Why vertical videos need captions
Short-form video is often watched in places where the sound is off: on a bus, in a queue, in bed next to someone sleeping. Without captions, a talking clip is just a face moving. With word-by-word captions, the viewer reads along and keeps watching.
The built-in auto captions in each app are fine for a quick post, but they differ between Shorts, Reels and TikTok, and you have to redo them in each app. Captioning once, in the file itself, means the same captions everywhere you post.
How it works
- Upload your clip: MP4, MOV or WebM, up to 3 minutes and 400 MB. That covers the length of a YouTube Short or an Instagram Reel.
- Automatic transcription with word timing (Whisper), in English, Urdu, Hindi, Arabic, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German or Italian.
- Fix any word. Names and slang are where transcription slips.
- Choose the look: caption position, size and highlight colour.
- Drawings pop up when you mention things, matched by meaning.
- Download and post the same file to every platform.
Captioning needs a free Google sign-in.
Where to put captions on a vertical video
Each app covers part of the screen with its own interface: the username and description at the bottom, and buttons down the right side. Captions placed too low get hidden.
| Area of the frame | What's usually there | Captions? |
|---|---|---|
| Top edge | App header, status bar | Avoid |
| Upper middle | Your face, in most talking clips | Avoid covering the face |
| Lower middle | Usually clear | A good default |
| Bottom | Username, description, music | Avoid |
| Right edge | Like, comment and share buttons | Keep text away from it |
Because you choose the caption position, you can move captions up if your face sits low in the frame.
Tips for captioned Shorts
- Hook in the first line. The first caption on screen is part of your hook, so make the first sentence count.
- Short phrases. Captions show a few words at a time, which matches how people speak on camera.
- Correct names and numbers before you download.
- One highlight colour that stands out from your background and clothes.
- Post the same file everywhere. Then the captions match on every platform.
Captions in your language
Creators who speak Urdu, Hindi or Arabic often find caption tools that mangle their script. Here, Urdu captions are in proper Nastaliq, right to left; Arabic is right to left; Hindi is in Devanagari. Mixed sentences, like an English brand name inside Urdu, keep their words in the right order.
Don't have a clip?
If you'd rather not film, make a video from a sentence instead: the voice, captions and animated drawings are all generated for you.
How it works
- Upload your vertical clipOpen Caption my video and upload an MP4, MOV or WebM file up to 3 minutes and 400 MB.
- Let it transcribeEvery word is transcribed with its timing, in any of the 10 languages.
- Fix and styleCorrect any word, then choose the caption position, size and highlight colour.
- Download and postDownload the captioned video and post the same file to Shorts, Reels and TikTok.
Questions
How long can my clip be?
Up to 3 minutes and 400 MB, as MP4, MOV or WebM.
Why not use each app's own auto captions?
You can, but you have to redo them in every app and they look different on each. Captions burned into the file are the same everywhere you post.
Does it work for Urdu, Hindi and Arabic?
Yes. Urdu captions use Nastaliq, right to left, Arabic is right to left, and Hindi uses Devanagari.
Can I edit the captions?
Yes. You can change any word, and choose the caption position, size and highlight colour.
Is it free?
You can try it with a free Google sign-in, which captioning your own clip requires.
Updated 2026-10-28