Burned-in captions get the most watch time. Auto captions are the fastest to add. Manual SRT files are the most accurate but the most time-consuming. For TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts in 2026, burned-in captions with automatic generation - like those from BlitzCut AI - give you the best of both worlds: high engagement and minimal editing time.

Auto vs Manual vs Burned-In Captions: Quick Comparison

Method	Accuracy	Time to Add	Cost	Platform Compatibility	Retention Impact	Best For
Auto Captions (platform)	85–90%	30 seconds	Free	That platform only	Medium	Quick posting, accessibility
Manual SRT Captions	99%+	30–60 min/video	Free or paid service	Any platform	Medium	Accessibility-critical content
Burned-In Auto Captions	90–95%	30 seconds–2 min	Free tier available	Every platform, everywhere	High	TikTok, Reels, Shorts

What are auto captions?

Auto captions are platform-generated subtitles that overlay on your video after you upload. TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube all offer automatic caption generation. You enable them in the upload settings and the platform's AI transcribes your speech.

How they work: The platform runs speech-to-text on your video after upload. Captions appear as a text overlay during playback - but only when the viewer chooses to show them, and only on that specific platform.

Accuracy: 85–90% depending on audio clarity, accent, and background noise.

The key limitation: Platform auto captions are optional for the viewer. A user watching with sound on may never see them. They also disappear when the video is downloaded or shared outside the platform.

What are manual captions (SRT files)?

Manual captions (or SRT files - SubRip Text format) are time-coded text files you create yourself or hire a transcription service to create. You upload them alongside your video as a separate file, and the platform uses them to display accurate subtitles.

When to use SRT files:

Corporate training or compliance content where 100% accuracy is required
YouTube long-form where auto-generated captions have errors that affect credibility
Multi-language content (translate the SRT for different regions)
Accessibility-critical content (legal, medical, educational)

The trade-off: Creating a manual SRT for a 3-minute video takes 15–45 minutes depending on the complexity of the speech. For daily posting, this is not sustainable.

What are burned-in captions?

Burned-in captions (also called open captions or hardcoded captions) are text rendered directly into the video file itself - not a separate overlay layer. They appear on every device, in every context, without the viewer needing to enable anything.

Why burned-in captions outperform platform captions on TikTok:

They display automatically - no viewer action required
They appear when the video is downloaded, re-shared, or embedded anywhere
They allow custom styling (fonts, colors, animations) that match your brand
Viewers watching silently (85%+ of TikTok is watched without sound) see them without opting in

Do captions actually increase TikTok views?

Yes. Captions are one of the highest-impact, lowest-effort changes you can make to a talking-head video.

Metric	Without Captions	With Burned-In Captions	Improvement
Average watch time	Baseline	+12–40%	Significant
Silent-viewing completion rate	Very low	Near full (if captions readable)	Large
Share rate	Baseline	Higher (accessible to more viewers)	Moderate
Accessibility reach	English-hearing only	Hard of hearing + silent viewers	Large
Re-watch rate	Baseline	Slightly higher (reading along)	Small

85% of TikTok videos are watched without sound at least some of the time. Without burned-in captions, those viewers stop watching after the first second of silence.

Auto captions vs burned-in captions: which gets more watch time?

Burned-in captions consistently outperform platform auto captions on watch time. Here's why:

Factor	Platform Auto Captions	Burned-In Captions
Display on silent playback	⚠️ Only if viewer enables	✅ Always visible
Appear when shared/downloaded	❌ No	✅ Yes
Custom styling (colors, fonts)	❌ Limited or none	✅ Full control
Word-by-word animation	❌ Not available	✅ Yes (BlitzCut AI)
Alignment with platform aesthetic	❌ Generic look	✅ Match trending styles

Platform auto captions are better than nothing. But burned-in captions with bold styling and word-by-word highlights - like the ones you see going viral on TikTok - significantly outperform the platform's default grey text.

How long does each captioning method take?

Method	60-second video	5-minute video	30 videos/month
Platform auto captions	30 sec (enable toggle)	30 sec	~15 min total
Manual SRT	20–30 min	90–120 min	600–3,600 min
Burned-in (BlitzCut AI)	30 sec	1 min	~30 min total
Burned-in (CapCut manual styling)	20 min	60 min	600 min

Burned-in captions via BlitzCut AI are as fast as platform auto captions but perform significantly better.

How do you add burned-in captions automatically?

The fastest way to add burned-in captions to a video:

Download BlitzCut AI on iPhone or iPad (free)
Tap Import → select your video from the camera roll
Tap Add Captions - AI transcribes your speech in 20–30 seconds
Tap a caption style preset (bold word-by-word, minimal, viral, etc.)
Review and correct any errors by tapping on words
Tap Export - captions are permanently burned into the video file

The entire process takes 30–60 seconds for a 60-second clip. The captions follow your speech, highlight each word as it's spoken, and display automatically on every platform without any viewer action.

Which captioning method should you use for Instagram Reels?

Content Type	Recommended Method	Reason
Talking-head tips (under 60s)	Burned-in (BlitzCut AI)	Automatic, always visible, fast
Dance or music content	Platform auto captions	Speech isn't the focus; minimal impact
Educational tutorials	Burned-in	Viewers read along; completion rate improves
Brand/sponsored content	Burned-in	Professional appearance; no generic platform text
Long-form (over 3 min)	Burned-in or manual SRT	Higher accuracy requirements

For Instagram Reels: Burned-in captions are especially valuable because Reels are often viewed in the feed without sound while scrolling.

Are auto captions accurate enough for professional content?

Platform auto captions reach 85–90% accuracy. That means roughly 10–15 errors per 100 words. For a 60-second video with ~120 words spoken, expect 12–18 caption errors.

Tool	Accuracy	Errors per 100 words	Professional usable?
TikTok auto captions	~87%	~13 errors	⚠️ Needs review
Instagram auto captions	~85%	~15 errors	⚠️ Needs review
YouTube auto captions	~90%	~10 errors	⚠️ For casual content
BlitzCut AI burned-in	~95%+	~5 errors	✅ For most content
Manual SRT (professional)	~99%+	~1 error	✅ Compliance/legal

For social media content, 95% accuracy is sufficient - viewers don't read every word at scrolling speed. For legal, medical, or compliance content, manual SRT remains the standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between auto captions and burned-in captions?

Auto captions are generated by the platform after upload and exist as a separate layer - viewers can turn them on or off. Burned-in captions are permanently encoded into the video file itself and display automatically on every platform and device without viewer interaction.

Do burned-in captions help with TikTok SEO?

Yes. TikTok's algorithm can read burned-in captions as part of the video's visual text data. More importantly, burned-in captions improve watch time and completion rate, which are the primary signals TikTok's algorithm uses to decide whether to push your video to more people.

Can I use both platform auto captions and burned-in captions at the same time?

Yes. If your video already has burned-in captions, you can still enable platform auto captions - but they'll overlap and look messy. Most creators who use burned-in captions turn off platform captions to avoid duplication.

Which app makes the best burned-in captions for TikTok?

BlitzCut AI produces styled, word-by-word burned-in captions in 30 seconds with 95%+ accuracy. CapCut can also produce burned-in captions but requires 15–20 minutes of manual styling to match the quality. BlitzCut AI is significantly faster for the same output quality.

Do captions help with accessibility on TikTok?

Yes. Burned-in captions make your content accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, non-native speakers who read better than they listen, and anyone watching in a noise-sensitive environment. Accessibility also improves reach - TikTok's algorithm rewards content that performs well across diverse audience segments.

How accurate are TikTok's auto captions?

TikTok's auto captions reach approximately 85–90% accuracy for standard American English in clear audio conditions. Accuracy drops with accents, technical vocabulary, fast speech, or background noise. For content where accuracy matters, use BlitzCut AI's burned-in captions (95%+) or manual SRT files.

The Verdict

For TikTok, Reels, and Shorts in 2026: Winner: Burned-in auto captions - specifically generated by BlitzCut AI.

You get:

95%+ accuracy (better than platform auto captions)
30 seconds to add (as fast as platform captions)
Always-visible captions without viewer action (better engagement)
Viral styling presets that match what performs on TikTok

Use manual SRT when accuracy is legally required or for long-form YouTube where search indexing of the transcript matters.

Platform auto captions are fine as a fallback but they're not the fastest or highest-performing option.

Download BlitzCut AI free and add burned-in captions to your next video in 30 seconds.

Last Updated: February 17, 2026 Comparison Type: Video Captioning Methods Methods Compared: Auto Captions vs Manual Captions vs Burned-In Captions

Auto Captions vs Manual Captions vs Burned-In Captions: Which Is Best for TikTok?