# Burned-in vs closed captions: which should you use?

Canonical URL: https://getvidiyo.app/blog/burned-in-vs-closed-captions
Last updated: 2026-10-08
Author: Ajay Pawriya (https://getvidiyo.app/about)
Published: 2026-10-08
Category: Captions

> TL;DR: Burned-in (open) captions are drawn into the video, so they always show and look exactly as you designed them. Closed captions are a separate file, like an SRT, that viewers can turn on, off or resize. Burn them in for Reels and Shorts; upload a file for long YouTube videos and multiple languages.

The difference is where the captions live. Burned-in captions are pixels in the video, so they travel everywhere the file goes and look exactly as designed. Closed captions are a separate text track that the player draws on top, so viewers can switch them off, resize them or pick a language. Neither is better in general. Each fits different videos and platforms.

## What is the difference between burned-in and closed captions?

Burned-in captions are rendered into the video frames; closed captions are delivered as a separate file or track and drawn by the player. The W3C's [WCAG guidance](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/captions-prerecorded.html) puts it simply: closed captions can be turned on and off by the viewer, while open captions are always visible and can't be turned off.

Other names you'll see:

- **Open, burned-in, hard-coded or hard subtitles:** all mean drawn into the picture.
- **Closed captions, CC, soft subtitles, sidecar files:** all mean a separate track, often an [SRT file](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/srt-file) or WebVTT.

Strictly, "captions" include non-speech sounds and speaker names for viewers who can't hear, and "subtitles" assume you can hear but need the words. In social video the terms blur, and most people say captions for both.

## How do burned-in and closed captions compare?

Burned-in captions win on design control and reach; closed captions win on viewer control and flexibility. This table covers the trade-offs that usually decide it.

| | Burned-in (open) | Closed |
|---|---|---|
| Viewer can turn them off | No | Yes |
| Viewer can resize or restyle | No | Often, depending on the player |
| Your design (font, colour, animation) | Exactly as you made it | Player decides, styling is limited |
| Word-by-word animation | Yes | No, in practice |
| Works when the file is reposted or downloaded | Yes | Only if the file goes with it |
| Multiple languages | One per export | Many tracks on one video |
| Fix a typo after posting | Re-export and re-upload | Edit or replace the file |
| Risk of covering things | You control placement | Player may cover on-screen text |

## When should I burn captions in?

Burn captions in when you're posting short-form video to feeds, when the captions are part of the design, or when you can't count on viewers turning captions on. Most Reels, Shorts and vertical videos fall into this group.

- **Styled captions.** Word highlight, pop and karaoke styles only exist as burned-in captions. A sidecar file can't animate the active word.
- **Feeds that autoplay muted.** If the viewer never taps CC, a closed track never shows.
- **Clips that get reposted.** Downloads, reshares and screen recordings of your video keep burned-in captions. A sidecar file is left behind.
- **Platforms with no caption upload.** If you can't attach a file, burning in is the only way to control the text.

When you burn captions in, placement is your job. The [DCMP Captioning Key](https://dcmp.org/learn/captioningkey/597) puts captions at the bottom of the frame but moves them up when they would cover a speaker's face or important on-screen text. In vertical video, also keep them clear of the app's buttons and caption area; the [safe-zone checker](https://getvidiyo.app/tools/safe-zone-checker) shows where those are.

## When should I use closed captions?

Use closed captions for long-form video, multiple languages, and audiences who rely on captions and need to adjust them. YouTube tutorials, webinars, course videos and LinkedIn videos posted from desktop are the usual fits.

- **Long videos.** Over a long tutorial or webinar, plain captions are calmer to read than animated ones.
- **More than one language.** One video, several tracks. YouTube supports [SRT, WebVTT and other formats](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2734698).
- **Viewer control.** In players that support it, people who depend on captions can set the size and contrast themselves.
- **Late corrections.** Fixing a typo in a sidecar file doesn't mean re-uploading the video.

Platform support for caption files varies. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/93997) accepts an SRT when you post from the desktop site. [X](https://help.x.com/en/using-x/upload-caption-srt-file) lets you upload an SRT with a video post. Check each platform before you rely on a file alone.

## Can I use both?

Yes, and for many videos it's the best answer: a burned-in version for social feeds and a clean version plus an SRT for YouTube. What you shouldn't do is upload a burned-in video with a closed caption track turned on, because viewers then see two copies of every line. Use this split:

| Where it's going | Deliver |
|---|---|
| Reels, Shorts, vertical video in feeds | Burned-in, styled captions |
| X and LinkedIn feed posts | Burned-in, or a clean video plus SRT |
| YouTube long-form | Clean video plus SRT (one track per language) |
| Course platforms, webinars | Clean video plus caption file |

## How do I make burned-in and closed captions in Vidiyo?

Vidiyo burns captions into every export and exports the same captions as an SRT on request. Both come from one set of word-timed captions, so they always match the cut.

1. **Generate captions** in the Captions tab. Transcription runs on your Mac.
2. **Fix and style them.** Correct words in **Transcript**, pick a look in **Presets**. Ask the assistant to keep them off faces and the platform buttons if you like.
3. **For burned-in:** click **Export**. The MP4 has the captions drawn in, exactly as they look in the preview.
4. **For a caption file:** open the Captions tab's **⋯** menu and choose **Export SRT…**.
5. **For a clean video plus SRT:** export the SRT first, delete the captions, export the MP4, then undo to bring the captions back for your next social cut.

You can also go the other way: **Import SRT…** brings in captions from somewhere else, and they become editable captions on the timeline.

## How do I do it without Vidiyo?

Use the platform's caption upload for closed captions, and FFmpeg or a traditional editor's title tools for burned-in ones. For closed captions, upload your SRT in YouTube Studio, the LinkedIn desktop composer or the X composer. To burn an SRT into a video for free, FFmpeg's [subtitles filter](https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-filters.html#subtitles-1) does it in one command (`ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf subtitles=captions.srt output.mp4`), as long as your FFmpeg is built with libass. You get plain subtitles, not word-by-word styles.

## What do captions need for accessibility?

Accessible captions include the dialogue and any important non-speech audio, and identify speakers when it isn't obvious who's talking. WCAG lists sound effects, music, laughter and speaker identification among what captions should convey. Auto-transcription only catches speech, so if a sound matters to the story, such as a notification chime in a product demo, add a tag like [chime] yourself. In Vidiyo, add it to the exported SRT in a text editor before you upload it, or, for burned-in captions, add a short text layer at that moment.

## Honest limits

- Vidiyo's exported MP4 always includes the captions on the timeline; for a clean video, remove the captions before exporting.
- Vidiyo captions speech only. Sound tags like [music] are added by hand.
- Vidiyo exports 1080p at 30 fps, and timelines max out at 5 minutes.

## Frequently asked questions

### Are burned-in captions the same as open captions?

Yes. Open captions, burned-in captions and hard-coded captions all mean captions drawn into the video picture, so they can't be turned off.

### Do burned-in captions count for accessibility?

WCAG treats open captions as a valid way to meet the captions requirement, as long as they cover the dialogue and the important non-speech audio. Closed captions add viewer control, such as resizing.

### Can I use both burned-in and closed captions?

You can, but a viewer who turns on the closed captions will see two sets of text. If you burn captions in, either skip the file or make sure the platform's captions are off by default.

### Which platforms accept closed caption files?

YouTube accepts SRT, WebVTT and several broadcast formats. LinkedIn accepts SRT when you post from the desktop site, and X lets you upload an SRT with a video post.

### Does Vidiyo export closed captions?

Vidiyo burns captions into the exported MP4 and can also export them as an SRT file from the Captions tab's menu.

## Related

- [Burned-in captions](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/burned-in-captions)
- [Open vs closed captions](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/open-vs-closed-captions)
- [SRT file](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/srt-file)
- [How to add captions to a video on Mac for free](https://getvidiyo.app/blog/add-captions-to-video-mac-free)
- [The best caption styles for Reels and Shorts](https://getvidiyo.app/blog/caption-styles-for-reels-and-shorts)
- [Auto captions that are transcribed on your Mac](https://getvidiyo.app/features/auto-captions)

## Sources

- [W3C: Understanding Success Criterion 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded)](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/captions-prerecorded.html) (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [YouTube Help: Supported subtitle and closed caption files](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2734698) (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [LinkedIn Help: Add closed captions to videos](https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/93997) (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [X Help: How to upload caption (.srt) file to posts](https://help.x.com/en/using-x/upload-caption-srt-file) (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [FFmpeg filters documentation: subtitles](https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-filters.html#subtitles-1) (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [DCMP Captioning Key: Captioning text](https://dcmp.org/learn/captioningkey/597) (accessed 2026-10-08)

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