how to caption a Reel, a TikTok or a Short, where captions should sit, which file format to use, and more.

• How to add captions to Instagram ReelsAdd captions to a Reel two ways: Instagram's own auto captions, or animated captions burned into the video. Steps, sizes and where captions should sit.3 min read
• How to add captions to TikTok videosCaption a TikTok with the app's auto captions or with animated, word-by-word captions burned in. Steps, video size and where to place captions.3 min read
• How to add captions to YouTube ShortsAdd captions to YouTube Shorts: burned-in animated captions for the look, or a subtitle file for YouTube's own captions. Steps, size and safe areas.3 min read
• Caption safe zones for Reels, TikTok and ShortsWhere to put captions on a vertical video so Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts don't cover them: the areas to avoid, and a placement that works everywhere.3 min read
• The best caption styles for Reels, TikTok and ShortsWhich caption styles work for which videos: word-by-word karaoke, bold pop, boxed, minimal, cinematic and neon, with tips on fonts, size and colour.3 min read
• Burned-in vs closed captions: which should you use?Open (burned-in) captions are part of the picture; closed captions are a separate file viewers switch on. The differences, and which each platform supports.3 min read
• Captions vs subtitles: what's the difference?Captions, subtitles, closed captions, open captions and auto captions explained in plain words, with which one to use for social video.3 min read
• SRT vs VTT: the subtitle formats comparedSRT and WebVTT are the two common subtitle formats. How they differ, which one each platform and player wants, and how to convert between them for free.3 min read
• How to translate a video's subtitlesTranslate a video's captions into another language: transcribe the speech, translate the text, and keep the timing. Steps, tips and what to check.3 min read