How to Add Captions to Instagram Reels: A Step-by-Step Guide

The power of Instagram reel captions: Why they're crucial

1
1. Boosts engagement

Captions significantly increase viewer interaction with your content. By providing a text version of what's being said, you allow your audience to follow along even if they're watching without sound. This increased engagement can translate into more likes, comments, shares, and saves, helping your Reels reach a wider audience. A well-crafted caption for Instagram Reels can also add context, humor, or a call to action, making your content even more compelling.

2
1. Improves retention

Videos with captions are more likely to be watched all the way through. Since many viewers tend to skim through content, captions help maintain their focus and guide them through the message. This improves retention and increases engagement. If you're wondering how to add captions to Instagram Reels, there are built-in tools and third-party apps that make the process seamless.

3
1. Enhances understanding

Captions can clarify any confusion caused by fast speech, heavy accents, or background noise. When content includes complex or technical language, captions enhance comprehension, ensuring your message is clear to all viewers. Using an Instagram Reel caption generator can streamline the process, making it easy to create accurate and engaging captions effortlessly.

4
1. Expands reach

Many people scroll through Instagram with the sound off, especially in public spaces or during a quick browse. Adding captions to Instagram Reels ensures that your content remains accessible and engaging, even without sound. This not only helps retain viewers but also increases the chances of your videos being shared with a wider audience who may otherwise skip them.

5
1. Encourages global reach

In today's globalized world, many Instagram users speak different languages. Captions for Instagram Reels help bridge language barriers, allowing you to engage a multilingual audience and expand your reach across different regions without creating multiple video versions. Plus, using translation tools can make your content even more accessible to a broader audience.

How to add subtitles to Instagram reels using the IG app

Instagram offers an easy way to add subtitles to your Reels with its built-in captioning tool. Here's how to do it in 3 simple steps:

STEP 1
1. Upload or record your video

Open the Instagram app and tap the "+" icon at the bottom of the screen.

Select "REEL" to start recording a new video or tap the blue “+” in the bottom-left corner to upload an existing one from your gallery.

Alternatively, you can tap the Reel icon on the right of the "+" and use the camera icon in the top-right corner to record a new video.

STEP 2
1. Add captions to your reel

Once your video is uploaded or recorded, you'll be taken to the editing screen. Tap the smiley face sticker icon to open the available sticker options.

From the menu, select the "CAPTIONS" sticker. Instagram will automatically transcribe the audio from your video and generate subtitles in just a few seconds.

STEP 3
1. Customize and post your reel

After the transcription is complete, you can customize the captions to match your video's style. Adjust the font, color, and positioning using the editing tools at the top and bottom of the screen. Once you're happy with how the captions look, tap "Done," and then proceed to post your Reel with subtitles that enhance accessibility and engagement.

Can you edit captions on Instagram reels

Instagram allows you to edit the automatically generated captions before posting, but once the video is live, you can’t make any changes to the captions. It's important to review your captions thoroughly before publishing.

Here's how to edit captions on Instagram Reels:

1
1. Access the stickers menu

While editing your Reel, tap the “Stickers” button and select the “Captions” option.

2
1. Edit the text

Tap on the text as it appears on the screen to make changes. You can move the captions around, adjust their position, or change the font style to fit your preferences.

3
1. Finalize your changes

Once you're satisfied with the edits, tap “Done” in the top-right corner to save your changes.

Now, your captions are ready for posting! Just remember, once the Reel is live, you won't be able to edit the captions.

If you are looking for a more advanced tool to edit the captions of your Instagram reel, Pippit is your top choice with advanced features for video editing, making it easier to customize your captions, add effects, and create professional-quality content. Take your editing to the next level with Pippit.

Bonus: Create Instagram reels with captions using Pippit

Pippit is an AI-powered content tool designed to simplify and elevate your Instagram game—starting with captions. Instead of spending time brainstorming what to write, Pippit generates catchy, on-brand captions tailored to your content type, tone, and target audience. Whether you're sharing product posts, lifestyle updates, or reels, it offers creative suggestions that drive engagement. Its smart language model understands trends, hashtags, and formatting, helping your posts stand out in busy feeds. With features like tone customization, keyword integration, and real-time content suggestions, Pippit makes caption writing faster, smarter, and more impactful.

Steps to create editable reel captions for Instagram with Pippit

With Pippit, creating engaging Instagram reel subtitles has never been easier. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you create impactful videos in just a few simple steps:

STEP 1
1. Access Video editor

Try for free by logging into Pippit. Navigate to the "Video generator" on the home page. Further, click on the "Video editor" feature at the bottom of the page to customize visuals, add captions, adjust pacing, and enhance your video with text, transitions, and music.

STEP 2
1. Generate and edit

Upload your video from "Media" or simply drag and drop your video from your device to Pippit's editing console. Once your Instagram video is uploaded, go to "Captions" and select "Auto captions" to automatically generate subtitles for your Instagram video. Choose the language you want and click "Generate" to start creating captions.

Check your auto-generated captions and adjust styles, fonts, or sizes based on your needs. Add animation effects to your subtitles for a more vivid visual. Leverage other advanced tools, such as adding music in the "Audio" feature, inserting effects, transitions, and stickers in the "Elements" feature, or removing and changing your video's background with AI. With these tools, you can easily elevate the quality of your Instagram video and reach maximum engagement.

STEP 3
1. Export and share

Once you’ve finalized your edits, click the "Export" button in the top right corner. Choose "Publish" to share your content directly to platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, or click "Download" to save the video to your device. Set your preferred resolution, quality, frame rate, and format before clicking "Export" at the bottom of the screen. Preview the final video to ensure subtitle accuracy. This ensures your videos make a lasting impression on diverse audiences.

Key features of Pippit:

• Effortless AI subtitle generation to simplify your workflow

Generate subtitles with ease using Pippit's one-click AI subtitle generator. This feature ensures precise transcription, allowing businesses to save valuable time when creating social media posts, tutorials, and more. Perfect for streamlining workflows, it boosts accessibility and helps you reach a wider audience. By adding subtitles, your content becomes engaging and accessible, even when viewers are watching without sound.

• Expand your brand reach with multi-language subtitles

Unlock a global audience with Pippit's AI-powered subtitle generator, which supports multiple languages for free. Ideal for businesses aiming to connect with diverse audiences across international platforms, this feature breaks language barriers effortlessly. With multi-language support, your videos can resonate with viewers from different regions, helping you expand your brand presence and engage with a wider, more inclusive audience. It's the perfect solution for companies looking to strengthen their impact in international markets.

• Personalize subtitle fonts to match your brand's style

With Pippit, you can easily customize your subtitles by adjusting the font, size, and color to align with your brand's visual identity. This feature ensures a consistent, professional look across all your videos while enhancing both aesthetics and viewer engagement. Whether you’re aiming for a bold, clean, or playful vibe, this flexibility allows your subtitles to not only communicate your message clearly but also complement your video's overall style.

Instagram closed captions vs. open captions

Closed captions (CC)

Closed captions are optional text that viewers can turn on or off while watching a video. On Instagram, closed captions are typically generated through the platform's automatic transcription tool or third-party apps. These captions allow users to control their viewing experience, enabling them to enable or disable subtitles based on their preferences. Closed captions are often used for accessibility, offering a way for people with hearing impairments to follow along with the content.

Open captions

Open captions, on the other hand, are always visible and cannot be turned off. They are embedded directly into the video itself. This type of captioning is ideal for videos where you want to ensure that all viewers see the subtitles, regardless of whether they have captions enabled on their device or not. Open captions are often used in Instagram Reels or Stories, as they ensure viewers can read the text without any additional actions.

Both closed and open captions enhance accessibility and engagement. The choice depends on your audience and how you want your content to be consumed.

Conclusion

In this guide, we've walked through the steps of adding captions to your Instagram Reels, from using Instagram's built-in captioning tool to editing and customizing your subtitles. Whether you opt for closed captions or open captions, both are effective for improving accessibility and engaging your audience.

To take your captioning and video editing to the next level, Pippit offers a user-friendly, feature-rich platform that streamlines the process. With its automatic caption generator, customizable fonts, and multi-language support, you can create professional-quality content in no time.

Want to create flawless Instagram Reels with perfect captions every time? Try Pippit now and elevate your content with ease!

FAQs

1
1. How to add captions for Instagram Reels?

To add subtitles to your Instagram Reels, you can use Instagram's built-in feature that transcribes audio and generates captions automatically. You can also manually edit the text, timing, and style to fit your content. Alternatively, third-party apps and tools can assist with adding captions. With Pippit, adding captions is effortless. Its AI-powered Instagram Reel Caption Generator allows you to automatically generate and customize captions to fit your video perfectly, ensuring an enhanced viewing experience.

2
1. What are the best ways to customize reel captions for Instagram?

To customize your Instagram Reel captions, you can adjust the font, style, size, and placement. Make sure the text aligns with your video's aesthetic and readability. Customizing your captions ensures they match your brand's style while making the content more engaging for viewers. Pippit allows you to fully customize your Reel captions for Instagram, offering a wide variety of fonts, colors, and animations to create visually appealing and consistent captions for every video.

3
1. How can I add captions on Instagram reels without an App?

Instagram allows you to add captions directly within the app using its Auto-Captions feature, which transcribes your video’s audio. You can review and edit the captions before posting your Reel. While Instagram's tool is handy, it offers limited customization options. For more control over your captioning, Pippit lets you generate and edit captions with more flexibility, offering a range of customization options and ensuring professional-quality captions every time.

4
1. How Can I Use an Instagram reel caption generator?

An Instagram Reel caption generator helps you quickly create captions by automatically transcribing the audio in your video. It’s a great time-saver, especially when you want your captions to be accurate and synced with the audio. Most apps or platforms offer this feature, which can simplify the captioning process. Pippit provides a top-tier Instagram Reel Caption Generator, automatically creating captions that can be easily edited for timing, text style, and more, allowing you to create dynamic and polished content quickly.