Guide
Subtitles vs captions
The two words get used interchangeably, and in casual conversation that is fine. In accessibility requirements and platform documentation it is not, because they describe different things written for different viewers.
The distinction
| Subtitles | Written for a viewer who can hear the audio but does not understand the language. They carry dialogue, usually translated, and assume everything non-verbal is already coming through the speakers. |
|---|---|
| Captions | Written for a viewer who cannot hear the audio. They carry dialogue in the same language as the speech, plus speaker changes and any sound that carries meaning. |
| SDH | Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. Captions delivered in the subtitle formats streaming platforms use, so the extra information survives even where a true caption track is not supported. |
What captions include that subtitles do not
- Speaker identification, so a viewer knows who is talking when the picture does not make it obvious.
- Sound that carries meaning: a door closing, a phone ringing, music that changes the mood of a scene.
- Manner of speech where it matters, such as whispering or shouting, which the audio would otherwise convey.
- Deliberately, not every sound. A caption track that annotates ambient noise is as unhelpful as one that omits the phone ringing.
Open and closed
Cutting across the subtitle and caption distinction is a second one: open means always visible, closed means the viewer can turn it on and off. Open captions are burned into the picture. Closed captions are supplied separately and drawn by the player. See burned-in vs soft subtitles for how that choice plays out in practice.
Which one you need
- Your audience speaks your language but is watching without sound: same-language captions. This covers most social viewing, and it is the most common case by a wide margin.
- Your audience does not speak your language: translated subtitles.
- You have an accessibility obligation: captions, with speaker and sound information. See video accessibility and captions.
- You want the video to be findable by search: a transcript or an uploaded subtitle file, regardless of which of the above you also do.
What you get here
Choosing the original spoken language gives you same-language captions, which is what silent autoplay and general accessibility both need. Choosing another language gives you translated subtitles. The generated files carry the spoken words with timings; speaker labels and sound descriptions are not added automatically, so a full caption track for a formal accessibility requirement needs those added in the editor.
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Is there really a difference between subtitles and captions?
Yes. Subtitles assume the viewer can hear and mainly carry translated dialogue. Captions assume the viewer cannot hear and carry same-language dialogue plus speaker changes and meaningful sound.
What does SDH mean?
Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. It is caption content delivered in a subtitle format, which is how streaming platforms carry the extra information.
What is the difference between open and closed captions?
Open captions are burned into the picture and always visible. Closed captions are supplied separately and can be switched off by the viewer.
Do generated subtitles include speaker names and sound descriptions?
No. The generated files carry the spoken words with timings. Speaker labels and sound descriptions can be added in the subtitle editor on the Pro and Studio plans.