Burned-in captions vs closed captions
Burned-in (open) captions are part of the video and always show, in the style you choose. Closed captions are a separate track that viewers switch on, and the platform decides how they look. Use burned-in captions for Reels, Shorts and WhatsApp; use closed captions where viewers expect a CC button, such as YouTube videos.
Burned-in captions
Also called open or hard captions, these are drawn into every frame. They show on any app or device, survive downloads and forwards, and can carry your fonts, colours and word-by-word animation. The trade-off: they can't be turned off, and changing them means exporting the video again.
Closed captions
Closed captions live in a separate file or track, such as SRT or VTT, and viewers switch them on with a CC button. They can be edited after publishing and leave the picture clean, but the platform controls their look, and many short-video apps don't support them at all.
Which to use where
Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, WhatsApp and most short-video feeds: burned-in, because viewers scroll on mute and a separate track may not show. Long YouTube videos, Facebook and LinkedIn videos: closed captions work well, and you can add burned-in captions for key clips. Your own website: closed captions in VTT through an HTML5 player.
Tip: Avoid showing both at once on the same video. Two sets of the same words on screen are distracting.
Questions
Are burned-in captions good for accessibility?
They make speech visible to everyone, including deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers. Closed captions add the option to resize or hide them, which some viewers prefer.
Can I make both from one video?
Yes. In EasyCap the same corrected transcript can be exported as a captioned MP4 and, on a paid plan, as SRT or VTT.
Can I remove burned-in captions later?
No. They are part of the picture. Keep your original video if you may want a version without them.