TikTok Subtitle Generator
This TikTok subtitle generator writes out what you say, times each word to your voice and burns styled captions into your 9:16 video.
Create an account to generate and export your captions.
What TikTok's auto captions miss
TikTok can add auto captions to your videos. It transcribes your speech and lets you edit the text before you post. For accessibility, that's a good start.
The problem is how they look. Auto captions use the same style on every creator's video, so they blend into the feed. Nothing highlights the word you're saying, and viewers can hide them.
A lot of people scroll TikTok with the sound off. If they don't notice your words on screen, they swipe before your hook lands. Subtitles that are part of the video and styled to stand out give those viewers a reason to stay.
TikTok's captions or your own style
Look
- TikTok auto captions
- The same on every video
- Sycamore
- 9 animated templates, each one editable
Highlight on the spoken word
- TikTok auto captions
- No
- Sycamore
- Yes, in styles like Mozi and Highlight Words
Colors, size and animation
- TikTok auto captions
- Set by TikTok
- Sycamore
- Yours to change
Can viewers hide them?
- TikTok auto captions
- Yes
- Sycamore
- No, they're burned into the video
Posting the clip on Reels or Shorts
- TikTok auto captions
- You caption it again in each app
- Sycamore
- The same file works everywhere
| TikTok auto captions | Sycamore | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | The same on every video | 9 animated templates, each one editable |
| Highlight on the spoken word | No | Yes, in styles like Mozi and Highlight Words |
| Colors, size and animation | Set by TikTok | Yours to change |
| Can viewers hide them? | Yes | No, they're burned into the video |
| Posting the clip on Reels or Shorts | You caption it again in each app | The same file works everywhere |
Using the TikTok subtitle generator before you post
Upload the clip
Add your video as an MP4, MOV or WebM file. Sycamore transcribes it and times every word.
Try a few styles
Switch between templates on your own footage. Change the colors, size or position if you want.
Fix names and slang
Click any word the transcript got wrong and type the fix. The timing stays where it was.
Export and post
Download the 9:16 video with subtitles burned in and upload it to TikTok like any other clip.
Nine styles to test on your feed
Mozi
Beast
Stack Emphasis
Blur Pop
Highlight Words
Typing Text
Word Pop
Staircase
Word Reveal
Keep subtitles clear of TikTok's buttons
TikTok plays in a 9:16 vertical frame, and the app puts a lot on top of it. Your username and description sit along the bottom. The like, comment and share buttons run down the right side. Subtitles placed low in the frame end up hidden under all of that.
Put captions around the middle of the frame or a little above it. In Sycamore you can move them to the top, center or bottom and change how many words show at once. Short lines read faster on a phone and leave room for your face.
If you post with Sycamore subtitles, leave TikTok's auto captions off for that video. Otherwise viewers who have captions on see two sets of text.
Caption your next TikTok
Frequently
Asked Questions
How do I add subtitles to a TikTok video?
Upload the video to Sycamore, pick a caption style and export. The subtitles are burned into the file, so you post it to TikTok the same way you post any video.
Are TikTok auto captions good enough?
They work for accessibility, but every video gets the same look and viewers can turn them off. If you want captions that match your brand and highlight each word as you say it, use a subtitle generator and burn them in.
Can I get word-by-word subtitles on TikTok?
Yes. Sycamore times every word to your voice, and styles like Mozi and Highlight Words mark the word you're saying as you say it.
Can I caption a TikTok in another language?
Yes. Sycamore transcribes and translates in over 30 languages, so you can speak in one language and export subtitles in another.
Does the TikTok subtitle generator work with clips I edited in another app?
Yes. Export your edit as an MP4, MOV or WebM file and upload it. Sycamore adds the subtitles on top of your finished video.