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Can’t get people to watch your videos past the first 3 seconds?

Here’s your problem: 85% of viewers watch with their sound off. But I’ve got a fix that takes exactly 3 minutes to implement. In this full guide on how to add captions in CapCut, you’ll learn the exact steps to add auto-generated captions both on your phone and computer.

No more guessing which button does what. Just follow along, and you’ll have your first captioned video ready before your coffee gets cold.

Why You Should Add Captions in CapCut to Videos

Adding captions isn’t just about helping viewers who scroll with sound off. Studies show that 92% of mobile users watch videos silently, and viewers stay 12% longer when you add captions. 

Beyond boosting your reach, you’re also making your content accessible to the 430 million people worldwide with hearing difficulties. Translation? More views, better engagement, and a bigger impact for your videos.

Captions vs. Subtitles

Do you think it’s the same thing when you add subtitles and captions? Think again. Here’s the real difference: Captions capture everything – from the crunch of footsteps to the slam of a door.  Subtitles? They only handle the words people speak, usually translating them from one language to another.

When you’re scrolling TikTok and see [MUSIC INTENSIFIES] or [DOG BARKING], those are captions doing their job. Subtitles show you the dialogue and nothing else. That’s why professional creators put captions for engagement and add subtitles strictly for translation.

How to Put Captions In CapCut on a PC

If you want to know how to put captions in your video content using CapCut, you have two solid options: fire up the online editor at CapCut.com for quick projects or download the desktop app when you need more power. 

Both get the job done – but the online editor loads instantly while the desktop app packs more features. Let’s start with the browser version.

Adding captions on the online editor (CapCut Web)

Step 1: Open CapCut’s Online Editor 

Head to CapCut.com and click the dark grey “Try CapCut Online” button in the top right corner. No download needed – it works right in your browser.

Step 2: Upload Your Video 

Click the ‘Click to Upload’ button to add your video content. CapCut accepts MP4, MOV, and AVI files up to 1GB.

Step 3: Find the Captions Tool 

Look at the left toolbar and click “Captions.” Then, hit “Auto Captions” at the top under ‘Generate Captions.’ 

Step 4: Generate Auto Captions 

Click “Auto Captions,” then click the “Generate” button and wait 30 seconds while CapCut transcribes your video captions. The captions will appear in the timeline below your video.

Step 5: Edit Your Captions 

Double-click any caption to fix mistakes. Pro tip: Use the spacebar to play/pause while you edit – it’s faster than reaching for the mouse.

Step 6: Style Your Captions 

Click “Basic” in the right panel to:

  • Change the font (TikTok creators love Poppins)
  • Adjust size (start with 36px for mobile viewers)
  • Pick colors (white with black outline works best)
  • Add background (70% opacity black boxes are perfect for outdoor scenes)

Step 7: Export Your Video 

Hit “Export” in the top right, choose your quality (1080p is standard), and download your captioned video.

CapCut Web Common Issues: How to Fix The Insufficient Storage Bug

Hitting that frustrating “Insufficient Storage” error in CapCut Web? Don’t panic – a common bug tricks the system into thinking you’re out of space, even with a fresh account. Here’s the frustrating part: this glitch limits your uploads to just 1 byte, making it impossible to work on your videos.

Here’s the 60-second fix that usually works:

  1. Log into your CapCut account
  2. Click the “+” icon in the top right corner
  3. Select “New Workspace”
  4. Name your workspace (anything works – “Main Projects” is fine)
  5. Hit “Create”

Boom – you’ve just unlocked 5GB of fresh storage space. The bug disappears because you’re working in a clean workspace that hasn’t been affected by the storage glitch.

If you’re still getting the error after creating a new workspace, here’s your backup plan:

  • Clear your browser cache and cookies
  • Log out and back into CapCut
  • Try a different browser (Chrome tends to work best)

Once you’re back in business, your new workspace will handle videos up to 1GB each. That’s enough space for about 45 minutes of HD footage – plenty for most social media projects.

Adding Captions to Video on the CapCut Desktop App

Adding Captions on the CapCut Desktop App

Before you start, download the official CapCut video editor app from CapCut.com. The process takes about 2 minutes on most PCs.

Step 1: Launch and Import

  • Open CapCut desktop
  • Click “New Project.”

  • Select the “Local” tab on the top left-hand side of the app, then click “Import” and choose your video file
  • Wait for the import to complete (green progress bar)

Step 2: Access the Caption Tool

  • Hover over the uploaded video and click the “+” symbol, then click the  “Text” symbol above the video.  

Step 3: Generate Auto Captions

  • Click the blue “Create” button under the “Auto Captions” tab on the left-hand side. 
  • Wait 45-60 seconds for processing
  • Your captions will appear in the timeline as individual text blocks

Step 4: Edit Your Captions

  • Double-click any caption to edit the text
  • Use “Delete” to remove unwanted captions
  • Hit “Split” to break long captions into shorter ones
  • Press “Alt + →” to jump between caption blocks
  • Use “Ctrl + S” to save changes

Step 5: Style Your Captions. Navigate to the Style panel to customize:

  • Font type and size
  • Text color and outline
  • Background shape and opacity
  • Position on screen
  • Animation effects

Step 6: Fine-tune Timing

  • Drag caption edges to adjust the duration
  • Click and drag to reposition captions
  • Use the timeline zoom (+ and -) for precise timing
  • Enable “Smart Timing” for automatic syncing

Step 7: Export Your Video

  • Click “Export” in the top right
  • Select your preferred quality (1080p recommended)
  • Choose MP4 format
  • Enable “Fast Export” for quicker processing
  • Wait for the export to complete

How to Add Captions or Subtitles on the CapCut Mobile App (iOS & Android)

Do you have your phone ready and want to do some video editing with it? With the easy steps below, let’s turn your silent video into a scroll-stopping masterpiece in under 5 minutes.

Step 1: Set Up Your Project

  • Open CapCut on your phone
  • Tap “New Project”
  • Select your video from your gallery
  • Hit the checkmark to import

Step 2: Find the Caption Tools

  • Look for “Text” at the bottom menu bar
  • Tap “Auto Captions” at the top of the text panel
  • If you don’t see it, swipe the top menu left

Step 3: Generate Auto Captions

  • Pick your video’s language
  • Tap “Generate”
  • Wait 30 seconds (perfect time to grab your coffee)
  • Your captions will pop up in the timeline

Step 4: Edit Your Captions

  • Tap any caption to edit the text
  • Hold and drag to adjust the timing
  • Swipe left on a caption to delete it
  • Tap “Split” to break long captions
  • Double-tap to adjust font size

Step 5: Style Your Captions Open the style menu to:

  • Pick your font (Poppins works great)
  • Set colors (white with black outline stands out)
  • Add backgrounds (50% opacity black looks clean)
  • Position your captions (bottom center is standard)

Step 6: Add Effects

  • Tap “Animation”
  • Choose entrance/exit effects
  • Pick “Typewriter” for that TikTok vibe
  • Set duration (0.5 seconds is perfect)

Step 7: Export

  • Hit the share icon (top right)
  • Pick “Export”
  • Choose 1080p for crisp quality
  • Wait about 1 minute for processing

Tips for Adding Captions with CapCut

Want your captions to look professional instead of amateur? These tricks took me 6 months to discover, but you’ll master them fast. They work on mobile and desktop versions of the CapCut video editor, so you can elevate your video quality no matter your device.

Applying Edits to All Captions

 Here’s the fastest way to transform all your captions at once. First, press and hold the first caption in your timeline, then drag across all the captions you want to edit. For a real-time saver, just tap “Apply to All” to grab every caption for your project.

Once you’ve selected your captions, tap “Style” in the right panel. Any changes you make will apply instantly to all selected captions. Change the font once, adjust the size once, pick your color once, and watch your entire video transform.

A pro move that will save you time is to create a preset for your caption style. Just click the three dots, select “Save as Preset,” and give it a specific name like “TikTok White Captions” or “YouTube Subtitles.” Next time, you’ll apply your perfect style in one click.

Improve the Readability of Your Fonts

Your captions are useless if viewers can’t read them. The perfect font size depends on where your audience watches. For mobile videos, stick to 36-42px. Desktop viewers need 48-54px to read comfortably. If you’re creating content for TV or presentations, bump it up to 60px or larger.

Color makes or breaks readability. White text with a black outline remains the gold standard and is visible on any background. For maximum readability, try yellow text on a black background. Want that professional broadcast look? Use white text on a black box with 75% opacity to make it look like a professional broadcast.

Position matters just as much as size and color. The bottom center works for most videos, but you must test it. Watch your video on mute and check if your captions clash with any important visual elements. If they do, shift them up or down until they find their sweet spot.

Sync with the Audio

Nothing screams amateur like out-of-sync captions. Let’s fix that. Enable the waveform view in your timeline – it’s your best friend for perfect sync. Match your caption timing to those audio peaks you see in the waveform. Make each caption last exactly as long as the spoken words.

Fine-tuning takes patience but pays off. Drag those caption edges for perfect timing. Use your arrow keys to move one frame at a time when you need frame-perfect precision. The real test? Watch your video at double speed. If your captions still match the audio, you’ve nailed it.

Conclusion

Adding captions in CapCut isn’t just about making your videos more accessible – it’s about doubling your engagement. Now you’ve got every tool you need: auto-captions for speed, manual video editing for precision, and pro styling tricks to make your videos stand out.

Don’t wait for your next video to try this out. Open CapCut right now, grab your latest video and add some captions. In 5 minutes, you’ll have a more engaging video that stops scrollers in their tracks. Your viewers (and your engagement rates) will thank you

Chris helps people understand the newest AI tools for marketing and makes it easy to pick the best ones. They explain things in simple ways so anyone can use AI to grow their business.