Use YouTube to Caption Your Videos

Lean the four simple steps it takes to add captions to your video with YouTube.

Icon with a graduation cap on it

We’re making videos and need them to be captioned, but we don’t have a ton of time. There are simple, easy ways to caption your videos and there are complex, more involved ways.  Let’s try a simple way that we can do in 4 easy steps using Camtasia and YouTube.

1. Make Your Video

Create your video in Camtasia. 

Tip 1: When speaking, slow your rate of speech.
Tip 2: When possible, use a USB based microphone. However, if you do not have one, use what is available to you.
Tip 3: Smile. When you smile while recording, it brightens your voice and that carries through to the recording

Camtasia editor with a project on the timeline

2. Export the .MP4

Export your video from Camtasia to a location on your computer.

This is where you will go when sending the video to YouTube.

Camtasia export menu with the local file selected

3. Upload to YouTube

Log on to your YouTube account.

Click on the ‘Create’ icon and choose Upload video.

Follow the steps for uploading your video, assigning details, and complete the uploading process.

YouTube upload dialog

4. Have YouTube Auto Caption

Once the video finishes processing, visit your YouTube Studio, select subtitles, find the video, and edit your captions right within YouTube.

You can also download them for use in other programs, or to translate them into other languages!

YouTube editor menu options with the "Edit on Classic Studio" option selected

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