Add caption tracks to a video

Important: Learn which Google Account types have access to Google Vids and different Vids features.

To display the video narration in real time at the bottom of the screen, add a caption track to your video. In this article, learn how to:

• Add autogenerated captions
• Review & edit autogenerated captions
• Manually add captions to a video
• Play a video with captions

Add autogenerated captions

Autogenerated captions are automatically generated for all inserted media with English speech and can be enabled for playback. To add the autogenerated caption track:

1. On your computer, open a video in Google Vids.
2. In the menu, click View Closed captions Autogenerated.
   • Tip: The autogenerated captions will play once you start playback in editor mode.
3. Optional: To review the autogenerated captions while playback in full screen playback mode, at the bottom of the playback screen, click Closed captions Autogenerated.

Review & edit autogenerated captions

1. To review and make edits to the autogenerated captions, click Insert Closed captions .
2. To review the caption track by timestamp:
   • In the closed captions side panel, on the autogenerated track, click More View.
3. To make edits to the autogenerated track, click More Duplicate.
4. Next to the duplicated caption track, click More Edit.

Manually add captions to a video

Important: Captions only show up as an option at the time of playback if they’re toggled on. Learn how to play videos with captions.

1. On your computer, open a video in Google Vids.
2. In the menu, click Insert Closed captions .
3. In the closed captions side panel, click + Caption track.
4. Click Upload file or Type manually.
5. Select the language of the caption.
6. Optional: You can add a track title.
   • If you upload multiple files of the same language, a track title makes it easier to find your caption file.
7. Click Create new track.
   • To update the caption settings or timing, in the captions side panel, next to a caption track, click More Edit.
   • To duplicate the track and make edits on a new copy, click More Duplicate.

You can upload these caption file types:

Play a video with captions

You can choose to play your video in editor mode or in full screen playback mode with captions. When you play the video with captions on, they'll show at the bottom of the screen.

1. On your computer, open a video in Google Vids.
   1. To turn on closed captions before you play the video, click View Closed captions .
   2. Select the track to use.
2. To play the video in full screen, at the top right, click Play .
   • You can also press the shortcut for your browser:
     • Chrome OS: Ctrl + Search + 5
     • Windows: Ctrl + F5
     • Mac: ⌘ + Shift + Enter
3. To play the video in Editor mode, above the timeline, click Play . You can also press the spacebar.
   • To use the spacebar to play or pause in Editor mode, the focus must be on the timeline. To move the focus to the timeline, use these keyboard shortcuts:
     • Chrome OS or Windows: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + T
     • Mac: ⌘ + Opt + Shift + T
4. To turn "Closed captions" on or off in full screen playback mode:
   1. At the bottom right of the playback screen, click Closed captions .
      • You can also use these keyboard shortcuts:
        • Chrome OS or Windows: C
        • Mac: C
   2. Select the track you want to playback.

Tips:

• Once you upload the captions, you can store and edit them.

• Captions are specific to browser sessions. If you turn on captions in your playback session, it won’t turn on captions when you share the video.