How to add captions in CapCut
CapCut has a built-in caption tool that can add text to your video in three ways: manually typing captions, using the auto-caption feature to generate them from your audio, or importing a subtitle file. The fastest route for most people is the auto-caption button, which listens to your video's sound and creates text automatically. Manual captions take longer but give you complete control over timing and wording. Which method you choose depends on whether you need captions for accessibility, for viewers who watch without sound, or for stylistic effect.
The process is the same whether you are working on a phone or desktop version of CapCut, though the button locations differ slightly. This guide covers both, with the specific steps for each platform.
Key Takeaways
- CapCut's auto-caption feature generates captions from your video's audio in seconds, then you can edit the text, timing, and style to match your needs.
- Manual captions let you type text directly onto your timeline and position it frame-by-frame, useful when you want captions that do not match the audio exactly.
- You can import subtitle files (SRT or VTT format) if you already have captions from another source or tool.
- Captions can be styled with fonts, colors, backgrounds, and animations, and you can adjust the timing of each caption independently.
- Auto-captions work best with clear audio and English-language speech; accuracy drops with background noise, accents, or multiple speakers.
Using auto-captions on phone (iOS and Android)
Open your project in CapCut and tap the Text button at the bottom of the screen. You will see a menu with options including "Add Text" and "Captions." Tap Captions. CapCut will scan your video's audio and ask you to choose a language. Select the language your video is in, then tap Generate or Create (the exact wording varies by app version).
The app will process the audio for 10 to 30 seconds depending on your video length. When it finishes, you will see a list of captions with timestamps. Each caption appears as a separate line of text. Tap any caption to edit the wording, adjust when it appears and disappears, or change its style. If a caption is wrong, tap it, delete the text, and type the correct version. If a caption is timed incorrectly, drag the start and end points on the timeline to move it.
Once you are satisfied with the captions, tap outside the caption editor to close it. The captions will now appear on your video preview. You can add more captions manually by tapping Text again and choosing "Add Text" if you need captions that do not come from the audio.
Using auto-captions on desktop (Windows and Mac)
Open your project and look for the Text tab on the left side of the screen. Click Captions from the dropdown menu. CapCut will ask you to select the language of your video's audio. Choose the correct language and click Generate. The app will process your video's sound and create a caption for each sentence or phrase it detects.
The captions will appear on your timeline as separate blocks. Click any caption to edit its text, adjust its timing by dragging the edges of the block left or right, or change its appearance. The desktop version shows a larger preview, which makes it easier to see exactly when each caption starts and stops. If you need to delete a caption, right-click it and select Delete, or click it once and press the Delete key.
Adding captions manually
Manual captions are useful when you want text that does not match your audio exactly — for example, adding a name or location label, or creating captions for music or sound effects. On phone, tap Text, then Add Text. Type your caption and tap outside the text box to confirm. On desktop, click Text, then Add Text, type your caption, and click outside the box.
The caption will appear on your timeline as a block. Drag it to the point in your video where you want it to start. The caption will stay on screen for a default length (usually 2 to 3 seconds). To change how long it stays, drag the right edge of the caption block left to shorten it or right to lengthen it. To move the caption's position on screen, click or tap it in the video preview and drag it to a new location.
You can add as many manual captions as you need. Each one is independent, so you can time them however you want. This method takes longer than auto-captions but gives you complete control.
Styling and formatting captions
After you create a caption (auto or manual), you can change how it looks. Tap or click the caption to open its formatting menu. Most versions of CapCut let you change the font, size, color, and background. Some versions also offer animations — effects that make the caption fade in, slide in, or bounce onto the screen.
To explore a background, look for a Background or Bg option in the formatting menu. You can usually choose a solid color, a semi-transparent box, or no background at all. A semi-transparent background (often called a "box" or "label") makes captions easier to read if your video has busy or bright visuals behind the text.
Font choices vary by device and CapCut version, but most include sans-serif fonts (clean and modern) and serif fonts (traditional). Sans-serif fonts are generally easier to read on video, especially at smaller sizes. You can also adjust the text size and alignment (left, center, or right). These changes explore to one caption at a time, so if you want all your captions to look the same, you will need to format each one individually or use CapCut's style templates if available in your version.
Importing captions from a file
If you have captions in a subtitle file (SRT or VTT format), you can import them into CapCut instead of creating them from scratch. This is useful if you created captions in another tool, received them from a transcription service, or downloaded them from a video source. Desktop versions of CapCut support this feature more reliably than phone versions.
On desktop, look for an Import or Upload option in the Captions menu. Click it and select your subtitle file from your computer. CapCut will read the file and place each caption on your timeline at the correct time. You can then edit any caption that needs adjustment. On phone, this feature may not be available in all versions; if you do not see an import option, you will need to add captions manually or use auto-captions instead.
Troubleshooting auto-captions that are wrong or incomplete
Auto-captions work well with clear, single-speaker audio but struggle with background noise, music, multiple speakers, or heavy accents. If your auto-captions are inaccurate, you have three options: edit each caption individually (tap or click it and fix the text), delete the auto-captions and add manual captions instead, or re-record your audio with clearer speech and try auto-captions again.
If auto-captions do not appear at all, check that your video has audio. Muted videos or videos with only music will not generate captions. Also check that you selected the correct language before generating. If you selected the wrong language, delete the captions and try again with the correct one. If CapCut crashes or freezes while generating captions, try closing the app completely and reopening your project. Very long videos (over 10 minutes) may time out; if this happens, split your video into shorter segments, caption each one, and combine them later.
Exporting video with captions
Captions are saved as part of your CapCut project file, so they will stay in your video when you export. When you export, CapCut will render the captions directly into the video file, meaning they become part of the image itself and cannot be turned off by the viewer. This is different from subtitle files, which viewers can toggle on and off.
If you want to export your video with captions that viewers can turn on and off, you will need to export the video and captions separately, then combine them using another tool. Most video players and platforms (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram) accept videos with burned-in captions, so for most projects, exporting directly from CapCut is the simplest approach. Check your export settings to make sure the resolution and frame rate match your project settings, then tap or click Export to save your video with captions included.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use auto-captions if my video has background music?
Auto-captions will try to transcribe everything it hears, including music and background noise. If your video has speech over music, the captions may include fragments of lyrics or miss some words. For best results, use auto-captions on videos where speech is the main audio, then edit the results to remove any music-related text.
What languages does CapCut auto-caption support?
CapCut supports auto-captions in English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and several other languages. The exact list varies by app version and region. If your language is not listed, you will need to add captions manually or use a separate transcription tool and import the file.
Can I change the caption timing after I export the video?
No. Once you export, the captions are burned into the video file and cannot be edited without re-exporting. Always review and adjust all captions before you export. If you need to make changes later, open your CapCut project again, edit the captions, and export a new version.
Do captions slow down my video or make the file size bigger?
Captions add very little to your file size — usually less than 1 percent. They do not slow down playback. The only trade-off is that rendering (the time it takes CapCut to process your video before export) may take a few seconds longer if you have many captions with animations or complex styling.
Can I copy captions from one project to another?
CapCut does not have a built-in copy-paste feature for captions across projects. If you need the same captions in multiple videos, you can export your captions as a subtitle file (if your version supports it), then import that file into your next project. Otherwise, you will need to recreate them manually or use auto-captions on each video separately.