YouTube Shorts captions: add subtitles to Shorts
Two ways to add Shorts captions from one upload: styled captions burned into the video, or an SRT file that YouTube shows as switchable subtitles.
- Styled captions or SRT
- Vertical-video sizing
- Many languages
Real exports. Tap a style.
What this Shorts captions tool does
SubtitlePop generates Shorts captions from the speech in your vertical video. Burn them into the picture so they are always visible in the Shorts feed, or download the same captions as an SRT file and add it in YouTube Studio so viewers can switch subtitles on and YouTube can index the words.
Shorts run up to three minutes, which fits the free plan’s per-video limit. Every caption can be corrected before you export.
How to caption a YouTube Short
Upload the Short
MP4 or MOV, up to the length YouTube allows for Shorts.
Edit and style
Fix names and terms, choose a caption style, and keep captions above the Shorts controls.
Export
Export the MP4 with captions burned in for the Shorts feed, and the SRT to upload in YouTube Studio under Subtitles.
Burned-in Shorts captions or YouTube subtitles?
Captions in the video are always on and keep your style. Subtitles uploaded as an SRT file in YouTube Studio can be turned on and off by viewers, are indexed by YouTube, and can be added in several languages. For Shorts, many creators use styled captions in the video and upload the SRT as well.
Shorts captions and YouTube search
Text burned into a Short helps viewers; an uploaded subtitle file helps YouTube understand the video, lets viewers translate it, and can be added in several languages. Doing both takes one upload here: export the MP4 for the Short and the SRT for YouTube Studio.
Keep Shorts captions clear of the interface
- The title, channel name and subscribe button sit at the bottom left.
- Like, comment and share run down the right edge.
- Captions placed around the middle of the frame stay readable on every phone.
Why Shorts need captions
Shorts are watched in a feed, often in public and often muted. Captions let a viewer follow the first seconds without sound, which is when they decide whether to stay. They also carry the video for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, and for people watching in a second language.
Languages and file types for Shorts captions
| Supported | |
|---|---|
| Spoken languages | English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Turkish, Russian, Ukrainian, Arabic, Hindi, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and more — or “Detect language” |
| Video | MP4, MOV, M4V, WebM, MKV |
| Audio | MP3, WAV, M4A, AAC, OGG |
| Subtitle exports | SRT, WebVTT, styled ASS, plain text with or without timestamps |
| Video export | MP4 with captions burned in — 720p on the free plan, up to 1080p on Starter and 4K on Pro |
Free plan and pricing for Shorts captions
Starter is $7.99 a month for 60 minutes and exports without a watermark. A $5.99 pack adds 40 minutes that never expire.
See each caption style on real footage
Pick a look, then change the size, position and line count. The preview is drawn by the same renderer that makes your export.
YouTube Shorts captions FAQ
How do I add captions to a YouTube Short?+
Upload the vertical video to SubtitlePop, correct the captions, pick a style and export the MP4 with captions burned in. Upload that file to YouTube as your Short.
Do YouTube Shorts have automatic captions?+
YouTube generates automatic captions for many Shorts, which viewers can switch on. Uploading your own SRT file replaces the automatic track with text you have checked.
How do I upload an SRT file to a YouTube Short?+
In YouTube Studio open Content, choose the Short, go to Subtitles, add a language, and upload the SRT file with the “With timing” option.
Are YouTube Shorts captions free to make?+
A free SubtitlePop account includes 5 minutes of transcription every month. Shorts are up to three minutes long, which is within the free plan’s limit for a single video.
Where should captions go on a YouTube Short?+
Shorts captions are safest around the middle of the frame: the title and channel name sit at the bottom left, and the like, comment and share buttons run down the right edge.
Can the same captions be used for a long YouTube video?+
Captions are timed to the file they were made from, so caption the full-length video and each Short separately to keep every file in sync.
Related subtitle tools
YouTube subtitles
Create YouTube subtitles from your video file, correct every line, and upload the SRT in YouTube Studio. Replace automatic captions with text you control.
TikTok captions
Add TikTok captions automatically: word-by-word caption styles sized for 9:16, kept clear of TikTok’s buttons. Edit every word, then export the MP4. Free.
Bilingual subtitles
Make bilingual subtitles online: transcribe a video, translate the captions, and show both languages together. Export an MP4 or a two-line SRT or VTT file.
SRT generator
Free SRT generator: upload a video or audio file, get automatic subtitles with timing, fix any line, and download a clean .srt file for YouTube or your editor.