How to add captions to a video automatically
Last updated 17 July 2026
Adding captions automatically means software transcribes your video's audio and places the words on screen, synced to when they're spoken, with no typing and no manual timing. With YouClip you drop in a clip, it transcribes and times the words, you pick a style, and you export a captioned vertical video ready for TikTok, Reels or Shorts.
Step by step
Add your clip
Open YouClip on your Mac or PC and drop in the video you want to caption. A raw screen recording, a talking-head take, or footage straight off your phone all work.
Let it transcribe the audio
YouClip listens to the spoken audio and turns it into text, timed to the exact moment each word is said. You don't type or line anything up by hand.
Pick a caption style
Choose a font and a highlight colour. The karaoke style lights up each word as it's spoken, which is the look most short-form creators use to hold attention.
Adjust size, position and background
Move the captions into the lower third, set the size, and turn the background pill or outline stroke on or off so the text stays readable over any footage.
Render and export
YouClip burns the captions into the video and exports at 1080x1920, the vertical frame TikTok, Reels and Shorts expect. Upload the file straight to the platform.
Why bother captioning at all?
Most people scroll social feeds with the sound off, so a video with no captions loses them in the first second. Captions keep silent viewers watching, make your content accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and the animated karaoke style gives the eye a reason to stay on the clip. It is the single change that most reliably lifts watch time on short-form video.
Automatic vs manual captions
- Speed: automatic captioning is minutes, not the 15 to 30 you'd spend typing and timing a clip by hand.
- Timing: the words are synced to the audio for you, so nothing drifts out of place.
- Consistency: save your font, colour and position as a preset and every clip looks like it belongs to the same channel.
Tips for captions that actually get watched
- Keep captions in the lower third but clear of the platform's own buttons on the right edge.
- Use a background pill or outline stroke so text stays readable over bright footage.
- Pick one highlight colour and stick with it so your clips are recognisable at a glance.
Take it further
- Add your logo or watermark so every captioned clip is branded.
- Caption a whole folder of clips at once when you're posting in volume.
- Translate a clip into another language to reach a new audience.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to type the captions myself?
No. YouClip transcribes the audio for you and times each word automatically. Your job is to pick the style and position, not to type or sync anything.
What's the difference between automatic and manual captions?
Manual captioning means typing every line and dragging it to match the audio, which is slow and easy to get slightly out of sync. Automatic captioning transcribes and times the words for you, so a clip that would take 20 minutes by hand is ready in a couple of minutes.
Why do short-form videos need captions?
A large share of social video is watched with the sound off, especially on phones in public. On-screen captions keep those viewers watching, and the word-by-word karaoke style gives the eye something to follow, which helps retention.
Which platforms is the exported video ready for?
YouClip exports vertical 1080x1920 video, which is the native size for TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. You can upload the same file to all three.
How much does it cost to caption a clip?
YouClip is pay-as-you-go with tokens rather than a subscription. A one-minute captioned cut costs a handful of tokens, and new accounts start with free tokens so you can caption your first clips before buying anything.
Try it on your next clip
YouClip is a desktop app for macOS and Windows. New accounts get free tokens, enough to caption and export your first clips.