How to Add Captions to YouTube Videos for FREE

Captions can significantly boost your YouTube video’s accessibility, engagement, and even SEO. Whether you're a content creator, educator, or business owner, adding captions helps reach a wider audience, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, and non-native speakers. The best part? You can add captions to your YouTube videos for free—no expensive tools needed!

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you add captions without spending a dime.

Why Add Captions to Your YouTube Videos?

Before we jump into the “how,” let’s understand the “why”:

Accessibility: Captions help viewers who are hearing impaired.
SEO Boost: Search engines can index captions, helping your video rank higher.
Better Engagement: Viewers stay longer and understand better.
Global Audience: Non-native speakers can follow along more easily.

Step-by-Step: How to Add Captions for Free

1. Use YouTube’s Auto-Captions (and Edit Them)

YouTube automatically generates captions for many videos. Here’s how you can access and edit them:

Go to YouTube Studio.
Select Subtitles from the left menu.
Click on the video you want to caption.
You'll see Automatic Captions generated by YouTube.
Click Duplicate and Edit to make corrections.
Save and publish your corrected captions.

✅ Free and Easy

❌ May contain errors if audio is unclear

2. Upload Your Own Captions File

If you prefer more control:

Use free tools like Amara, Kapwing, or Notepad to create captions in .srt or .txt format.
Format your file correctly with timestamps.
In YouTube Studio, go to Subtitles, select your video, click Add, then choose Upload file.

✅ Full control over accuracy

❌ Takes more time initially

3. Type Captions Manually in YouTube Studio

Go to Subtitles.
Choose the video and click Add Language.
Select your language, then click Add under “Subtitles.”
Choose Type manually.
Play the video and type in your captions while adjusting timestamps.

✅ No external tools required

❌ Manual work needed

4. Use Free Online Tools to Generate Captions

If your video has clear audio, use these tools to auto-generate captions:

Kapwing
Veed.io
Descript (free plan)

You can export the caption file and upload it to YouTube.

✅ Quick and mostly accurate

❌ Some tools may watermark or have time limits on the free plan

Bonus Tips

Keep captions concise and synced to the video.
Avoid auto-generated only—always review and correct.
Use proper punctuation and grammar for professionalism.
Add translations for more global reach.

Final Thoughts

Adding captions to YouTube videos doesn't have to be costly. With free tools and YouTube’s built-in features, you can enhance your content’s accessibility, reach, and performance—without spending a single penny.

How to Add Captions to YouTube Videos for FREE