The majority of us use our phones in locations where watching videos is difficult. We may be in public, at work, or simply scrolling without making noise so as not to disturb others. A viewer might not understand your message in the first few seconds of your video if there is no visible text, so they might shift and simply keep moving. Adding captions, on the other hand, draws everyone's attention and increases the likelihood that they will stop scrolling and read what has been said. One of the easiest and most dependable ways to increase your reach and cultivate a following of devoted viewers is to include captions.

Not every caption works the same way. Some are a permanent feature of your video, while others let viewers turn the text on or off. The way your content is seen, shared, and found across various platforms is greatly impacted by this minor technical distinction. Being aware of your options will help you make the best decision, possibly save you time later, and prevent the frustration that many creators experience.

Why Captions Are Important

Captions Aren’t Just for Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing People

Anyone can use captions, not just the people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Captions help people understand your video if they are watching it in a loud place, or are learning a new language, or just prefer to read along, captions help in understanding your video.

Captions Help More People Find Your Videos

Captions also make your videos more accessible to a wider demographic. Captions help more people find your videos since the captions are transcriptions, Google crawlers can read the words. This allows your video to show up more in the searching results and allows more people to find and view your content.

Captions Keep Viewers Engaged

People can better understand your video when it has captions. They are more likely to leave a comment, share it with others, or continue watching. All of this allows your channel to grow and your watch time to go up.

The Two Types of Captions: Closed vs. Open

Closed Captions: 

Closed captions are text descriptions of what is being said (and sometimes sounds) in your video. Closed captions are provided as a separate file (.srt or .vtt) which play alongside your video. Viewers can turn on and off the closed captions and even change the caption language or font on some platforms (like YouTube or Netflix) according to their own wish.

Open Captions: 

Open captions are words and sounds presented as text that are built into the video imagery (like a title or graphic). They are always on as part of the video. Viewers can’t turn them off and the viewer can not change anything about the way captions look.  

This minor technical difference has a big impact on how your viewers view your video. Closed captions give viewers choice  which is nice for long form videos or when you want to provide different languages. 

Open captions make sure viewers see your words immediately which is perfect for short videos on fast moving social channels.

Which Caption Type Should You Choose?

Closed Captions: 

Giving Viewers Control

Closed captions are caption files that come with your video. Viewers can turn them on or off anytime they want. Depending on the platform, they might also select the size of the text, or choose a different language. This makes closed captions very useful and adaptable.

Closed captions are a great option when you have a long video, such as tutorials, webinars, training sessions, or educational content. They help meet legal accessibility rules in many countries, making sure everyone can access your content regardless of hearing ability or language.

But there are a few things to remember:

• Some viewers may never turn on closed captions. That means if they are watching silently, they can miss your message entirely.

• Depending on how you upload your video, some apps, especially mobile apps may not support closed caption files well. So it is  possible that closed captions won't appear properly everywhere.

Open Captions: 

Always Visible, No Extra Steps

Open captions are part of the video itself. When the video is edited, the captions are "burned in". That means the captions will always appear on screen, and viewers don’t have to press any buttons or change any settings.

For short videos, such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, or brief advertisements that play without sound, open captions work extremely well. They ensure that your message reaches everyone instantly because they are always visible, even if viewers are watching on mute or scrolling quickly.

But with open captions, design becomes very important since your audience no longer has the option to change the text size, color, or font type. You want to select a font that is easy to read, and a color that provides strong enough contrast with the background to make it visible.  Also, be careful where you place captions on the screen to avoid putting text at the bottom where mobile apps might cover it with buttons.

It's important to keep in mind that open captions cannot be turned off. Since the text is permanently embedded within the image,  if you want it to be accessible in multiple languages, you will need to make multiple versions of the entire video.

A Quick Tip for Creators

If you’re not sure, think about your audience and where they will be watching your videos. Many creators combine both:

• Using open captions for key words or phrases on screen will catch attention instantly on social media.

• Using closed captions as a full transcript so that it is accessible and can be changed to a different language. 

This way you get the best of both worlds full visibility for those who scroll quickly, and viewer control when viewing in detail.

FAQs

Q1. Do I really need captions if my video already has clear audio?

Yes. Many viewers watch with the sound off at work, on public transport, or just out of habit. Captions make sure your message lands even when the volume is muted.

Q2. Are closed captions better for SEO than open captions?

Both can be effective. Search engines read the text in closed-caption files, but you can also upload an .srt alongside a video that already has open captions burned in. If you do both it is more certain to increase searchability.

Q3. Which one should I use for TikTok or Instagram Reels - open or closed captions?

Open captions work better for short, silent-autoplay clips because viewers see the text immediately. You can still add a closed-caption file on YouTube if you are uploading  the same video from your IG or TikTok.

Q4. Can I change the color or font of closed captions?

It depends on the platform. YouTube allows viewers to choose size and style; TikTok’s native caption toggle offers limited control. If you are editing with open captions, you create the appearance where viewers cannot change it afterwards.

Q5. What file type should I use for closed captions?

.srt is the most widely used closed captioning format.Another common format is.vtt and it provides similar information - start time, end time, and caption text.

Q6. Do open captions count as “accessible” under ADA or WCAG rules?

Usually yes if the font is readable and there is good contrast.However closed captions offer extra flexibility (zoomable, switchable languages) and are preferred for official compliance in many regions.

Q7. If I burn-in open captions in English, can I still add Spanish captions later?

You cannot add them to the same file.  You would export a second version of the video with Spanish text baked in or attach a Spanish .srt file and treat the English captions as on-screen graphics.

Q8. Will captions lower my video quality?

No, if you export at a decent resolution and bitrate. For social media videos, I recommend 1080p at 8 to 12 megabits per second where the text stays crisp. Only at extremely low bit rates will the captions look fuzzy. 

Q9. Can I automate caption creation?

Yes, you can use AI tools to transcribe speech, timestamp the captioning and even burn-in captions for you. However, it is always a good idea to proof-read as AI systems can mishear names or slang.

Q10. What’s the easiest way to cover both styles in one workflow?

Create a master video, generate a closed-caption file (.srt), then export a second copy with those captions burned in as open text. Post the open-caption version on fast-scroll platforms and the closed-caption version where viewers might toggle languages.