How to add captions to videos
4 min read · Updated October 24, 2026
Most people start a short video with the sound off, so captions decide whether they keep watching. Here's how to add good captions automatically, in a style that reads on a phone.
Add captions in the editor →What makes captions work on short-form
- Big, bold, centred text — readable at a glance on a phone.
- A few words at a time, with the spoken word highlighted.
- An outline or shadow so it reads on any background.
- Timed exactly to the speech.
Automatic vs typing them yourself
Typing captions by hand takes ages. Automatic captioning transcribes the speech and times every word; you just fix the odd name or word. Burned-in captions (part of the video) look the same everywhere, unlike platform captions that some viewers turn off.
Add them with Zlayo
- 1
Drop your video in the editor
Zlayo's editor is on every paid plan.
- 2
Make captions from the sound
Zlayo transcribes the speech and times every word; edit any word in the transcript.
- 3
Pick a look and export
Choose one of nineteen caption looks or style your own — font, size, colour, outline, position — then export upright for TikTok, Shorts or Reels.
Questions
Not with Zlayo: its editor and caption export are on the paid plans, from $19 a month. TikTok and Instagram have free built-in auto captions in their apps, with fewer looks to choose from.
Heavy, open fonts that stay readable small, like Poppins ExtraBold or Montserrat, with a light outline.
Usually very close; check names and unusual words, which you can edit before exporting.