How to Add Captions to TikTok Video?

A vintage typewriter with keys forming a landscape on its paper roll, representing the creative process of adding engaging captions to TikTok videos.
Add captions to video, improving TikTok content's reach and accessibility—discover the simplicity with our guide.

Transkriptor 2024-03-29

Capturing viewers' attention requires making everything crystal clear right from the start with an abundance of content currently available. TikTok users are able to enhance their videos by adding captions to achieve this, a practical and impactful feature that goes beyond simple text.

Captions serve as a tool to create inclusive and engaging content, making videos accessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and ensuring comprehensibility in noisy environments.

Digital artists should follow these instructions to make their TikTok videos stand out and deliver a more accessible and engaging experience for their audience.

The 9 steps to add captions to TikTok video are listed below.

  1. Open TikTok and Start Creating a Video : Install and open the TikTok app. Tap the '+' icon to begin creating video content.
  2. Record or Upload the Video : Choose to record a new video by pressing and holding the red record button, or upload an existing one by tapping the 'Upload' button.
  3. Complete Any Edits or Add Filters : In the editing phase, trim the video, apply visual effects and color filters, and adjust video settings like brightness and contrast.
  4. Tap on 'Text' to Add Captions Manually : Manually add captions by tapping the 'Text' icon and typing your desired text. Customize the captions' appearance by selecting fonts, colors, sizes, and alignments.
  5. Use the 'Captions' Feature for Automatic Captions : For automatic captions, select the 'Captions' option after recording or uploading the video.
  6. Edit the Auto-Generated Captions for Accuracy : Review and edit the auto-generated captions to correct any inaccuracies. Adjust spelling, grammar, punctuation, and timing to ensure the captions accurately represent the spoken words.
  7. Adjust Caption Text Style and Placement : Position the caption thoughtfully within the video frame to enhance readability without obstructing key visual elements.
  8. Preview Video with Captions: Digital artists preview and adjust TikTok captions for clarity and sync, ensuring optimal viewer engagement.
  9. Post the Video: Users post their captioned video on TikTok, crafting a description with hashtags, setting privacy, and choosing sharing options before publishing to engage the audience.

Step 1: Open TikTok and Start Creating a Video

Opening the app is the first step in adding captions to TikTok videos, allowing users to engage with the app's creative features.

Firstly, content creators should install the TikTok app from the appropriate app store - Google Play Store for Android devices or the App Store for iOS devices.

They find the TikTok icon on their device's home screen or app drawer after installation. Digital artists tap on this icon to open the TikTok app. After that, they are ready to start creating video content once the app opens by tapping the '+' icon.

The app's interface is designed to be user-friendly, allowing easy navigation for all users, regardless of their familiarity with the platform.

TikTok's recording interface with options to add sound, flip camera, apply filters, use timer, and more for creative video making.
Dive into TikTok's platform of creative tools to make the video stand out. Add sounds, effects, and captions effortlessly!

Step 2: Record or Upload the Video

Digital artists choose to either record a new video or upload an existing one after opening the TikTok video creation interface. They press and hold the red record button to record by capturing real-time content.

Users are able to select the duration of the video, choosing from options like 15 seconds or 60 seconds if they record a video on TikTok (or 3 minutes if they upload it to this social media). They are able to switch between the front and rear cameras for more control over the content.

Alternatively, users tap the 'Upload' button to upload a pre-recorded video, navigating through their device's gallery to select the desired file. They tap the red checkmark to proceed once the recording is complete or the file is uploaded. This takes them to the editing screen, where they are able to enhance their video further before adding captions and sharing it with their TikTok audience.

Step 3: Complete Any Edits or Add Filters

Users proceed to the editing phase once they have recorded or uploaded their video on TikTok. Here, digital artists trim their videos to perfect the start and end points, ensuring only the desired content is included.

They tap the 'Effects' icon to browse and apply various visual effects that enhance the video's appeal. Users are able to tap the 'Filters' icon to explore and select color filters, adjusting the mood and tone of the video. Influencers adjust the intensity of the filters using the slider for precise control.

Additionally, they are able to tap on the 'Adjust' icon to fine-tune other aspects like brightness, contrast, and saturation.

Step 4: Tap on 'Text' to Add Captions Manually

Users tap on the 'Text' icon at the bottom of the screen to manually add captions to TikTok videos after completing edits and applying filters. They type their desired text into the text box that appears on the screen.

Content creators customize their captions (or subtitles ) by selecting various fonts and colors, making the text visually appealing and readable against the video background. They also adjust the size and alignment of the text, ensuring it fits well within the video frame.

Users are able to apply text animations to make the captions pop up dynamically for added emphasis. Digital artists tap 'Done' to place the caption on the video once they are satisfied with the text's appearance. They then drag the caption to their preferred position on the screen and pinch to resize it, ensuring it complements the video content before finalizing their post.

Step 5: Use the 'Captions' Feature for Automatic Captions

Users use TikTok's auto-captions to generate captions for their videos automatically. Digital artists select 'Captions' from the left sidebar after uploading or recording a video.

TikTok then processes the video's audio, transcribing the spoken words into text captions on the screen. This feature allows content creators to quickly provide captions without manual typing, ensuring their content is accessible to a broader audience.

The auto-captions are designed to accurately reflect the audio content, providing a textual representation of the video's spoken elements.

Users efficiently make their videos more inclusive by using the 'Captions' feature, enhancing viewer engagement and understanding.

Step 6: Edit the Auto-Generated Captions for Accuracy

Users should attentively review the auto-generated captions for accuracy after using TikTok's built-in captioning features for automatic transcription. They tap on the text to enter the editing mode if discrepancies or errors are noticed in the transcription.

Digital artists meticulously correct any spelling, grammar, or punctuation mistakes to ensure the captions precisely represent the spoken words in the video. They also adjust the timing of the captions to align accurately with the audio, ensuring that each text segment appears on screen at the correct moment. This careful review and editing process helps maintain the integrity of the message and enhances viewer understanding.

Users finalize the edits once the captions accurately convey the audio content and are perfectly timed with the video, ensuring the auto-generated captions effectively complement the video before sharing.

Step 7: Adjust Caption Text Style and Placement

Users focus on enhancing readability and visual appeal by adjusting the caption text style and placement after finalizing the text of their captions.

Content creators tap on the caption (which they add as a text) to select it and then explore various font styles and colors offered by TikTok, choosing options that best complement the video's aesthetic. They adjust the text size by pinching in or out on the screen, ensuring the captions are easily readable without overshadowing the video content.

Users drag the caption to position it strategically within the frame, considering the best placement to avoid blocking key visual elements of the video.

This careful attention to the style and placement of captions improves readability. It seamlessly integrates the text into the video, enhancing the overall viewer experience before it is posted.

Step 8: Preview Video with Captions

Digital artists preview their TikTok videos with captions to ensure everything appears as intended before posting. They tap the 'Play' button to watch the entire video from start to finish.

Influencers observe how the captions interact with the video content, ensuring the text is visible and accurately synchronized with the audio. They pay close attention to the readability of the text against the video background and verify that the captions do not obscure important visual elements.

Users also listen to the audio while reading the captions to confirm the message is conveyed correctly and effectively.

Content creators pause the preview if any aspect of the captions or video requires adjustment, make the necessary changes, and then preview again. This iterative process guarantees that the video and its captions are polished and ready for the audience, maximizing engagement and understanding.

Step 9: Post the Video

Users post it on TikTok once they are satisfied with the preview of their captioned video. They tap the 'Next' button to navigate to the posting screen.

Here, iInfluencers craft a captivating description, incorporating relevant hashtags and mentions to enhance discoverability. They select a cover for the video by choosing a frame that best represents the content.

Users adjust privacy settings, deciding who has an opportunity to view, comment on, or share the video. They also decide if they want to allow duets or stitches with their video. Content creators have the option to share the video across other social platforms before posting, by toggling the respective icons.

Digital artists tap the 'Post' button to share their video with captions after reviewing all details and ensuring everything is set according to preference. The video, now equipped with clear, well-placed captions, is ready to engage and captivate the TikTok audience.

How to Use TikTok’s Auto-caption Feature?

Users open the TikTok app and tap the '+' icon to start a new video. They record or upload a video and press the 'checkmark' icon.

Influencers should select 'Captions' from the available options on the left sidebar. TikTok automatically transcribes the audio into text, which digital artists review for accuracy, editing any errors directly on the screen.

They adjust the caption timing by moving the text boxes along the video timeline and customize the style, font, and color as preferred. Users tap 'Done' after finalizing the captions, add any additional effects, sounds, or filters, and post the video by tapping 'Post' with a suitable description and sharing settings set.

Why Are Captions Crucial for TikTok Videos?

Captions are crucial for TikTok videos as they significantly widen user reach and engagement. Users recognize that captions make videos accessible to a broader audience, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Captions ensure that content is still enjoyable in noise-sensitive environments like offices or public transportation, where audio is turned off. Content creators find that captions aid in comprehension, as viewers retain information better when they read and hear simultaneously.

Captions cater to non-native speakers (if these subtitles are translated or not), helping them understand the content more effectively. Furthermore, users utilize captions to boost discoverability on the platform. Including keywords in captions enhances the video's visibility in search results, driving more traffic and engagement.

Captions also offer an opportunity for digital artists to add additional context, humor, or personality to their content, enriching the viewer's experience. Users ensure their TikTok videos are more inclusive, understandable, and appealing by incorporating captions, increasing views, shares, and likes, and fostering a broader, more engaged community.

What are TikTok's Built-In Captioning Features?

TikTok's built-in captioning features offer users a range of tools to enhance their video content. The auto-caption feature automatically transcribes spoken words into on-screen text, saving content creators time and effort in manual typing.

Digital artists are able to edit these auto-generated captions for accuracy and clarity directly on the screen. Users personalize captions by adjusting the font style, size, and color, ensuring the text complements the video's aesthetic with customizable options.

The timing feature lets users synchronize captions precisely with specific video segments, enhancing viewer understanding and engagement.

The Transkriptor dashboard interface showcasing tools for uploading, recording, and converting audio to text for captioning.
Transkriptor simplifies caption creation with its seamless audio-to-text conversion. Ideal for enhancing video accessibility!

Get Accurate TikTok Captions with Transkriptor

Users are able to achieve superior caption quality and customization by integrating Transkriptor into their workflow.Transkriptor makes it incredibly easy to improve TikTok captions with accuracy and personalization.This powerful tool excels in generating highly accurate transcriptions for video content.

Transkriptor's advanced speech recognition technology ensures that every spoken word in the video is transcribed with pinpoint accuracy. This precision lays the foundation for captions that faithfully represent the audio content.

For those seeking to enhance their TikTok captions, Transkriptor is the go-to solution. Take your TikTok content to the next level with Transkriptor as your caption-enhancing tool. Try it for free!

Frequently Asked Questions

Adding subtitles to a video on TikTok is accomplished using the 'Captions' feature within the editing options. Users are able to review, edit, and optimize the captions to ensure they effectively convey the video's message and engage a wider audience.

While not mandatory, captions are highly recommended as they make your content accessible to a wider audience, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, and can also engage viewers who prefer watching videos without sound.

It's essential to double-check whether they've selected the 'Captions' option from the left sidebar or 'Text' menu option if users encounter difficulties when attempting to caption a TikTok video.

Unfortunately, users aren’t able to add captions to TikTok videos after they've been posted. Captioning must be completed during the initial video editing process to ensure accessibility and engagement.

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