Tutorial: Adding Captions to YouTube Videos

This tutorial reviews different methods to add accurate captions to your YouTube videos, including manually correcting automated captions, using a transcript with the Set Timings feature, manually transcribing captions, and uploading a captioning file. Please refer to the Captioning Quality Guidelines when creating or editing captions. 

Note: This tutorial assumes you have a YouTube account. If you don’t have an account yet, you can create a Google account, which will allow you access to many Google products, including YouTube.

Step One

Upload the video to your YouTube account. 

Step Two

Go to YouTube Studio after your video has been uploaded. To do this, select Your Videos from the YouTube menu options.

Your videos option is outlined by a red box to indicate its location in the YouTube menu.

 

Step Three

Ensure the Content page is selected in the left side menu.

Link to Content page is outlined in red to indicate its location in YouTube Studio's navigation bar.

 

Step Four

Find the video you want to edit in the video list, then select the Details button (pencil icon) that appears when hovering your cursor over the video.

The Details button, which appears as a pencil icon, is outlined in red.

 

Step Five

The Details page for the video will open. Select the Subtitles page in the navigation menu on the left side of this page.

The location of the Subtitles page is outlined in the video's navigation menu.

 

Step Six

The Subtitles page will list any caption files available for the video. From here, you can add or edit caption files in a variety of ways.

  • If you want to manually correct the automated captions for accuracy, go to step seven.
  • If you have a transcript for your video and want to use the Set Timings feature, go to step eight.
  • If you want to manually transcribe your video, go to step nine.
  • If you want to upload a caption file, go to step ten.

Step Seven: Correct automated captions for accuracy

If automated captions are available for your video, they will be listed on the Subtitles page. Hover over the subtitle column for the English (Automatic captions). Select the Duplicate and Edit button (pencil icon) that appears.

An English automatic captions file with the Duplicate and Edit button outlined in red to highlight its location.

 

A dialog box will appear where you can edit the transcript. When you're ready, select Edit Timings in the upper right corner above the transcript.

The transcript editing interface, with a button labeled Edit Timings in the top right corner

 

This view allows you to adjust the timing of the caption block and edit the text within each block. You can switch back to the transcript editing view by selecting Edit as Text.

The caption editing interface, with a button labeled Edit as Text in the top right corner

 

When you're done, select the Publish button in the top right corner.

The Publish button, outlined in red to highlight its location

 

Step Eight: Set timings for a transcript

Select the Add Language button below the caption file list and select the desired language.

The Add Language button at the bottom of the subtitles page

 

Hover over the Subtitle column of the new subtitle track. Select the Add button (pencil icon) that appears.

A subtitle file with the Add button outlined in red to highlight its location

 

A dialog box will appear; select Type manually.

Dialog box that prompts the user to select how to add captions; Type manually is selected

 

Select Edit as Text.

The caption editing interface, with a blank caption box and a button labeled Edit as Text in the top right corner

 

Paste your transcript here, then select Edit Timings when you are done.

A button labeled Edit timings and below it, a Captions box with a long section of text added

 

Check timings for accuracy and fix any errors.

Once your timings have been set, select the Publish button in the top right corner.

The Publish button, outlined in red to highlight its location

 

Step Nine: Transcribe manually

Select the Add Language button below the caption file list and select the desired language.

The Add Language button at the bottom of the subtitles page

 

Hover over the Subtitle column of the new subtitle track. Select the Add button (pencil icon) that appears.

A subtitle file with the Add button outlined in red to highlight its location

 

A dialog box will appear; select Type manually.

Dialog box that prompts the user to select how to add captions; Type manually is selected

 

Select Edit as Text.

The caption editing interface, with a blank caption box and a button labeled Edit as Text in the top right corner

 

Type your transcript in the caption box, then select Edit Timings when you are done.

Caption box with text added and the Edit Timings button

 

Check timings for accuracy and fix any errors.

Once your timings have been set, select the Publish button in the top right corner.

The Publish button, outlined in red to highlight its location

 

Step Ten: Upload a caption file (.srt, .vtt, .dfxp, etc.)

Select the Add Language button below the caption file list and select the desired language.

The Add Language button at the bottom of the subtitles page

 

Hover over the Subtitle column of the new subtitle track. Select the Add button (pencil icon) that appears.

A subtitle file with the Add button outlined in red to highlight its location

 

A dialog box will appear; select Upload File.

Dialog box that prompts the user to select how to add captions; Upload file is selected

 

A Select subtitle file type dialog box will appear. Select the radio button labeled With timing.

Dialog box to select the subtitle file type; the radio button labeled with timing is selected

 

Select your file and, when it is uploaded, select the Publish button in the top right corner.

The Publish button, outlined in red to highlight its location