What Are Closed Captions?
Closed captions are captions the viewer can turn on or off, and they include non-speech sounds such as music and sound effects alongside the spoken words.
Closed Captions
Closed captions carry more than dialogue. They describe relevant audio, such as a phone ringing or background music, so a viewer who cannot hear still gets the full picture. The viewer controls whether they show.
They differ from open captions, which are burned into the video and cannot be switched off. Closed captions live in a separate file the player reads.
For example, a viewer enables closed captions and sees both the narration and a note that soft music is playing.
How Do Closed Captions Work?
Closed captions rely on a separate caption file.
- Transcribe – Convert speech into text.
- Describe – Add notes for relevant non-speech sounds.
- Time – Align each entry to the video in a caption file.
- Attach – Link the file to the video so the player can read it.
- Toggle – Let the viewer switch captions on or off.
Why Are Closed Captions Important?
Closed captions serve accessibility and reach.
- Compliance – Meet accessibility requirements many organizations must follow.
- Full Context – Convey sound cues.
- Control – Let viewers choose whether to display them.
- Reach – Extend a video to more viewers and settings.
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