What animated captions are, and why they work
Animated captions (also called word-by-word or karaoke captions) show a few words at a time and highlight the one being spoken. They do two jobs at once: they make a video watchable with the sound off, and the moving highlight gives the eye something to follow, which keeps people watching a talking-head clip.
Caption my video makes them from your own clip:
- Upload a clip up to 3 minutes long, as MP4, MOV or WebM, up to 400 MB.
- Transcription with word-level timing (Whisper), in any of the 10 languages.
- Edit any word the transcription got wrong: names, brands, technical terms.
- Style the captions: choose the position, the size and the highlight colour.
- Drawings pop up when you mention things, picked by meaning from the same drawing library that illustrates ContentRoof's videos.
- Download the captioned video.
The part most caption tools don't do
Most caption tools stop at text. Here, when you say "coffee", "rocket" or "heart", a small line drawing of it can pop up on screen. It adds a visual beat to a talking clip without you searching for stickers or B-roll.
Captions in scripts that are usually done badly
Animated captions are easy in English. In other scripts, tools often get the font or the direction wrong.
| Language | What you get |
|---|---|
| Urdu | Proper Nastaliq, right to left. English words inside an Urdu sentence stay in the right order. |
| Arabic | Right to left, with the highlight moving in reading order |
| Hindi | Devanagari |
| English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian | Latin script with accents intact |
| Russian | Cyrillic |
Choosing a caption style
- Position. Keep captions clear of the bottom of a vertical video, where the app's buttons and your username sit. Middle-low usually reads best.
- Size. Big enough to read on a phone at arm's length; short groups of words rather than full sentences.
- Highlight colour. One strong colour that contrasts with your clip. Use your brand colour if it's readable.
- Edit the transcript. A misspelt name on screen costs more trust than it seems.
Who uses animated captions
- Creators who talk to camera: tips, opinions, storytelling, reactions.
- Podcasters cutting a clip from an episode for Shorts or Reels.
- Teachers and coaches recording a quick explanation on their phone.
- Businesses posting a founder's message, a customer story or an announcement.
- Bilingual creators who switch between Urdu or Hindi and English in the same sentence.
When to use this vs making a video from a script
- You have footage (you talking, an interview, a podcast clip): use Caption my video.
- You have only an idea or a script: make a full video instead, with a voice, captions and drawings generated for you.
Both work in the same 10 languages: English, Urdu, Hindi, Arabic, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian and Russian.
How it works
- Upload your clipOpen Caption my video and upload an MP4, MOV or WebM clip up to 3 minutes and 400 MB. Captioning needs a free Google sign-in.
- Check the transcriptEvery word is transcribed with its timing. Fix any word that's wrong.
- Style the captionsChoose the caption position, size and highlight colour.
- DownloadDownload your video with word-by-word captions and drawings that pop up as you mention things.
Questions
What files can I upload?
MP4, MOV or WebM clips up to 3 minutes long and up to 400 MB.
Which languages are supported?
English, Urdu, Hindi, Arabic, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian and Russian, each in its own script and direction.
Can I fix transcription mistakes?
Yes. You can edit any word before you download.
Can I change how the captions look?
Yes. You choose the caption position, the size and the highlight colour.
Do I need an account?
Captioning your own clip needs a free Google sign-in.
Updated 2026-10-28