Captioning YouTube Videos

This resource is designed to be printed as a one page PDF file. An HTML version is also available below.

Uploading Caption Or Transcript Files To YouTube Videos

If a transcript or caption file already exists for a video, simply upload the file to YouTube. This method is recommended.

Caption Files vs. Transcript Files

  • Caption files contain both text and time codes.
  • Transcript files only contain text. However, if the video is in English, YouTube can automatically synchronize your transcript with the video to create a caption file.

Uploading Caption or Transcript Files

  1. Under the Video Manager tab in your YouTube account, find the video to caption, and select the Edit button.
  2. Using the top navigation bar, click the Captions tab.
  3. Select the Add New Captions or Transcript button.
    4. screenshot of youtube captioning page, with Add New Captions or Transcript highlighted.
  4. Browse for file. Under Type, choose the appropriate file option. Click the Upload file button to submit your text file.
  5. Click the green Disable Track button to disable any prior captioning files that are no longer needed.
    6. screenshot of youtube captioning page, with Disable Track button highlighted.
  6. To view your captioned video, click the View on video page button at the top right of your screen. To ensure captions are enabled, click the Closed Captioning or CC button within the YouTube video player and choose the appropriate option.
    7. screenshot of youtube captioning page, with View on Video Page button highlighted.

Automatically Creating Caption Files from YouTube Videos

YouTube has provided a way to create caption files from videos that you have uploaded. However, this service is still in beta and the quality of the captions is often poor. It is merely another tool available when creating caption files.

Notes

  • The machine transcription works best when the audio is clear and easy to understand. (E.g., background music or speaking in an accent can affect accuracy.)
  • The machine transcription option may not be available when the video is first uploaded, but should appear within a day or less.
  • In order to edit any captioning file, you must be the owner of the video.

Creating Caption Files

  1. Under the Video Manager tab, find your uploaded video, and click the Edit button.
    2. screenshot of youtube video manager page, with Edit button highlighted.
  2. Using the navigation bar at the top, select the Captions tab. Under Available Caption Tracks, find the section labeled Machine Transcriptions.
    3. screenshot of youtube captioning page, with Edit Track button highlighted.
  3. Select the blue Edit Track option.
  4. Test the captions for accuracy by playing the video and reviewing the text concurrently. If the captioning file needs editing, use the Download button to save the text to your computer.
    5. screenshot of youtube captioning page, with Download button highlighted.
  5. Open the file in a text editor, such as TextEdit for Mac or Notepad for Windows. Edit the captioning file as needed.
  6. Submit the revised captioning text by clicking the Add New Captions or Transcript button.
  7. Browse for the file name. Under Type, choose the Caption file option. Click the Upload file button to submit.
    8. screenshot of youtube captioning page, with File button highlighted.
  8. Select the green Disable Track button to disable any prior captioning files that are no longer necessary.
  9. To view your captioned video, click the View on video page button at the top right of your screen. To ensure captions are enabled, click the Closed Captioning or CC button within the YouTube video player and choose the appropriate option.
    10. screenshot of youtube player, with CC button highlighted.

Made possible by a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), US Department of Education. No official endorsement implied.