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Shorts guide

How to add captions to YouTube Shorts

Add animated, word-by-word captions to your Shorts in the browser, then upload a ready-to-go 9:16 MP4.

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Quick answer

To add captions to a YouTube Short, upload your vertical clip to AnimateCaptions, let it auto-transcribe the audio, pick an animated caption style, position the lines so they clear the Shorts interface, and export a 9:16 MP4 with the captions burned in. Then upload that video as a Short — the captions stay always-on for every viewer.

Step by step

How to caption a Short in 5 steps.

Raw clip to ready-to-post 9:16 MP4, all in the browser.

  1. 01

    Upload your Short

    Drag your .mp4 or .mov into the browser. Vertical 9:16 video is supported natively, up to 2 minutes and 500 MB on the free tier.

  2. 02

    Let it transcribe

    Deepgram Nova-3 transcribes the audio automatically and turns your speech into timed captions — no manual typing.

  3. 03

    Pick a caption style

    Choose from 32+ animated presets — bold word-by-word highlights and clean styles that read well on a phone screen.

  4. 04

    Edit and position

    Click to fix any transcript word, then drag each line so captions stay clear of the Shorts title and action buttons.

  5. 05

    Export and upload to Shorts

    Export a burned-in 9:16 MP4 and upload it as a Short. The captions are baked into the video, so every viewer sees them.

Editor walkthrough

Edit every word before you export.

Live caption preview, click-to-correct transcript, per-line drag positioning, and 32+ animated styles to pick from.

Common questions

YouTube Shorts captions — FAQ.

Does YouTube add captions to Shorts automatically?

YouTube auto-generates subtitles you can toggle, but they are plain text, not animated, and viewers can turn them off. Burning animated captions in with a tool like AnimateCaptions keeps them always visible and on-brand.

Can I add captions to a YouTube Short for free?

Yes. AnimateCaptions auto-transcribes and exports captioned videos on a free tier with no credit card. Free exports carry a small watermark; paid plans from $7.99/month remove it.

What size should a YouTube Short be?

9:16 vertical is the native Shorts format. AnimateCaptions keeps your video in 9:16 and fits the captions to frame, so nothing is cropped.

What's the difference between burned-in captions and YouTube's subtitles?

YouTube's subtitles are a separate text track viewers can disable. Burned-in captions are rendered into the video frames, so they are always on and keep your chosen animated style on every device.

Are the captions burned into the video?

Yes. You download a standard MP4 with the captions rendered into the frames — no separate subtitle file to manage.

How long can a Short be?

YouTube Shorts can run up to 3 minutes, and AnimateCaptions captions clips up to 2 minutes per upload on the free tier (.mp4 or .mov, up to 500 MB).

Caption your next Short, free.

Upload a clip, pick a style, download a 9:16 MP4 ready to post. No editing app, no credit card.

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