Article last updated on:
November 01, 2024
Initially published on:
July 23, 2024

Yes, you can add captions/subtitles to any YouTube Shorts video.

This simple guide shows you how to do it for free, using AI to automate the whole process. You won’t have to pay anything, including your time!

These methods work for mobile and desktop.

CTA: Add Captions to YouTube Video button

5 Reasons to Add Captions to YouTube Shorts

Adding captions to YouTube Shorts is a simple way to improve engagement, accessibility, and reach.

But let’s see why’s that!

1. Increases Accessibility

Captions make your content accessible to viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, expanding your audience and ensuring inclusivity.

2. Sound-Off? No Problem

Many people watch videos without sound, especially on mobile. Captions let these viewers engage with your content without needing audio.

3. Better Engagement

Captions emphasize key points and help viewers follow along, increasing the chances they’ll stay engaged throughout the video.

4. Improves Clarity for All Viewers

Captions help clarify speech in noisy environments or for those with accents, ensuring everyone can understand your message clearly.

5. Improve SEO

Captioned videos are more likely to show up in searches, as they provide additional context that can align with popular search terms, helping more viewers find your Shorts.


How to Add Captions to YouTube Shorts

Answer: You can add captions to Shorts either when uploading videos, or in YouTube Studio. In the “Subtitles” editing section, click the “Pen icon” and add captions.

Screenshot of a YouTube Shorts video's automatic captions.
Automatic Captions by YouTube

Step by step process to add captions:

  1. Go to YouTube Studio
  2. Click “Content” → Select a Short to edit
  3. Select “Subtitles
  4. Click the Pen icon under “Subtitles
  5. Type captions, then publish changes.

By default, every Short video has Automatic Captions, like in the image above.

Pro Tip: You can type in your captions and click “Edit timings” to make them match your video.


How to Add Subtitles to YouTube Shorts (Online)

Typing your own captions may be exhausting, even if it’s just for a 30-sec video. That’s why we’ve got a better alternative with SendShort.

How SendShort works. Turning a long video into a Short with subtitles
Turn long videos into shorts, or just add captions

SendShort adds auto-captions to YouTube Shorts in 4 steps:

  1. Upload your Short
  2. Select a design/style for the captions
  3. Download the video
  4. Upload it to YouTube Shorts

🌎 Best part? It works smoothly in any language.

This tool has so many designs and styles for your captions — automatically making them look like your favourite content creator’s.

It’s free, and it takes less than 5 minutes → way quicker than YouTube’s way.


97.8% Accurate Captions for YouTube Shorts

With SendShort, you get 97.8% accurate captions for YouTube Shorts, ensuring clarity and engagement for viewers.

sendshort.ai website homepage
SendShort.ai

Here’s why SendShort is ideal for accurate captioning:

  • High-Accuracy AI: SendShort’s AI is designed to capture speech precisely, reducing the need for manual edits.
  • Customizable Text Options: Adjust the font, color, and placement of captions to fit the style of your Shorts and make them easy to read.
  • Platform Optimization: Captions are formatted specifically for YouTube Shorts, ensuring they look sharp and are accessible across devices.

SendShort’s 97.8% accurate captions make it easy to deliver polished, professional content that connects with viewers effectively.

CTA: Add Captions to YouTube Video button

FAQs

1. Can you put captions on YouTube Shorts?

Answer: Yes, you can put captions on YouTube Shorts. Open a Short in YouTube Studio, and in the “Subtitles” section on the left, you can add captions.

2. What captions to use on YouTube Shorts?

If we’re talking about the title of a YouTube Short, you could use captions that engage the viewers.

Great examples: “Watch till the end!” or “Did you know that..”

The Bottom Line

This guide studied what it takes to add captions to any YouTube Shorts video.

We really hope you found all this info helpful.


Thanks a lot for reading this,
David Ch
Head of the Editing Team at SendShort

About the author

David leads the editing team at SendShort. With this help, the team delivers the latest guides on using your favorite social media apps and creating short-form content.