What are captions on TikTok?
Captions on TikTok are text that displays on a video, providing a transcript of the audio or dialogue. Captions allow viewers to read along with the words spoken in a video, similar to subtitles on a movie or TV show.
There are two main types of captions on TikTok:
- Auto-generated captions – TikTok uses automatic speech recognition technology to generate captions based on the audio in a video. These captions are created automatically when a video is uploaded.
- User-added captions – Creators can manually add captions to their videos by typing out the words spoken in the audio. This allows creators to ensure captions are accurate and properly synced.
Captions appear at the bottom of a TikTok video. Users can tap on the “CC” icon in the bottom right corner of a video to turn captions on or off. Captions are useful for making videos more accessible to those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Why use captions on TikTok?
Adding captions to TikTok videos can increase accessibility for those with hearing impairments. Captions allow people who are deaf or hard of hearing to understand the audio content of videos without needing to hear the audio. This makes TikTok more inclusive and accessible to all users.
Captions also allow TikTok videos to be understood even when watched without sound. Many people scroll TikTok on mute in public places or with other audio playing, so captions let them fully understand videos without needing to turn on the sound.
Additionally, captions can help TikTok videos be found more easily in searches. The text in captions is scanned by TikTok’s search algorithm, so videos with captions tend to rank higher in search results compared to videos without captions. Adding relevant keywords in captions can be a search optimization tactic.
According to an article on Hootsuite, captions are beneficial for both viewers and creators on TikTok. Enabling them makes content more inclusive, engaging, and discoverable.
How to turn on auto-captions
Turning on auto-captions on TikTok is easy and can be accessed through the app settings. Here are the steps to enable auto-captions:
1. Open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner.
2. Go to Settings & Privacy and select ‘Accessibility’.
3. Tap on ‘Auto-captions’ and toggle the switch on to enable auto-captions.
Once auto-captions are enabled, TikTok will automatically generate captions for videos on the platform using speech recognition technology. The captions will appear on screen when watching videos. Keep in mind that auto-generated captions may not always be 100% accurate.
Enabling auto-captions makes TikTok more accessible for Deaf and hard-of-hearing users. It can also be helpful for users watching videos in loud environments or for those who prefer text captions. Auto-captions can be turned on or off according to user preference.
How to add captions manually
You can also add captions manually to your TikTok videos using the built-in editing tools in the TikTok app. Here’s how:
Open the TikTok app and upload a new video or select an existing video from your profile that you want to add captions to. Once the video is opened in the editor, tap on the “Add Captions” button at the top. This will open up a text box where you can type in your captions.
As you’re typing your captions, you can format the text style and layout. Tap the text formatting options at the top to change the font, size, color and alignment of the captions. You can also drag the captions around on the video to position them.
Once you finish entering the captions, tap “Done”. You can go back and edit the captions later before posting the video. The captions will appear overlaid on the video when it’s played back.
Adding captions manually gives you full creative control over the caption text, allowing you to accurately transcribe audio and insert your own stylistic formatting. It does take more time than just relying on auto-captions, but ensures high quality subtitles on your TikTok videos.
Caption guidelines
TikTok recommends keeping captions concise and relevant to the video content. Avoid overly wordy or unrelated captions that detract from the viewing experience.
For longer captions, try breaking them up into separate blocks of text to make them easier to read. You can separate blocks using line breaks or ellipses.
Use captions to enhance the video, not just repeat what is said. For example, captions can provide additional context, point out key moments, or add humor. Make sure captions align with the tone and style of your content.
Some other caption guidelines include:
- Avoid all caps unless emphasizing something important
- Don’t overuse emojis and slang
- Check captions for spelling and grammar errors
- Credit music or audio used in captions
Following TikTok’s caption best practices can lead to more views, likes, comments, and shares on your videos.
Caption tips and tricks
Use captions creatively as part of the video. Captions don’t have to just be plain text conveying what is said in the video. You can use fonts, colors, effects, positioning, and other creative elements to make the captions part of the video itself.
For example, you could have captions pop up in time with the music or make certain words bold when there’s emphasis on them in the video. Get creative with captions to add visual interest!
Add line breaks for readability. Long blocks of text can be difficult to read quickly in captions. Break up your captions into short lines or phrases to make them easy to digest.
Go through and check captions for any errors before posting. It’s easy to make typos or spelling mistakes when adding captions quickly. Double check that your captions match what is said and that there are no issues.
Here are some examples of creative captioning techniques:
Caption third-party tools
There are a variety of third-party tools and apps that can help make captioning easier on TikTok. Two popular options are Caption Pro (captionpro.io) and Subtitlr (subtitlr.com).
These tools allow you to easily generate and add captions to your TikTok videos. Some key benefits include:
- Automatic speech-to-text transcription.
- Ability to easily edit and customize captions.
- Caption styling options like font, color, etc.
- Time-syncing captions to match the audio.
- Support for multiple languages.
However, there are some limitations to be aware of. The transcription accuracy can vary, especially with background noise or accents. There is also a character limit per caption, so you may need to manually break up long transcriptions. And many of these tools have a free tier with limited usage, so you may eventually need to upgrade for more features.
Overall, third-party caption tools can make it much simpler and faster to add high-quality, synchronized captions to your TikTok videos. Just be prepared to do some light editing to get your captions perfect.
Captioning for accessibility
Adding accurate and well-synced captions to your TikTok videos can make them more accessible to viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing. Here are some tips for optimizing captions for accessibility:
Ensure captions are accurate and synced properly to the audio. Read through captions and correct any errors before publishing your video. Check sync by enabling captions while watching your own video playback.
Provide enough time for viewers to read captions before they disappear. TikTok’s auto-captioning feature tries to match the pacing, but you may need to go in and adjust timings manually so users have sufficient reading time.
Describe important visuals that aren’t already captured in the audio description. Identify key visual moments like transitions, on-screen text, and important imagery that require additional caption narration.
By taking these steps to optimize your video captions, you can help make your TikTok content accessible for all viewers.
Troubleshooting caption issues
Captions not working properly on TikTok? Here are some solutions for common caption problems:
If captions aren’t showing up on your videos, first make sure auto-captions are enabled in your settings. Go to the video upload page, tap ‘More Options’, and toggle on ‘Auto Captions’. You can also try manually adding captions instead.
If captions are delayed, appearing late or out of sync, try adjusting your caption placement to ‘On Top’ instead of ‘With Text’. This will overlay them directly onto the video. Check that your device volume and audio quality are high.
If captions aren’t accurate, manually edit the auto-generated captions to correct any errors. You can also delete the auto-captions entirely and create new custom captions from scratch for full control.
If captions disappear after posting, immediately check your caption settings have not been turned off. Re-add captions and repost the video if needed. Avoid banned words that may cause captions to be automatically removed.
Still having issues? Try force closing and reopening the TikTok app, or updating to the latest version. Check TikTok’s service status page for any known bugs. Contact TikTok support if problems persist.
Caption ideas and inspiration
Creative and effective captions can help make your TikTok videos stand out. Here are some examples of caption ideas to inspire your next viral post:
Funny or sarcastic captions like “Watch me become a chef” or “My cooking skills are unmatched” for cooking disaster videos. Citing this source, funny captions work well for relatable or entertaining content.
Call-to-action captions prompting viewers to comment, like “If this is your favorite snack, comment below!” per this guide. Asking questions in captions drives engagement.
“Put this on your wishlist” or “Adding this to my cart ASAP” for hauls or product recommendations. Shoppable content performs well with captions about buying or wish lists according to this article.
Trending song lyrics or pop culture references like “He’s a 10 but…” or “Tell me you’re a 90s kid without telling me.” This source notes current and nostalgic references make videos more discoverable.
Cliffhanger or teaser captions like “Wait for it…” and “Plot twist” to build anticipation. As suggested in this guide, suspenseful captions keep viewers watching.
