# How do I add captions in Vidiyo?

Canonical URL: https://getvidiyo.app/docs/captions
Last updated: 2026-10-08

> TL;DR: Open the Captions tab and click Generate captions. Vidiyo transcribes on your Mac, anchors each word to the audio, and keeps captions in sync after you cut. Pick a preset in Presets, fix words in Transcript, and style everything in the inspector. Captions burn into the exported MP4, and SRT import and export are in the menu.

Vidiyo's captions are word-level: every word has its own timing from the audio, so highlight and pop styles land on the word as it's spoken.

## How do I generate captions?

Open the **Captions** tab and click **Generate captions**. The tab has two parts: **Transcript** (the words) and **Presets** (the look). If the project already has captions, the button reads **Regenerate captions**.

The first time, Vidiyo downloads its local English speech model (about 490 MB). For other languages, pick the language in Settings → Transcription first; see [Download the language pack](https://getvidiyo.app/docs/language-pack).

## How do I fix a wrong word?

Edit it in the transcript list. Click a caption to jump to it and change the text. Word timing that Vidiyo is unsure of is flagged so you can correct it by hand. You can also ask: "Fix the spelling of my product name in the captions." Your corrections stay attached to the word, even after more cuts.

## Which caption styles are there?

The Presets tab has twelve starting points. Each one is fully editable afterwards.

| Preset | Look |
|---|---|
| Subtitle, Minimal | Plain, readable lines |
| Word highlight, Pill karaoke, Wipe, Marker | The spoken word lights up |
| Word pop, Rise, Slam, Bold stack | Bigger, animated short-form looks |
| Editorial | Serif type (Lora) |
| Typewriter | Monospaced, left-aligned |

Common controls (font, size, colors, position) are always visible in the inspector. Typography, transforms, outlines and fades sit in expandable settings. You can style all captions or only the selected one.

## How do I keep captions off faces and app buttons?

Ask the assistant to place them, or move them by hand. Vidiyo measures where faces are in each shot and checks caption boxes against them. In 9:16 video it also checks the areas the Reels, TikTok and Shorts interface covers. Try: "Keep the captions clear of my face and the Reels buttons." The [safe-zone checker](https://getvidiyo.app/tools/safe-zone-checker) shows those areas on any frame.

## Can I use brand colors and fonts for captions?

Yes. Set your colors and fonts in the **Brand** tab and turn on **Follow brand** for captions; changing the brand later restyles every linked caption in one undo step. Brand looks are per project.

## How do captions export?

Captions are burned into the exported MP4, so they show on every platform. For a separate subtitle file, use the Captions tab's **⋯** menu → **Export SRT…**. **Import SRT…** brings in captions from another tool, and they stay editable.

## What about Hinglish?

Hindi transcribes in Devanagari script. For Hinglish speech, try **Detect automatically** in Settings → Transcription, then fix the words that come out in the wrong script by hand.

## Steps

1. Open the Captions tab on the left rail.
2. On the Transcript tab, click Generate captions. The first run downloads the speech model once.
3. Fix any misheard word by editing it in the transcript list.
4. Open the Presets tab and pick a style.
5. Adjust font, size, colors, position and timing in the inspector, or ask the assistant.

## Frequently asked questions

### Are Vidiyo's captions transcribed in the cloud?

No. Transcription runs on your Mac with a local Whisper model, and your audio never leaves it. English uses a 490 MB model; other languages use the language pack.

### Do captions stay in sync after I cut the video?

Yes. Each caption word is anchored to its spoken word, so trims, splits and deleted pauses keep the words on time. Corrections you make survive re-cuts too.

### Can I export captions as a separate file?

Yes. The Captions tab's menu has Export SRT and Import SRT. The exported MP4 always has the captions burned in.

### Which languages can I caption?

English works out of the box. 29 other languages, including Hindi, Spanish, Tamil and Japanese, plus automatic detection, work after you download the language pack.

## Related

- [Auto captions that are transcribed on your Mac](https://getvidiyo.app/features/auto-captions)
- [How do I download the language pack?](https://getvidiyo.app/docs/language-pack)
- [Word-level captions](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/word-level-captions)
- [Burned-in captions](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/burned-in-captions)
- [SRT file](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/srt-file)
- [Free safe zone checker for Reels, TikTok and Shorts](https://getvidiyo.app/tools/safe-zone-checker)

Request access to the Vidiyo beta: https://getvidiyo.app/request