How to add captions to Instagram Reels

Drop in your Reel and Just Captions transcribes it and lays down clean, readable subtitles — on your iPhone, in about a minute. Free, private, and kept clear of Instagram's caption and action buttons.

Add captions free Try it in your browser

Processed on device Captions in ~1 minute No card to start

The short version: open Just Captions, drop in your clip, and it transcribes the speech and times subtitles to every word automatically. Pick one of four readable presets, then export an MP4 with the captions burned in and post it as a Reel. No timeline, no manual typing, nothing uploaded. Most clips are done in about a minute.

Step by step

Caption a Reel in four taps

Add your clipOpen Just Captions and drop in the Reel, or pick up to 20 clips from your camera roll. Vertical 9:16 is handled natively.
Let it captionThe app listens, transcribes the speech on your device, and times clean subtitles to every word. It understands 50+ languages and captions in whatever is spoken.
Pick a styleChoose from four legible presets — white box, yellow box, white outline or black bar — placed to stay above the caption and action buttons.
Export & postTap any line to fix a name or term, then export a burned-in MP4 and upload it to Instagram.

Growing internationally? Use AI Auto Translate to turn finished captions into another language with the same timing, and post a localised Reel for each audience.

Reels caption specs

Where captions should sit on Reels

Instagram overlays the profile, caption, audio and action buttons over the edges of every Reel. Keep text in the central safe area and it stays readable in-feed and on the Reels tab.

What to set	Recommended for Reels
Aspect ratio	9:16 vertical (1080 × 1920)
Safe zone — top	Keep text out of the top ~14% (profile and "Reels" label)
Safe zone — bottom	Keep text out of the bottom ~35% (caption, audio, follow)
Safe zone — right	Stay clear of the right edge (like, comment, share, more)
Caption position	Centred, in the middle band of the frame
Style	High-contrast fill or outline for busy, colourful backgrounds

Just Captions places presets inside this safe area and sizes them for one-glance reading, so the UI never lands on top of your words.

Burning captions in first

Consistent style and placement on every Reel
Readable the instant it autoplays on mute
Cross-post the same file to TikTok or Shorts
Fix a misheard brand name once, everywhere

Instagram's captions sticker

Locked to Instagram's preset styles
Can drift into the UI or get re-positioned
Doesn't travel when you re-use the file
Editing long passages gets tedious

FAQ

Reels captions, answered

Does Instagram add captions to Reels automatically?

Instagram offers a captions sticker that auto-generates subtitles, but it uses Instagram's styles and can shift with the UI. Burning captions in first with Just Captions gives you consistent, readable subtitles you control — and they travel with the file when you cross-post.

What is the safe zone for Instagram Reels?

Keep important elements out of the top ~14% and bottom ~35% of the frame, where Instagram overlays the profile, caption, audio and action buttons. Just Captions places subtitles inside that central safe area automatically.

Is it free to caption a Reel?

Yes. You can caption your first videos free with no card and no account, and everything runs on your device so nothing is uploaded.

Can I make a translated version of my Reel?

Yes. AI Auto Translate turns finished captions into another language while keeping the original timing, so you can post a localised Reel for a second audience.

Caption your next Reel. That's it.

Free to start, no card, nothing uploaded. Drop in a clip and watch the captions write themselves.

Download on theApp Store

How to add captions to Instagram Reels

Caption a Reel in four taps

Where captions should sit on Reels

Burning captions in first

Instagram's captions sticker

Reels captions, answered

Captions for every feed

Caption your next Reel. That's it.