Facebook Captions: How to Turn Them On and Add Your Own

Most people scroll Facebook with the sound off, which makes captions essential, whether you're watching or posting. Facebook's caption settings are scattered in different places depending on your device, and on one platform they're not there at all. Here's how to turn captions on, change how they look, and add them to your own videos.

How to turn on captions for Facebook videos

Device	Where to turn captions on
Computer	Settings & privacy, Settings, Media, Always Show Captions
iPhone	Your phone's Settings, Accessibility, Subtitles & Captioning, Closed Captions + SDH
Android app	Facebook says this setting isn't available in the Android app

On a computer

1. Click your profile picture in the top right of Facebook.
2. Select Settings & privacy, then Settings.
3. Scroll down and click Media in the left column.
4. Switch on Always Show Captions.

Facebook says these caption settings only apply to videos you watch on a computer. Your phone has its own settings.

On iPhone

1. Go to your iPhone's home screen and open Settings.
2. Tap Accessibility, then Subtitles & Captioning.
3. Turn on Closed Captions + SDH.

This tells your iPhone to show captions on videos when they're available, including on Facebook.

What about Android?

Facebook's help page for turning captions on says the feature isn't available in the Android app. It's offered on computers, in a mobile browser and on iOS. If you're on Android and want a consistent setting, using Facebook in your phone's browser or on a computer is the way to get the official caption option.

How to change what captions look like

On a computer, Facebook lets you adjust captions under Captions Display. You can change:

• Background colour behind the text.
• Background opacity, the level of see-through.
• Text colour.
• Text size.

Check the preview, then click Save Changes. As before, this only applies to videos you watch on a desktop computer. On iPhone, change the style in Settings, Accessibility, Subtitles & Captioning, Style.

Why don't I see captions?

• The video has none. Facebook notes not all videos have captions.
• You turned them on somewhere else. Computer settings don't carry over to your phone, and vice versa.
• You're in the Android app. The caption setting isn't available there.
• The video won't play. If videos themselves are struggling, see why Facebook videos won't play.

How to add captions to your own Facebook video

1. Post your video from a computer and wait for Facebook to tell you it's ready.
2. Find the video, click Options, then Edit post.
3. Click Edit from the composer, then Add captions.
4. Click Upload next to Upload captions and choose a SubRip (.srt) file from your computer.
5. Click Save.

Want captions in more than one language? Facebook says to repeat the upload for each additional language. To remove a caption file later, go back to Add captions, click Delete next to the file and save.

Why captions matter for your posts

If people watch with the sound off, a video without captions loses most of its message. Captions also help viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, and anyone watching in a second language. For business pages, they're one of the simplest ways to make a video work harder: the same clip reaches people in a noisy cafe, on a quiet train or at their desk.

Tips for caption files

• Keep lines short. Two short lines on screen are easier to read than one long one.
• Check the timing. Captions should appear as the words are spoken.
• Proofread names. Brand and people's names are where errors creep in.
• Name files clearly. If you upload several languages, label each file so you pick the right one.

If you save videos to watch later, here's where to find saved reels on Facebook.

Captions for business pages: a simple routine

1. Write or export a transcript of your video.
2. Turn it into a SubRip (.srt) caption file with the timings.
3. Post the video from a computer, then add the file through Edit post, Add captions.
4. Watch the video back with captions on to check the timing.
5. Add extra caption files for other languages your customers speak.

Once you've done it a few times, captioning becomes a two-minute job at the end of every upload. It's one of the easiest ways to make sure your message gets through to people watching on mute.

If you manage a Page for a client or a team, agree a simple rule: no video goes live without captions. It protects accessibility and keeps every post useful for silent scrollers.

My verdict

Facebook captions depend on your device. On a computer, switch on Always Show Captions under Settings, Media. On iPhone, turn on Closed Captions + SDH in Accessibility. In the Android app, Facebook doesn't offer the setting, so use a browser or computer. For your own videos, upload an .srt file through Edit post, Add captions.

Frequently asked questions

How do I turn on captions on Facebook?

On a computer, go to Settings & privacy, Settings, Media and turn on Always Show Captions. On iPhone, turn on Closed Captions + SDH in Accessibility settings.

Why can't I turn on captions in the Facebook Android app?

Facebook's help says the caption setting isn't available in the Android app. It's available on computers, mobile browsers and iOS.

How do I add captions to my Facebook video?

On a computer, edit the post, click Add captions, upload a SubRip (.srt) file and save.

Can I change the size of Facebook captions?

Yes. On a computer, use Captions Display to change text size, text colour, background colour and opacity.

Why are there no captions on a Facebook video?

Not all videos on Facebook have captions, and your caption setting only applies on the device where you set it.