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Can AI Video Editors add subtitles, open captions, or closed captions to a video?

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The boom in video content, spanning from YouTube videos to TikTok snippets, has brought attention to the significance of making content accessible for...

The boom in video content, spanning from YouTube videos to TikTok snippets, has brought attention to the significance of making content accessible for all. The keyword here is "How to use AI to add subtitles, open captions, or closed captions to a video?". This method ensures the hard of hearing and those watching without sound can understand and enjoy your content. Let’s dive into this intriguing topic!

What are AI, open captions, and closed captions?

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI): At its core, AI uses algorithms and models, like machine learning, to mimic human intelligence. In the realm of video editing, it helps in automatic subtitle generation, transcription, and more.
  • Open Captions: These are video subtitles permanently embedded into a video, ensuring all viewers, regardless of their settings, see them.
  • Closed Captions: Unlike open captions, these can be toggled on or off, providing viewers the choice to view with or without subtitles. They often include sound effects and background noise descriptions.

Top 10 Use Cases for AI, Open Captions, and Closed Captions

  1. Accessibility for the Hard of Hearing: Ensures video content is inclusive for those with hearing impairments.
  2. Social Media Videos: Enhance video content understanding on platforms like TikTok and Facebook, especially when viewed without sound.
  3. SEO Boost for Online Video Content: Transcriptions and subtitles can be crawled by search engines, enhancing your video’s SEO.
  4. Repurposing Content: Convert podcast episodes into subtitled videos for platforms like YouTube.
  5. Multilingual Outreach: Reach a global audience by auto-translating video captions into different languages.
  6. Enhanced Learning: Educational tutorials benefit from captions, aiding comprehension.
  7. Avoiding Copyright Strikes: Repurpose content without directly lifting the audio, preventing auto-detection systems from flagging your content.
  8. User Engagement: Captions can increase viewer retention and engagement on platforms like Vimeo.
  9. Content Review: Use auto-captions to swiftly review video content without watching in real-time.
  10. Edit and Adapt Content: Content creators can extract, modify, and resize subtitles for different media platforms.

How to Auto Caption Subtitles on a Video?

Step-by-Step Tutorial:

  1. Upload your video file (formats like mov or mp4) to your chosen AI video editing software.
  2. Select the 'auto subtitle' or 'auto-captions' feature.
  3. The AI will transcribe and create subtitles, which you can then edit if needed.
  4. Download the srt or vtt subtitle file and embed it with your video.

Generate Subtitles in Your Web Browser

Many online video editors, without needing software downloads, offer subtitle generator tools. Simply upload your video content and allow the AI to auto transcribe. Post-generation, you can edit subtitles and download the srt file.

Auto Generate Subtitles from a Video File

  1. Use video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro or iMovie (for Mac users).
  2. Import your video file.
  3. Use the software's speech recognition to auto-generate subtitles.
  4. Edit and save as an srt or vtt subtitle file.

Translate Subtitles to Another Language

  1. Upload your English (or any other language) srt file to an AI video translator tool.
  2. Choose the desired language for translation.
  3. Download the translated subtitle file and embed with your video.

Adding Closed Captions to Your Video

  1. With your video editor, import the video content.
  2. Use the 'add captions' feature, ensuring to include sound effects and background noise descriptions.
  3. Save the video with embedded closed captions or export the srt file separately.

Top Video Editors to Add Subtitles, Captions, or Both

Speechify AI Video Generator

Pricing: Free to try

Create polished videos without any actors or equipment. Turn any text into high-quality videos with AI avatars and voiceovers – in less than 5 minutes. Try Speechify AI Video Generator.

Speechify Avatar Generator Features

  1. All you need is a laptop
  2. No staff. You can create a video in minutes
  3. Use 1 or many AI avatars at no additional cost
  4. Get your video in minutes
  5. Minor to no editing. Zero learning curve.

Speechify is clearly the best option to generate an avatar. While as a stand alone product, it is best in class, it also seamlessly integrates with the Speechify Studio suite of AI products for creators. Try it for yourself, for free!

Adobe Premiere Pro

Pricing: $20.99/month

Adobe Premiere Pro, a renowned video editing software compatible with Windows and Mac, is known for its professional-grade features. Catering primarily to content creators, it seamlessly integrates automatic subtitle generation, making accessibility a priority.

Top 5 Features:

  1. Robust video editing tools suitable for YouTube videos and Vimeo.
  2. Speech recognition for efficient video transcription.
  3. Supports various file formats, including mov and srt.
  4. Integrated templates and editing tools for subtitles.
  5. Open captions, closed captions, and sound effects descriptions.

Canva

Pricing: Free version available; Pro at $12.95/month

Canva isn’t just for designing; it’s an online video editor that lets you add subtitles easily to social media videos. With its user-friendly interface, adding subtitles or closed captions for platforms like TikTok and Facebook videos is a breeze.

Top 5 Features:

  1. Drag-and-drop subtitle generator.
  2. Pre-designed templates for video content.
  3. Repurpose content with resize tool for different media platforms.
  4. Supports srt, vtt, and txt file formats for subtitles.
  5. Free video resources and tutorials available.

iMovie

Pricing: Free for Mac users

iMovie, tailored for Mac users, offers a simplified video editing experience. Beginners can swiftly create subtitles and ensure video content is accessible to the hard of hearing.

Top 5 Features:

  1. Seamless integration with other Apple software.
  2. Step-by-step tutorial for beginners.
  3. Sound effects and background noise descriptions.
  4. Supports English and multiple languages subtitle addition.
  5. Intuitive drag-and-drop video editing tools.

Kapwing

Pricing: Free version available; Pro at $20/month

Kapwing, an online video editor, stands out for its automatic subtitle tool. This platform prioritizes accessibility, allowing content creators to transcribe audio files in real-time.

Top 5 Features:

  1. Auto-generated video captions using speech recognition.
  2. Supports various subtitle file formats including srt and vtt.
  3. SEO optimization features for YouTube videos.
  4. User-friendly workflow for adding open and closed captions.
  5. Export in various video file formats.

Descript

Pricing: Starting at $15/month

Descript is a futuristic video editor focusing on transcription. It’s perfect for podcasters looking to repurpose their content for social media.

Top 5 Features:

  1. Automatic subtitle and transcription in real-time.
  2. Edit subtitles directly from the transcription.
  3. Direct export to platforms like Vimeo.
  4. Audio file to video content conversion.
  5. Integrates with Adobe Premiere Pro for an enhanced workflow.

Rev

Pricing: Captioning at $1.25/minute

Rev is known for its precision in video transcription and captioning. Offering services for a vast array of video content, from tutorials to social media videos, it ensures accuracy.

Top 5 Features:

  1. Professional transcribers ensure top-notch video captions.
  2. Quick turnaround for video content.
  3. Supports multiple languages and different formats.
  4. SEO optimization for enhanced online video reach.
  5. User-friendly interface to add subtitles.

VEED

Pricing: Free version available; Pro at $24/month

VEED is an intuitive AI video editor perfect for adding subtitles to online videos. It's a go-to for content creators focusing on platforms like TikTok and YouTube.

Top 5 Features:

  1. Auto-captions tool using speech recognition.
  2. Video subtitles customization with various templates.
  3. Edit subtitles in real-time with automatic syncing.
  4. Download video file or srt file directly.
  5. Built-in tools for resizing and repurposing content.

Clipomatic

Pricing: $4.99 one-time purchase for iOS

Clipomatic is a smart video editor tailored for social media videos. Designed for mobile, it’s perfect for on-the-go content creators.

Top 5 Features:

  1. Real-time speech recognition for auto subtitle.
  2. Multiple languages support with easy switch.
  3. Add flair with dynamic video subtitles templates.
  4. Optimal for Facebook videos and Instagram stories.
  5. Edit and customize open captions with ease.

Type Studio

Pricing: Free version available; Pro at $10/month

Type Studio simplifies the process of video editing and adding subtitles. With its automatic transcription, content creators can focus on storytelling rather than tedious captioning.

Top 5 Features:

  1. Drag and drop interface for editing.
  2. Auto subtitle in different languages.
  3. Edit subtitles directly from the transcribed text.
  4. SEO tools to optimize video content for platforms.
  5. Direct sharing to social media platforms.

FAQs

  • Can AI add subtitles to a video? Yes, AI can be used to automatically transcribe and add subtitles to videos, making the workflow more efficient.
  • What is the AI tool for captioning? There are various tools, but popular ones include [Tool names from above list].
  • How to get free AI to generate subtitles in a video? Some online video editors and platforms offer limited free video transcription and auto subtitle generation. Always check the platform's pricing.
  • How do I subtitle a video? Use video editing software or online video editor platforms to either manually add or auto-generate subtitles, saving them typically as an srt or vtt file.
  • Is there a machine learning tool for subtitling? Yes, many AI tools use machine learning algorithms to enhance their speech recognition capabilities and improve subtitle generation accuracy.
Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.