TikTok caption generator that ships viral-ready MP4s.
Drop a clip, get word-level timing in 10–15 seconds, pick a style that survives the For You feed, export an MP4 with captions burned in.
Why captions matter on TikTok
TikTok plays everything muted on first impression. The first three seconds decide if the algorithm pushes the clip — captions are the single biggest lever you have on retention before viewers tap to unmute.
Bold sans-serif (Inter Black, Anton, Montserrat Black) with a 4–6px black stroke or a solid background plate. Word-by-word reveal with a single highlight color drives the strongest hook in the first 3 seconds.
The TikTok captioning playbook
- 01Upload to SoCaptionsDrop your raw 9:16 MP4. Whisper transcribes in 10–15 seconds. Word-level timing is locked in automatically.
- 02Pick a TikTok-safe styleBold Outline or Box presets land cleanly inside the central 64% of the frame and stay legible against bright backgrounds.
- 03Confirm safe zonesThe editor renders the TikTok UI overlay so you can see exactly what the like/comment rail will cover before export.
- 04Export burned-in MP4Captions render into the video file. Upload to TikTok as a normal post — no second caption track needed.
- Use word-by-word reveal — TikTok hooks are won in 3 seconds, and stationary blocks of text feel slow.
- Cap each cue at 4–6 words on screen at once.
- Place captions at 60–70% from the top of the frame — high enough to dodge the bottom UI, low enough that viewers don't crane up.
- Stick to one accent color per video. Yellow on white-stroke is the safe default.
- Don't rely on TikTok's auto-captions for cross-posts — they live in the player, not the file. The moment you re-upload to Reels or Shorts, they're gone.
- Don't use thin fonts. Inter Light and similar weights break apart on TikTok's compressed bitrate.
- Don't push captions into the bottom 18%. Even one frame of overlap with the like rail looks unprofessional.
- Don't translate captions in-tool with default machine translation. Re-record or human-review before posting in another language.
Frequently asked
What font size should TikTok captions be?+
On a 1080×1920 export, 56–72px (about 6–8% of frame width) is the sweet spot. Heavier fonts can go a touch smaller; thinner fonts need to go larger.
Where is the TikTok safe zone for captions?+
Stay above the bottom 18% of the frame and below the top 9%. The bottom band hides behind the username, caption text, and the like/comment/share rail. The top band collides with the camera-handle pill.
Should I burn captions into the video or use TikTok auto-captions?+
Burn them in. Auto-captions only exist on TikTok and disappear on every cross-post (Reels, Shorts, LinkedIn). Burned-in captions also let you control style and brand.
What's the best caption style for TikTok virality?+
Word-by-word reveal with a bold sans-serif, thick black stroke, and a single highlight color. The reveal gives the eye something to track, which holds attention for the first 3 seconds.
Can I add captions to a TikTok I've already posted?+
No — the file is sealed once posted. Re-export with burned-in captions and post as a new clip. TikTok's algorithm treats it as new content, so it's not a wasted upload.
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