When you make YouTube videos, it’s important to consider your audience, including viewers who speak a different language, deaf or hard of hearing. Adding subtitles and captions is one way to make your videos more accessible so more people can view and enjoy your content and also it helps to rank your videos on top in YouTube search. It can be translated by Google and expands your reach even further than your native language audience.
YouTube Studio
YouTube Studio helps to add captions to your videos easily. It automatically creates subtitles for your published video by using Google’s voice detection software and integrates it into your video. But, this does not work, not exactly most of the time because it doesn’t include proper punctuation. So, here’s an easy and simple trick to add subtitles in YouTube videos, without typing it all out.
There are several options for adding subtitles or closed captions on your YouTube videos such as uploading a pre-written file, using auto-sync, typing them out manually, or using auto-translate. Follow these steps on how to add subtitles and closed captions to your video.
How to Add Subtitle on YouTube
How to Type Subtitles to YouTube Videos Manually
- Go to your YouTube Studio page
- Choose Subtitles & CC in the left sidebar.
- Select your desired video.
- Click Add, under Subtitles.
- Now, Select Type manually.
- Play the video and enter your closed captions or subtitles, adjusting the timestamps as your wish. You should add text tags like [applause] or [thunder] to help give viewers the necessary context.
- Select Publish when ready.
How to Add Automatic Subtitles to a YouTube Video
The auto-sync option allows you to type your own transcript all at once, and then the transcript is automatically synced to the timing of your video.
- Go to YouTube Studio and select Subtitles in the left sidebar.
- Select your video from the list and then click Add, located under subtitles.
- Choose Auto-sync in the pop-up menu.
- Type the entire transcript of your video in the text box or click the three dots next to Edit Timings and choose the Upload file.
- Once you’ve added the text or uploaded file, select Edit Timings.
- Click Save and Close.
The transcript file you use must be in a language supported by YouTube speech recognition technology and the audio must be of good quality.
How to Upload a Pre-Written File for Subtitles on YouTube
Uploading a file that contains what is said in the video is one way to add captions to a video. For this, you must know the right youtube accepted closed caption file types. For example, a SubRip(.srt), SubViewer, MPsub, or LRC will work, when properly formatted.
- Sign in to your YouTube Studio account.
- Select Subtitles and click the video that you’d like to edit.
- Select Add Language and select your preferred language.
- Under Subtitles, click Add.
- Select Upload File.
- Choose either With timing or Without timing, before selecting Continue.
- Choose the file you want to upload.
- Enter Save Draft or Publish.
How to Translate YouTube Videos Without CC
YouTube Automatic Captions
YouTube adds automatic captions to certain long-form videos and shorts. Just be aware that this automatic captioning feature is limited to 13 languages. Automatic captions are also being rolled out for live streams. However, that’s limited to English-language streams from those who have over 1,000 subscribers. Once it’s generated, you can still review auto-captions and make any necessary changes.
- Log into your YouTube account and go into the YouTube Studio
- Choose Subtitles and Select the video you want to review.
- Under Subtitles, click the three dots next to the video you want to review or edit.
- Review the auto-captions, and Edit or Remove parts of the auto-captions, as desired.
Follow the same steps on your iPhone or android and mobile YouTube app and add subtitles in a YouTube video easily.
YouTube Rolls Out Automatic Live Captions To All Channels
Solution for YouTube Automatic Captions Not Working
If you’re seeing errors in your auto-captions or auto-captioning is not working, then there are several reasons why this could be happening.
- The language in the video uses a language that isn’t supported for auto-captions.
- Captions aren’t available yet because there’s complex audio in your published video.
- The video is too long for auto-captions.
- There’s poor sound quality, or YouTube isn’t recognizing the speech or voice.
- A long period of silence at the beginning of the video is preventing auto-captions from working.
- There are multiple speakers in the video, with overlapping speech.
How to Put Subtitles on YouTube When Watching
If the content creator added subtitles for any specific video, then you can able to see the captions when the video is playing. You can off the subtitles or change the translation language as you want in the list. You can also use YouTube subtitle generator online tools such as Veed.io, kapwing, and other apps to make subtitles and use them while watching the video for auto-generated captions.