How to Add Closed Captions on TikTok

Adding closed captions to your TikTok videos is one of the easiest ways to improve your reach, engagement, and accessibility. Not adding them means you're leaving views on the table. This guide covers why captions are so important for growth and walks through three different methods for adding them to your videos, complete with step-by-step instructions for each.

Why You Absolutely Need Closed Captions on Your TikToks

You might think captions are an optional add-on, but for a huge segment of your audience, they are the difference between watching your video and scrolling right past it. Captions are no longer just an accessibility feature, they are a core part of modern social media strategy. Let’s look at why.

They Make Your Content Accessible to Everyone

Let's start with the most important reason: inclusivity. Around 466 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss. Without captions, your content is completely inaccessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. By including captions, you’re not just being considerate, you're welcoming a massive audience into your community and ensuring everyone can enjoy what you create.

Most People Watch Videos With the Sound Off

Think about where people scroll through TikTok: on the bus, waiting in line at a coffee shop, in a quiet office, or late at night next to a sleeping partner. In these “sound-off” environments, uncaptioned videos are just silent moving pictures. Data consistently shows that a large majority of social media videos are watched without sound. Adding captions lets you grab and hold the attention of this silent majority, drastically increasing your video's potential viewership and watch time.

They Improve Comprehension and Retention

Ever watched a video where the speaker talks quickly, has a thick accent, or is trying to be heard over loud background music? Captions solve that problem. They clarify what’s being said, making your message clearer and more impactful. When viewers can read along while they listen, it reinforces the message and improves their overall comprehension. This means they are more likely to understand your point, remember it, and engage with your content.

They Can Boost Your Discoverability

TikTok’s algorithm is incredibly sophisticated. While not explicitly confirmed as a direct ranking factor, search engines and social platforms are increasingly using on-screen text and captions to understand what a video is about. By having accurate, keyword-rich transcriptions on your screen, you give the platform more data to categorize your content and show it to users searching for relevant topics. It’s a simple way to give your video a potential SEO boost within the app itself.

Method 1: Use TikTok's Built-In Auto-Captions (The Easiest Way)

For most creators, TikTok’s native auto-captioning feature is the fastest and most convenient way to add subtitles. The technology has improved significantly, providing a solid starting point that you can quickly edit for accuracy.

Follow these steps to generate automatic captions:

• Step 1: Record or Upload Your Video. Start by creating your video directly in the TikTok app or uploading a pre-edited clip from your camera roll.
• Step 2: Head to the Editing Screen. Once your video is loaded, you'll land on the main editing page where you can add sounds, effects, and text.
• Step 3: Find and Tap "Captions". Look on the right-hand editing menu. You should see an icon with an "A" in a rounded C shape or a text box icon labeled "Captions." Tap it.
• Step 4: Let TikTok Generate the Captions. The app will automatically start transcribing the audio from your video. This usually only takes a few seconds, depending on the length of your clip. You’ll need an internet connection for this to work.
• Step 5: Edit for Accuracy (This is THE Most Important Step!). Once the captions appear, do not assume they are perfect. Auto-transcription tools often make mistakes with names, slang, technical jargon, or brand names. Tap on the captions overlay or the small pencil icon to enter editing mode. Here you can go through the text line by line to correct typos, fix punctuation, and make sure the words on the screen perfectly match what’s being said. A video with inaccurate or nonsensical captions can look unprofessional and undermine your message.
• Step 6: Style Your Captions. After editing the text, you can adjust the appearance. TikTok offers several fonts, text colors, and background highlight options. Choose a combination that is easy to read and aligns with your personal or brand aesthetic.
• Step 7: Resize and Position. Pinch and drag the caption box to resize it and move it to the perfect spot on your screen. Be mindful of the TikTok UI - avoid placing text where it will be covered by your username, the video caption, or the like/comment/share icons. The lower-center portion of the screen is usually a safe bet.
• Step 8: Save and Post. Once you're happy with how your captions look and read, tap "Save" or "Done." The captions are now part of your video. You can proceed with adding your description, hashtags, and posting as usual.

Method 2: Manually Add Text Overlays (The Full Creative Control Method)

If you want complete control over the timing, animation, and style of your captions - or if the auto-caption feature just isn’t cooperating - you can create them manually using TikTok's standard text tool. This method is more time-consuming but offers the highest degree of creative freedom.

Here’s how to do it:

• Step 1: Get to the Editing Screen. Just like the first method, record or upload your video to get to the main editing interface.
• Step 2: Add Your First Text Box. Tap the "Text" icon (usually labeled "Aa") in the right-hand menu. Type out the first phrase or sentence of your video’s dialogue.
• Step 3: Style Your Text. Before moving on, select your preferred font, color, and background to create the look you want. Getting the style right on your first text box will save you time, as you can often duplicate the style for subsequent captions.
• Step 4: Set the Duration. Tap on the text you just created, and a small menu will appear. Select "Set duration." This will open up a timeline editor at the bottom of the screen showing your video clip and a red bar representing your text overlay.
• Step 5: Align Text with Audio. Drag the handles of the red bar to trim the text’s start and end points so it perfectly matches the spoken words in the audio. You can use the play button to preview your timing and adjust as needed. Once it’s synced up, tap the checkmark.
• Step 6: Repeat for All Dialogue. Now, you just need to repeat the process. Add a new text box for the next line of dialogue, set its duration, and sync it with the audio. Continue this until your entire video is captioned. It's a bit of work, but the precise timing can make for a very polished and professional final product.

Method 3: Use a Third-Party Editing App (The Polished & Professional Method)

For creators who want an even more streamlined workflow and advanced stylistic options, third-party video editing apps are a great choice. Apps like CapCut (made by the same parent company as TikTok), InShot, and Threads are designed for social video and often have more powerful auto-captioning features and trendier animation styles than TikTok's native tools.

The general workflow is very similar across most apps:

1. Step 1: Import Your Video. Open your chosen editing app and import the video clip you want to caption.
2. Step 2: Use the Auto-Caption Feature. Find the app’s text or caption tool. Most modern editors will have an "Auto Captions" or "Transcription" button. With one tap, the app will generate captions for your entire video.
3. Step 3: Edit and Customize. Just like with TikTok’s tool, proofread the generated text for errors. Third-party apps typically offer more robust editing tools, allowing you to easily adjust fonts, colors, sizes, stroke, shadow, and even apply cool animations to your text. You can make words pop up one by one or apply trendy bouncing and fading effects.
4. Step 4: Export Your Video. Once your captions are perfect, export the video to your phone's camera roll directly from the editing app. The captions will be "burned in," meaning they're a permanent part of the video file itself.
5. Step 5: Upload to TikTok. Open TikTok, tap the upload button, and select the final, captioned video from your camera roll. Since the captions are already part of the video, you don't need to do anything else. Just add your sound, description, and post.

Best Practices for Effective TikTok Captions

No matter which method you choose, follow these tips to make sure your captions are effective:

• Prioritize Readability: Use a clean, simple font and ensure there is enough contrast between the text color and the video background. If the background is visually busy, add a solid or semi-transparent background to your text box to make it stand out.
• Mind the Safe Zones: Remember that the TikTok interface covers parts of the top and bottom of the screen. Keep your captions clear of the area where the username, likes, comments, and share buttons are located.
• Break Up Your Sentences: Avoid creating a massive wall of text. Stick to one or two short lines of captions on the screen at a time. This makes it easier for viewers to read a new line before you move on to the next subject.
• Always Proofread: We can't say this enough. Typos or transcription errors look careless and can distract from your message. Take a minute to quickly proofread every word.

Final Thoughts

Adding captions is a small step in your content creation process that delivers massive returns in accessibility, reach, and audience engagement. Whether you choose TikTok's speedy auto-captions or a third-party app for more creative flair, making captions a standard part of your workflow is one of the smartest things you can do to grow your account.

Once you’ve perfected your video with clear, engaging captions, getting it in front of your audience is the next step. We know that juggling short-form video content across multiple platforms can be a huge time-sink. That’s why we built Postbase to streamline that exact process. You can upload an edited, captioned video once and schedule it seamlessly across TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts without all the hassle of reformatting or managing a dozen different tabs.