How to Add Captions to YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts live or die on the first couple of seconds, and bold, well-timed captions are one of the most reliable ways to hold attention. Here is how to add accurate, animated captions to a Short automatically and export a ready-to-upload MP4.

Step 1 — Upload your Short

Upload the vertical MP4. The 9:16 format is detected automatically, so the editor is already set up for Shorts when it opens.

Step 2 — Transcribe the audio

The clip is transcribed word by word with precise timings. Word-level timing is what lets captions pop one word at a time in sync with your delivery.

Step 3 — Choose a punchy style

Pick a preset designed for retention — big bold text with per-word highlights works well for Shorts. Adjust the font, colors, outline and glow, and position the captions in the upper-middle of the frame where they are easy to read and clear of the YouTube UI.

Step 4 — Export and upload

Render the MP4 with captions burned in and upload it as a Short. The captions are part of the video, so they display consistently and you can repost the exact same file to TikTok and Reels.

Frequently asked

Do I still need YouTube's auto-captions?

YouTube's auto-captions (the CC track) are useful for accessibility and search, and they can coexist with burned-in captions. The burned-in text is what viewers actually see and what makes the Short visually engaging.

What length works best?

Shorts can run up to 60 seconds. Whatever the length, keep captions concise — one short line at a time reads best on a small screen.