Captions · July 8, 2026 · 6 min read
Most people watch video with the sound off, so captions aren't optional anymore. The good news: you don't have to type them. Here is how to add animated captions to any video automatically in your browser — auto-transcribed with word-perfect timing, in your choice of 8 styles, all free and with no install.
What you need
A video with speech in it. Record one at /record or open an existing recording in the editor at /edit — either way it runs in the browser with nothing to download. The free plan records up to 5 minutes at 720p, unlimited and forever; Pro is $7.99/mo for longer recordings and higher resolution. Captioning itself is free.
Step 1 — Hit the Captions button
On the timeline in the editor, click Captions. It auto-transcribes the speech using Whisper and lays the words onto the timeline with word-level timing — so each word lights up exactly when it's spoken, not roughly in the neighborhood. You didn't type a thing.
Step 2 — Pick one of the 8 styles
Cycle through the styles and watch the preview change on your video:
- Clean — plain, readable subtitles for a straight talking-head or tutorial
- Word Highlight — each word highlights as it's said; great for retention
- Karaoke — the classic word-by-word fill that dominates Reels and Shorts
- Word Boxes — each word in its own box for a punchy, modern look
- Brand Band — captions on a solid band you can match to your colors
- Explainer — calm, legible styling for how-to and education
- Pop — bouncy, energetic animation for fast-paced clips
- Impact — big, bold and loud for hooks and punchlines
For vertical clips, Karaoke and Word Highlight tend to win — the word-by-word motion keeps eyes on the screen.
Step 3 — Position and size them
Set the captions to top, middle, bottom, or drag them anywhere with the freeform option, and use the size slider to make them bigger on phones. On a 9:16 clip, lift the captions off the very bottom so they clear the platform's buttons and username.
Step 4 — Fix any wrong words
AI transcription is close to perfect but not psychic about odd names, brands or jargon. Every cue is editable — click the one that's off and retype it. A 5-minute video usually needs a couple of small fixes, if any.
Step 5 — Export (burned-in or as an .SRT)
You have two ways out, and you can use both:
- Export the MP4 to burn the captions right into the picture — best for TikTok, Reels and Shorts where you want them always on.
- Export an .SRT file to upload beside your video on YouTube, so viewers can toggle captions and search engines can read them.
Caption your next video in a minute
Auto-transcribe, pick a style, export — all free in the browser.
Start free →How it compares to Descript, CapCut and Veed
Descript and CapCut both caption well, but both are desktop apps you install, and you bring an exported file to them. Veed runs in the browser like EZ Web Streams, but its captioning and export are tied to paid tiers, and it's yet another tool separate from wherever you recorded.
In EZ Web Streams the captions happen in the same free browser editor you recorded in. There's nothing to install, the animated karaoke and word-highlight styles are included rather than gated, and you can export the burned-in MP4 or the .SRT for free. You record, click Captions, choose a style and export — no second tool, no download, no upgrade prompt to get moving captions.
FAQ
Are the captions generated automatically?
Yes. Click the Captions button on the timeline and it transcribes the speech for you using Whisper, with word-level timing. You don't type anything out — you just review the cues and fix the odd word if you need to.
What caption styles are available?
There are 8: Clean, Word Highlight, Karaoke, Word Boxes, Brand Band, Explainer, Pop and Impact. Word Highlight and Karaoke animate word by word in time with the speech, which is what most Shorts and Reels use.
Can I edit a caption if the AI gets a word wrong?
Yes. Every cue is editable, so you can fix a misheard name or brand, and you can move captions to the top, middle, bottom or a freeform position and resize them with a slider.
Can I export the captions as an SRT file?
Yes. You can export an .SRT subtitle file to upload alongside your video on YouTube or elsewhere, or burn the captions into the video itself when you export the MP4. Both work, and both are free.