How to add captions to videos on Screen Studio

beginner 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18

Quick Answer

Screen Studio allows you to add captions through automatic transcription or manual input. Simply import your video, access the captions panel, and choose between auto-generated or custom captions.

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Prerequisites

Screen Studio app installed
Video file ready for editing
Basic familiarity with Screen Studio interface
Audio content in your video for auto-transcription

Step-by-Step Instructions

Import your video into Screen Studio

Launch Screen Studio and click Import Video in the main interface. Select your video file from your computer and wait for it to load into the timeline. Ensure your video contains clear audio if you plan to use automatic transcription.

Videos with clear, single-speaker audio work best for automatic caption generation

Access the Captions panel

In the right sidebar, locate and click on the Captions tab. If you don't see it immediately, look for the CC icon or navigate to Window > Panels > Captions from the menu bar.

Choose caption generation method

In the Captions panel, you'll see two options: Auto Generate and Manual Entry. Click Auto Generate to use Screen Studio's AI transcription, or select Manual Entry to type captions yourself.

Auto Generate works best with videos that have clear speech and minimal background noise

Generate automatic captions (if selected)

If using Auto Generate, click the Start Transcription button. Screen Studio will analyze your video's audio and create captions automatically. This process may take 1-3 minutes depending on video length. A progress bar will show the transcription status.

You can continue working on other aspects of your video while transcription processes in the background

Edit and customize captions

Once captions appear in the timeline, click on any caption block to edit the text directly. Use the Caption Properties panel to adjust font size, color, background, and positioning. You can drag caption blocks to adjust timing or split them using the Split tool.

Keep captions to 2 lines maximum and ensure they appear for at least 1.5 seconds for readability

Adjust caption timing and synchronization

Click and drag the edges of caption blocks in the timeline to adjust their start and end times. Use the Sync Tool to fine-tune caption timing with the audio. Press Space to play/pause and ensure captions match the spoken words accurately.

Use keyboard shortcuts Shift+Left/Right arrows to nudge caption timing by small increments

Style your captions

In the Caption Properties panel, customize appearance by selecting font family, size (recommended 24-36pt), and color. Add a background box or outline for better readability. Choose positioning - typically Bottom Center works best for most videos.

Use high contrast colors (white text on black background) for maximum accessibility

Export your captioned video

Once satisfied with your captions, click Export in the top-right corner. In the export dialog, ensure Burn Captions is checked to embed captions directly into the video, or uncheck to export as separate subtitle files. Choose your desired resolution and format, then click Start Export.

Burning captions into the video ensures they display on all platforms, while separate files offer more flexibility

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Auto-generated captions are inaccurate

Ensure your audio is clear and free from background noise. Speak slowly and clearly. For better results, manually edit the transcribed text by clicking on each caption block and correcting errors.

Captions appear too fast or too slow

Select the caption block in the timeline and drag its edges to adjust duration. Use the Sync Tool in the Captions panel to automatically align captions with audio peaks for better timing.

Caption text is too small or hard to read

Go to Caption Properties and increase font size to 28pt or higher. Add a semi-transparent black background box and ensure sufficient contrast between text and background colors.

Captions don't appear in exported video

Make sure Burn Captions is enabled in the export settings. If you want separate subtitle files, export as .srt format and ensure the caption track is selected before exporting.

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