- Free to use
- No signup
- No watermark
Free animated captions for Reels & Shorts
Turn what you say into eye-catching captions in a few minutes, on your phone or computer. Your video stays on your device.
Works with MP4, MOV, WebM and MKV videos.
Made for Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and TikTok
From plain video to animated captions
Lots of people scroll with the sound off. Video captions let your words come through anyway, and words that light up as you speak catch the eye before someone swipes past.
Add captions to a videoWhy CaptionOnReel?
Free to use
No subscription, no trial and no credit card. Caption as many videos as you like.
Private
Your video stays on your device. It is never uploaded, so nobody else sees it.
Animated captions
22 caption styles, from karaoke to big bold words. Each word lights up as it is spoken.
Works on mobile
Use it on your phone or your computer, right in the browser. Nothing to install.
No watermark
Your video comes out clean, with only your captions on it.
How it works
Five steps, all in one editor. Most short videos take a few minutes.
- 1
Add video
Pick a Reel, Short or TikTok from your phone or computer. It stays on your device.
- 2
Transcribe
The speech in your video becomes text, word by word, with the timing of each word.
- 3
Edit
Tap any word to fix it, change its timing or make it stand out.
- 4
Style
Choose one of 22 animated caption styles, then change the font, colours, size and position.
- 5
Export
Download an MP4 with the captions on it, up to 1080p, ready to post.
Your video never leaves your device
Most caption tools upload your video to their servers to process it. CaptionOnReel does the work inside your browser instead. Here is what happens when you use it.
- 01
The editor runs in your browser
Opening CaptionOnReel loads the editor like any web page. When you pick a video, it is read from your phone or computer, not sent to a server.
- 02
The speech model comes to you
The first time you transcribe, your browser downloads a speech-to-text model and keeps it. The sound of your video is turned into text on your device.
- 03
Your captioned video is made on your device
The captions are drawn onto each frame and the MP4 is put together in your browser, then saved straight to your downloads.
- 04
Nothing to sign up for
No account and no email address. We never receive your video, its sound or its captions.
Captions for Reels, Shorts and TikTok
Vertical videos are watched fast, and often on mute. Add animated captions once, then post the same video anywhere.
Captions for Instagram Reels
Bold, moving captions that are easy to read on a phone screen, even when people watch your Reels with the sound off.
Captions for YouTube Shorts
The captions are part of the video itself, so they show up the same way on every phone, tablet and computer.
Captions for TikTok
Pick a style that fits your content, from clean subtitles to one big word at a time, and keep your look the same across posts.
Works with MP4, MOV (including iPhone videos), WebM and MKV. Have a question? See the FAQ.
Frequently asked questions
Is CaptionOnReel really free?
Yes. It is free to use, with no signup and no watermark on your video.
Does my video get uploaded anywhere?
No. Your video stays on your phone or computer. The words are found and the captions are added right in your browser, so nothing is sent to us.
Which videos can I use?
MP4, MOV (including iPhone videos), WebM and MKV files. Pick a video where someone speaks, and keep it short for the best results.
Which languages work?
English, Spanish, German, French, Italian and Portuguese. You can pick the language or let the tool find it for you.
How long can my video be?
Short videos work best. On a modern computer, up to about 10 minutes is fine. On older computers and phones, stay under 3 to 5 minutes. You will see a warning if your video is on the long side.
What do I get at the end?
An MP4 video with the captions already on it, ready to post on Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts or TikTok. On fast devices it keeps up to 60 frames per second.
Why does it download something the first time?
To find the words in your video, a speech model is downloaded once (about 80 to 600 MB, depending on the quality you choose). After that it is saved in your browser, so the next video starts right away.
Can I fix mistakes in the captions?
Yes. Tap any word to change it, fix its timing, add emphasis, or remove it. You can also choose how many words show on each line.
Which browsers does it work in?
The latest Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox on phones and computers. Chrome and Edge are usually the fastest.