Quick guide
Add readable captions to YouTube Shorts
Shorts put the video title and the channel row along the bottom of the frame, the like, dislike, comment, share and remix buttons up the right-hand side, and a thin progress bar right at the foot of the screen. Captions placed low collide with all three at once.
A Short is not only watched on a phone. The same file gets shown in a desktop browser and on a television, each with its own furniture around it. Captions kept near the middle survive that move; captions tucked into a corner often do not.
Shorts loop. A line that is hard to read does not simply get skipped -- it comes back round every few seconds, which makes size and contrast worth more here than anywhere else.
- Stay above the title and channel row.
- Clear the right-hand button column and the progress bar.
- Middle-height text survives being watched on a desktop or a TV.
Common questions
Does this work for vertical Shorts?
Yes. The tool works with tall short-form video files, including videos made for YouTube Shorts.
How do I keep captions in a safe area?
Use the Caption Position slider to keep the words away from the title and action buttons.
Can I fix a name or special word?
Yes. You can fix the caption text after the preview is ready.