Dickinson College Media Center

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YouTube – Adding Subtitles and Captions Tutorial

Subtitles and captions make videos more accessible and easier to understand in noisy or quiet environments. YouTube provides automatic captioning tools that can be edited for accuracy, making it easy to add captions during or after upload.

This tutorial walks you through adding and editing captions when uploading a video to YouTube.

1. Upload Your Video

  • Sign in to YouTube Studio
  • Click Create (camera with a plus icon)
  • Select Upload video
  • Choose your video file and begin the upload process

You can add captions during upload or after the video is published.

2. Navigate to the Subtitles Section

  • In YouTube Studio, go to Content
  • Click on the video you want to caption
  • Select Subtitles from the left-hand menu

This is where all caption and subtitle options are managed.

3. Use YouTube’s Automatic Captions

  • Under English (Automatic), click Duplicate and Edit
  • YouTube will generate captions automatically using speech recognition
  • Review the captions carefully for errors

Automatic captions are a good starting point but are rarely perfect.

4. Edit Captions for Accuracy

  • Click directly on the caption text to make corrections
  • Adjust timing by dragging caption edges if needed
  • Check for:
    • Misspelled words
    • Incorrect names or terminology
    • Missing punctuation

Accurate captions improve accessibility and professionalism.

5. Upload a Caption File (Optional)

If you already have a caption file:

  • Click Add language
  • Select Upload file
  • Choose your file type (SRT, VTT, or SBV)
  • Upload and save

This is useful for pre-written captions or translations.

6. Add Translated Subtitles (Optional)

  • Click Add language
  • Select the desired language
  • Choose Add under Subtitles
  • Type or upload translated captions

7. Publish Your Captions

  • Click Publish when editing is complete
  • Captions will now appear as an option on your video
  • Viewers can turn captions on or off using the CC button

Helpful Tips

  • Always review automatic captions before publishing
  • Speak clearly in your video to improve auto-caption accuracy
  • Captions should reflect spoken words, not paraphrases
  • Include important non-speech audio when relevant (e.g., [music], [laughter])
  • Captions improve searchability and viewer engagement

You’re Ready to Caption Your Videos

Adding captions to YouTube videos is one of the easiest ways to improve accessibility and reach. Start with YouTube’s automatic captions, make quick edits, and publish with confidence.

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