Subtitles vs Captions: What’s the Difference?
Subtitles show spoken dialogue. Captions show dialogue plus non-speech audio information — designed for viewers who cannot hear the audio.
Quick Answer
Subtitles display spoken dialogue, often as a translation or transcription for viewers who can hear the audio. Captions are for viewers who may not hear the audio at all — they include dialogue and also describe relevant sounds: music, sound effects, speaker labels, and tones of voice.
Use “Subtitles” when…
- The viewer can hear but needs a different language
- Providing dialogue-only translation
- Using HTML
kind="subtitles"on a track element - Creating same-language dialogue transcription
Use “Captions” when…
- Serving deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers
- Meeting WCAG 1.2.2 accessibility requirements
- Including
[Music],[Applause], sound descriptions - Using HTML
kind="captions"on a track element
What Are Subtitles?
Subtitles are synchronized text showing spoken dialogue. They assume the viewer can hear the audio — the purpose is translation (showing dialogue in another language) or transcription (showing dialogue in the same language for reading preference). Subtitles do not describe non-speech sounds. They use kind="subtitles" in HTML.
What Are Captions?
Captions are timed text designed for viewers who cannot hear the audio. According to W3C WCAG, captions include dialogue, speaker identification, and non-speech audio such as meaningful sound effects. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” becomes “[door closes] JOHN: I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Captions come in two types:
- Closed captions — a separate text track viewers can toggle. SRT and VTT files used with a
<track>element provide closed captions. - Open captions — permanently visible text burned into the video. Open vs Closed Captions →
Subtitles vs Captions Comparison Table
| Feature | Subtitles | Captions |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Translate or transcribe dialogue | Make audio fully accessible |
| Target audience | Can hear audio, needs text | Deaf or hard-of-hearing |
| Includes sound effects | Usually no | Yes |
| Includes speaker labels | Sometimes | Usually yes |
| Includes music descriptions | Rarely | Yes ([upbeat music]) |
| WCAG requirement | Not for same-language | Required (SC 1.2.2) |
| HTML track kind | kind="subtitles" | kind="captions" |
| YouTube label | “Subtitles” | “CC” (closed captions) |
| File format | SRT, VTT, SBV, ASS… | Same formats — content differs |
Example: Same Scene, Two Approaches
| Type | What the text shows |
|---|---|
| Subtitles | I’ll see you tomorrow. |
| Captions (SDH) | [door closes] JOHN: (softly) I’ll see you tomorrow. |
SDH stands for “Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing” — caption-style subtitles that include all audio descriptions.
Accessibility: Why Captions Are Required
WCAG Success Criterion 1.2.2 (Level A) requires synchronized captions for all prerecorded audio in video content. This applies to public-facing websites. Laws like the ADA (US), Equality Act (UK), and AODA (Canada) require accessible video for covered entities. Captions — not just subtitles — satisfy this requirement because they capture all audio information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are subtitles and captions the same?
No. Subtitles show dialogue for viewers who can hear. Captions include dialogue plus non-speech audio for viewers who cannot hear.
Are captions better for accessibility?
Yes. WCAG SC 1.2.2 requires synchronized captions — not just subtitles — for prerecorded video.
Which HTML track kind should I use?
Use kind="captions" for deaf viewers (includes sound effects). Use kind="subtitles" for dialogue-only translation tracks.
Do captions help SEO?
Yes. Search engines can index caption text, and YouTube uses captions for its search ranking algorithm.