How-to
Add subtitles to an Instagram video
Instagram starts every video muted, so whatever gets said in the first few seconds only lands if it is also written on screen. Text burned into the picture is the version that survives the feed, a Reel, and a re-share.
How to do it
Upload the cut you plan to post
MP4, MOV, AVI, or MKV up to 500 MB. If the video is on your phone, send it to yourself and upload the file from there.
Pick the language
Choose the spoken language for same-language captions, or one of the 30 target languages to reach people who do not speak it.
Download and post
You get the video with the subtitles burned into the picture, plus SRT and TXT files in both languages for the caption box and your own records.
Why the text has to be in the picture
A Reel and a feed post have no field for uploading a subtitle file. What Instagram offers instead is its own automatic captions, which a viewer can switch off and which you cannot restyle or correct before anyone sees them. Burning the text in removes the question: it is part of the video, so it looks the same in the feed, full screen, in a Story re-share, and in any copy of the file that gets re-encoded along the way. See burned-in vs soft subtitles.
Where the subtitles land
Subtitles are burned bottom centre in a bold white face with a black outline, which is the combination that stays readable over a moving picture rather than only over a dark one. That matters for a vertical video, because the bottom of the frame is also where the handle, the caption, and the audio strip sit, and the right edge carries the action buttons.
What to check before posting
- Watch it on a phone, not a laptop. A line that looks comfortably clear of the interface on a big screen can sit right under it on a handset.
- Watch it muted, the way most people will. If the point of the clip does not survive that, the subtitles are doing the work and they need to be right.
- Leave the lower centre of the frame free of your own graphics and stickers so the two do not fight for the same space.
- Check the names. Handles, brands, and product names are exactly what speech recognition gets wrong, and they are the words your audience will notice.
Reaching people who do not speak your language
The same job that captions a clip can translate it. Pick a different target language and you get the video with translated subtitles burned in, plus subtitle files in both languages, which means one recording can be posted several times for several audiences. See all 30 languages for how each one behaves once it is on screen.
Subtitle your next Reel with 50 free credits.
Continue with Google50 free credits. No credit card needed.Frequently asked questions
Can I upload a subtitle file to Instagram instead?
There is no field for one on a Reel or a feed post. Instagram generates its own captions, which the viewer can turn off. Burning the text in is the only way to be sure it is seen.
Will the subtitles survive a re-share to Stories?
Yes. They are part of the picture, so anything that re-encodes the video keeps them. A heavy crop can clip the edges of a long line, so check a re-share before relying on it.
Do I still get a subtitle file?
Yes. Every job returns SRT and TXT in the original spoken language and in the language you picked, which is useful for the caption box and for reusing the words elsewhere.
Does it work for a horizontal video too?
Yes. The subtitles are placed the same way regardless of shape. Vertical video is just where the platform interface crowds them most.