TikTok has become a dominant platform for video content, and adding subtitles can significantly enhance your videos’ impact.
They benefit creators by expanding their audience, accommodating viewers who prefer silent playback, and improving visibility in the app’s algorithm.
For those unfamiliar with the process, adding subtitles might seem daunting, but TikTok offers user-friendly features like auto-subtitles and manual editing options to simplify it.
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of how to add subtitles on TikTok, offering clear instructions and practical tips to elevate your video content to the next level.
4 Reasons Why You Should Add Subtitles to TikTok Videos
Incorporating captions into your TikTok videos can transform their effectiveness, making them more accessible, engaging, and visible.
Here’s why adding captions is a smart move for any creator looking to maximize their impact:
Making Videos Accessible to All
For viewers with hearing impairments, captions are a game-changer.
They ensure your content is inclusive, allowing everyone to follow along and enjoy your videos, regardless of their ability to hear.
Enhancing Understanding
Not everyone catches every word through audio alone—think noisy environments or tricky accents.
Captions clarify your message, ensuring viewers grasp exactly what you’re trying to say without missing a beat.
Boosting Viewer Interaction
Many people scroll through TikTok with their sound off, whether they’re in public or just multitasking.
Captions keep them hooked by delivering your message visually, encouraging them to watch longer and interact through likes, comments, or shares.
Expanding Your Audience Reach
TikTok’s algorithm favors videos with captions, as they provide text for better searchability.
Adding relevant keywords in your captions can help your video pop up in more searches, increasing its chances of landing on more “For You” pages.
By adding captions, you’re not just enhancing your videos; you’re setting them up to connect with more people in a meaningful way.
How to Enable Auto-Captions on TikTok?
TikTok makes it simple to add captions to your videos with its built-in auto-subtitles feature, which generates text based on your audio.
While it’s a handy tool, the results aren’t always perfect, so you’ll want to double-check them.
Here’s how to turn on auto-subtitles and get them working for your video:
Step 1: Create or Upload Your Video
Start by opening TikTok and tapping the “+” button to make a new video.
You can either record something fresh—select your preferred length (15 seconds, 60 seconds, or up to 10 minutes) and hit the record button—or upload a clip from your device.
To upload, look for the gallery option in the bottom right, pick your video, and hit “Next” when you’re ready.
Step 2: Activate Auto-subtitles
After your video is ready, head to the editing screen.
On the right side, you’ll see a menu with different tools.
Scroll or tap the arrow to find the “Captions” option—it might be labeled with a text icon.
Select it, and TikTok will process the audio to generate subtitles automatically.
Give it a moment to finish.
Step 3: Check and Adjust the Subtitles
Once the auto-subtitles appear, review them carefully.
Tap on the text to edit any mistakes—play the video line by line to ensure it matches what’s being said.
You can retype anything that’s off, though the timing is locked in by TikTok.
When you’re satisfied, save your changes.
Step 4: Share Your Video
With your subtitles set, tap “Next,” add your description and hashtags, and hit “Post” to publish your captioned masterpiece.
This process gets subtitles on your video fast, but a quick review ensures they’re spot-on before they go live.
How to Add Subtitles on TikTok Manually?
If you prefer full control over your captions or need to add something unique, like extra notes or translations, TikTok’s manual subtitle option via the text feature is the way to go.
Here’s how to do it step-by-step:
Step 1: Get Your Video Ready
Begin by either filming a new video in TikTok or uploading one from your device.
Tap the “+” button to start. Record your content (you can shoot multiple clips if needed) or pick a pre-made video from your gallery.
Once it’s all set, hit the checkmark to move to the editing screen.
Step 2: Open the Text Tool
In the editor, look for the text option—it’s marked with an “Aa” icon, usually at the bottom or in the side menu.
Tap it to start adding your subtitles manually.
Step 3: Write Your Subtitles
Type out what’s being said in your video, line by line.
This takes more effort than auto-subtitles, but it’s perfect for customizing your text or adding creative flair, like commentary or translations in another language.
Take your time to get the wording just right.
Step 4: Set the Timing
To make your subtitles sync with the audio, tap the text you added, then select the timing or duration option from the menu that pops up.
Drag the slider to choose when each caption shows up and fades out.
It can be a bit fiddly, especially for long videos, so plan ahead.
Hit the checkmark when you’re done, and repeat for each subtitle.
Step 5: Customize Placement and Look
Drag the text to position it where it fits best on-screen—top, bottom, or wherever it pops.
You can also tweak the font, color, or style to match your vibe.
Pick a consistent design to give your videos a signature feel.
Manual subtitles take a little extra work, but they give you the freedom to make your TikTok stand out exactly how you want.
The Best Spot to Put Captions on TikTok Videos
Bottom of the frame!
When it comes to placing captions on your TikTok videos, positioning is key to keeping viewers engaged without cluttering the screen.
The sweet spot is typically toward the bottom of the frame, just high enough to avoid the very edge, ensuring the text is readable while leaving the main action unobstructed.
Centering the captions can also help, making them quick and easy to follow, which is crucial for TikTok’s fast-paced, short-form style.
This placement strikes a balance between visibility and a clean, distraction-free look for your content.
How to Edit and Add Subtitles to a TikTok Video After Posting?
Sadly, once a TikTok video is posted, editing or adding subtitles directly isn’t an option since the captions are baked into the video itself, whether you used auto-subtitles or added them manually.
If you spot a mistake or want to tweak them later, your only workaround is to take down the original video and upload a new version with the updated subtitles.
This can be a hassle, especially if your post has already gained traction with views or likes, so it’s worth taking a moment to review everything carefully before hitting “Post” to save yourself the trouble.
Alternatives for Subtitling in iMovie: Subtitlewhisper
Although TikTok provides a comprehensive set of editing features, it does come with a price tag and may initially pose a challenge for newcomers to navigate.
If you seek a platform with a more user-friendly interface or prefer to handle recording, editing, and captioning all in one location, Subtitlewhisper is an excellent alternative.
Powered by OpenAI’s Whisper technology, Subtitlewhisper helps users effortlessly transcribe video content with an accuracy rate of up to 98.5%.
Supporting over 50 languages, it’s ideal for creators and viewers worldwide who need fast, reliable transcriptions. (Try Subtitlewhisper for free!) Here’s how to add subtitles to your video using Subtitlewhisper:
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Upload your video.
Start by uploading the video you want to transcribe or paste its YouTube link.
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Transcribe your video with one click.
Click the “Generate subtitles now” button, and the AI will create an accurate transcript for your video.
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Edit your transcript.
Once the auto-transcription is complete, review and edit the transcript using Subtitlewhisper’s online editor. Each subtitle is time-stamped and editable like a text document, making adjustments simple.
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Download your transcription (optional).
Finally, download the transcript in formats like .srt, .txt, .docx, or .csv.
What sets Subtitlewhisper apart from other subtitling methods is its simplicity. With its intuitive interface, you can upload and transcribe videos in just a few clicks, saving time while ensuring high-quality results.
Whether you’re working on your own videos or someone else’s, Subtitlewhisper streamlines the process, letting you focus on content rather than technical details. Try Subtitlewhisper for free today!
5 Pro Tips for Using TikTok Subtitles
Subtitles can take your TikTok videos to the next level if used thoughtfully.
Here are some practical pointers to get the most out of them:
1. Record Crisp Audio
Clear speech is essential for accurate auto-subtitles.
When filming, enunciate well to help TikTok’s system nail the transcription.
Using high-quality recording tools or a quiet setting can make a big difference in sound clarity.
2. Set the Right Language
Ensure TikTok generates subtitles in the correct language by checking your app’s language settings before you start.
This helps avoid mismatched or garbled text, especially if you’re targeting a specific audience.
3. Keep Them Readable
Opt for fonts, colors, and positions that stand out but don’t clash with your video.
Prioritize legibility, think high-contrast text that’s easy on the eyes, so viewers can follow along effortlessly.
4. Double-Check Before Posting
Always review your subtitles for accuracy before sharing your video.
Mistakes can slip through, and since you can’t edit captions after posting (or during live streams), a quick proofread saves you from having to redo it later.
5. Match the Vibe
Tailor your subtitle style to your video’s tone.
Go bold and playful for fun content or sleek and simple for something more serious.
TikTok’s editing tools let you tweak the look to fit your creative vision.
These tips will help your subtitles shine, making your TikTok content more engaging and polished.
How to Add Captions in TikTok: Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about adding and managing captions on TikTok, designed to help you troubleshoot and make the most of this feature:
Why don’t I have captions on TikTok?
If captions aren’t showing up, check your settings under “Accessibility” to ensure the feature is activated.
When posting, look for the captions toggle in the editing options and confirm the correct language is selected, otherwise, they might not appear.
Why can’t I add captions on TikTok?
Several issues might block you from adding captions.
New or restricted accounts may lack access; check your account status.
Videos in unsupported formats (TikTok prefers MP4 with H.264 encoding) could cause problems, as could fuzzy audio that confuses the auto-transcription.
An outdated app, regional feature limits, or a glitch might also be the culprit. Try updating TikTok or restarting it to fix technical hiccups.
How do I add subtitles to TikTok automatically?
TikTok offers a built-in auto-caption tool within its editing suite that transcribes your audio into subtitles effortlessly.
Simply enable it during the editing process, or for more advanced control, consider external software like a video editor with captioning capabilities before uploading to TikTok.
How do you move captions on TikTok?
Before you post, you can reposition captions by tapping and holding the text, then dragging it to your preferred spot on the screen.
Once the video is live, though, the placement is locked in.
How do I add subtitles to TikTok after posting?
Unfortunately, you can’t add or edit subtitles after a video goes live.
Your best bet is to delete the original, re-edit it with the subtitles you want, and repost it.
How can I turn TikTok captions on and off when watching videos?
It depends on how the captions were added.
Auto-generated captions from TikTok can be toggled: if they’re on, tap them while watching and select “Hide Captions” to turn them off, or they’ll display if the creator enabled them.
Captions embedded by the creator are part of the video itself, so there’s no way to disable them during playback.
These FAQs should clear up any confusion and help you navigate TikTok’s caption tools with confidence!
