Video Captions and Transcripts: A Practical Guide

Video is one of the best ways to explain what you do, but without captions or a transcript, it excludes people who are deaf or hard of hearing. It also frustrates anyone watching in a noisy place, on a silent commute, or in a second language. Captions and transcripts also help search engines understand your video.

Captions vs transcripts vs audio description

Captions are synchronized text of the speech and important sounds, shown with the video. Closed captions can be turned on and off. Open captions are burned into the picture.

Transcripts are a separate text version of the content, readable on the page or downloadable. A good one includes who is speaking and describes relevant sounds and visuals.

Audio description is a narrated explanation of important visual information that isn't clear from the sound. It's needed when visuals carry meaning that the dialogue doesn't explain.

What WCAG expects

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines require, at Level A, captions for prerecorded video with audio, and a text alternative for prerecorded audio-only or video-only content. At Level AA, they also require captions for live video and audio description for prerecorded video. Details depend on the situation, so check the specific success criteria. See website accessibility basics.

How to create captions

1. Start with a script or transcript. Write or generate one.
2. Use automatic captioning as a first draft only. Automatic captions often mis-hear names, terms, and accents. Always review and correct them.
3. Sync them properly. Each caption should appear with the speech and stay on screen long enough to read.
4. Add important non-speech sounds, such as [applause] or [phone ringing], when they matter.
5. Identify speakers when it isn't obvious.
6. Keep lines short and readable, with sensible line breaks.
7. Upload as a caption file where your video player supports it, so viewers can toggle them.

How to make a good transcript

• Publish it on the same page, below the video or in an expandable section
• Include speaker names, and describe meaningful visuals such as on-screen text and actions
• Use headings and paragraphs to make it readable
• Keep the transcript in sync if you edit the video

A transcript also gives search engines text to index and offers readers a fast way to scan. See on-page SEO checklist.

Video player accessibility

Choose a player that:

• Can be operated with a keyboard
• Has labeled controls
• Shows captions clearly and lets people turn them on
• Doesn't autoplay with sound. See using video on your website

Don't forget audio and flashing

Provide a text alternative for podcasts and audio clips. Avoid content that flashes more than three times in a second, which can trigger seizures.

Reuse the text

Your transcript can become a blog post, an FAQ, or a social summary. See how to repurpose content.

Performance

Embedded players can be heavy. Load them smartly. See how to optimize video and embeds.

The bottom line

Caption every video that has speech, add a transcript, and review automatic output. It's an investment that helps many viewers and your search visibility.