Karaoke captions,word by word.
The line is on screen and each word lights up the moment it's spoken. CAPWAV times every word from the speech automatically, so word-by-word captions take a minute, not an afternoon on a timeline.
Karaoke Fill · you'll see it on your own video before captions are made. Only the audio is sent to be transcribed.
Every word, on time
Word-by-word captions only work if each word changes exactly when it's said. CAPWAV transcribes the speech with a start and end time for every single word, and the highlight follows them.
Fix a word by clicking it, or nudge its timing; the highlight follows. It works in 90+ languages, including ones written without spaces.
workout.mp4Subtitles readySpoken language: English- 0:00.2Okay, so today we're doing
- 0:02.2a full-body warm-up.
- 0:03.5Keep your core tight
- 0:05.1and breathe out slowly.
Highlight, fill, pop or box
Choose how the spoken word stands out: a colour change, a karaoke fill that sweeps across it, a box behind it, or a pop in size. Or show one word at a time for fast, punchy edits.
Every style is editable: font, colours, the highlight colour, size, position and animation. See which looks work best in the best caption styles for Reels, TikTok and Shorts, or browse every template.
Made for short videos
Word-by-word captions keep viewers reading along on Reels, TikTok and Shorts, where most people watch muted. Export a 9:16 MP4 with the captions burned in, rendered on your device.
On the Pro plan, AI emphasis picks the key words to enlarge or colour and adds emoji.
Ready for Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Snapchat
How to word-by-word captionsin three steps.
- Step 01
Upload your video
Drop the clip and choose the language spoken in it.
- Step 02
Pick a word-by-word style
Preview karaoke, highlight and pop styles on your own video, then CAPWAV times every word.
- Step 03
Export
Adjust anything, then export the MP4 with the captions burned in.
What are word-by-word captions?
Captions where each word appears or is highlighted at the moment it's spoken, instead of whole sentences appearing at once. Karaoke captions are the version where the full line shows and the spoken word lights up.
Do I have to time each word?
No. CAPWAV times every word from the speech automatically. You can still adjust any word's timing.
Is it free?
The Free plan includes 2 minutes of captions a month and every free style, including word-by-word ones; exports carry the CAPWAV watermark. Paid plans add minutes, PRO styles and remove the watermark.
Can I change the highlight colour?
Yes. The highlight colour, font, text colour, size and animation are all editable.
Discover more tools
- Video caption generatorAnimated captions with highlights, pop-ins and karaoke fills.
- Auto caption generatorWord-by-word captions for short videos, styled and burned in.
- Captions for TikTokBold, animated TikTok captions that follow every word.
- Captions for Instagram ReelsAnimated captions burned into your Reels, timed to every word.
Your next reel is
one upload away.
Start free with 2 minutes of captions a month. Upgrade when you're posting more.