Welcome to CapKit! This guide will help you create your first professionally captioned video in under 60 seconds—no video editing experience required.
Who This Guide Is For
This guide is perfect for:
- Content creators posting to TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts
- Social media managers handling multiple client accounts
- Business owners creating video content for marketing
- Influencers who want consistent, professional captions
- Anyone who wants to add captions without learning complex video editing software
If you’ve ever spent 30+ minutes trying to add captions in CapCut or struggled with Instagram’s limited caption styles, CapKit is built for you.
What You’ll Learn
By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to:
- Upload and process your videos
- Choose the right caption template for your brand
- Customize captions (optional)
- Export high-quality videos ready to post
- Use Brand Kit for consistency across all your content
Let’s get started!
Before You Begin
What You’ll Need
- A video file: MP4 or MOV format (most phone videos work)
- Video requirements:
- Aspect ratio: 9:16 (vertical) for TikTok/Reels/Shorts
- Duration: Up to 5 minutes (depending on your plan)
- File size: Under 2GB
- CapKit account: Sign up here (3 free videos, no credit card required)
Supported Platforms
CapKit works perfectly with:
- TikTok
- Instagram Reels
- YouTube Shorts
- Facebook Reels
- Any platform that accepts vertical video
Step 1: Upload Your Video
Option A: Drag and Drop
- Go to CapKit Editor
- Log in to your account
- Drag your video file directly onto the upload area
- Wait for upload to complete (usually 5-15 seconds)
Option B: Browse Files
- Click the “Upload Video” button
- Browse to your video file
- Select it and click “Open”
- Upload begins automatically
What Happens Next
Once uploaded, CapKit automatically:
- Analyzes your audio using AI transcription
- Generates captions with 95%+ accuracy
- Detects language (supports 50+ languages)
- Prepares your video for caption editing
This usually takes 15-30 seconds depending on video length.
Supported Video Formats
Video Formats:
- MP4 (recommended)
- MOV
- AVI
- WebM
- MKV
Audio Formats:
- AAC
- MP3
- WAV
Pro Tip: Export from your phone as MP4 for best compatibility.
Step 2: Choose a Caption Template
After transcription completes, you’ll see the template selection screen.
Browse Templates by Style
CapKit offers 25+ professional caption templates organized by style:
Bold & Energetic:
- Perfect for fitness, motivation, entertainment content
- Large, punchy text with dynamic animations
- High contrast colors
Minimal & Clean:
- Great for educational content, tutorials, professional brands
- Simple, easy-to-read styling
- Subtle animations
Karaoke Style:
- Word-by-word highlighting
- Ideal for music, comedy, storytelling
- Engages viewers to follow along
Outline Heavy:
- Maximum readability on any background
- Perfect for outdoor content or varied scenes
- Thick outlines ensure captions always show
Browse all template styles with examples: Caption Templates
How to Choose the Right Template
Consider Your Content Type:
| Content Type | Recommended Style | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fitness/Gym | Bold & Energetic | Matches high-energy vibe |
| Tutorials | Minimal & Clean | Doesn’t distract from teaching |
| Comedy/Skits | Karaoke Style | Emphasizes punchlines |
| Outdoor/Travel | Outline Heavy | Readable on bright backgrounds |
| Product Reviews | Minimal & Clean | Professional, trustworthy |
Consider Your Brand:
- Young, trendy brand: Bold, animated styles
- Professional brand: Minimal, clean styles
- Entertainment brand: Karaoke or energetic styles
- Educational brand: Clean, easy-to-read styles
Pro Tip: Preview templates by hovering over them—you’ll see a quick demo video.
Selecting Your Template
- Hover over templates to preview
- Click your preferred style
- CapKit applies it to your video instantly
- Preview the result in the player
Don’t worry—you can change templates anytime before exporting.
Step 3: Review and Edit Captions (Optional)
Before exporting, you can review and customize your captions.
Review Transcription Accuracy
While CapKit’s AI is 95%+ accurate, always review:
- Click on any caption in the timeline
- Edit text directly if needed
- Fix names, technical terms, or brand-specific words
- Click outside to save changes
Common Corrections:
- Brand names
- Product names
- Technical terminology
- Proper nouns
- Industry jargon
Adjust Caption Timing
If a caption appears too early or late:
- Click the caption segment
- Drag the edges to adjust duration
- Drag the entire segment to shift timing
- Preview to verify
Timing Best Practices:
- Captions should appear slightly before (0.1s) the spoken words
- Minimum duration: 0.8 seconds
- Maximum duration: 3 seconds
- Group words into natural phrases (3-6 words)
Customize Caption Appearance (Advanced)
For more control:
- Click “Customize” button
- Adjust:
- Font: Choose from 20+ options
- Size: 48pt - 100pt
- Color: Use brand colors
- Position: Move captions up/down
- Animation: Change entrance effects
- Outline: Adjust thickness and color
Or, use Brand Kit to save these settings and apply automatically to all future videos.
Step 4: Export and Download
Once you’re happy with your captions:
Choose Export Quality
Click “Export” and select quality:
Quality Options:
- 1080p (HD): Recommended for most platforms
- 2K: For higher-quality content (Studio plan)
- 4K: Maximum quality (Agency plan)
- 1080p 60fps: Smooth motion (Studio+ plans)
Recommended Settings by Platform:
- TikTok: 1080p, 30fps
- Instagram Reels: 1080p, 30fps
- YouTube Shorts: 1080p, 60fps (if available)
Export Process
- Click “Export Video”
- Wait 15-45 seconds for processing
- Download automatically starts
- Video saves to your downloads folder
Export Specifications:
- Format: MP4 (H.264)
- Aspect Ratio: Original (usually 9:16)
- Audio: AAC, 128kbps
- Bitrate: Optimized for quality
See detailed export guide: Export Settings
No Watermark
All paid plans export without watermarks. Free trial videos include a small watermark in the corner.
Step 5: Upload to Social Media
Your captioned video is now ready to post!
Upload to TikTok
- Open TikTok app
- Tap + to create
- Select your exported video
- Add description and hashtags
- Post
Pro Tip: Don’t add TikTok’s auto-captions on top of your CapKit captions—it looks messy.
Upload to Instagram Reels
- Open Instagram app
- Tap + → Reel
- Select your exported video
- Add caption, hashtags, and music
- Share to feed and/or story
Pro Tip: Turn off Instagram’s auto-captions in settings before posting.
Upload to YouTube Shorts
- Open YouTube app
- Tap + → Create a Short
- Select your exported video
- Add title and description
- Publish
Pro Tip: Add a compelling title and relevant tags for better discoverability.
Desktop Uploads
You can also upload from desktop:
- TikTok: Use TikTok website (limited features)
- Instagram: Not available
- YouTube: Go to YouTube Studio → Create → Upload video
Pro Tips for Your First Videos
1. Start with Popular Templates
For your first few videos, use CapKit’s most popular templates:
- They’re proven to boost engagement
- Viewers are familiar with the style
- Less risk of looking “off”
Browse trending templates: Examples
2. Keep Videos Short Initially
While CapKit supports long videos, start with:
- TikTok/Reels: 15-30 seconds
- YouTube Shorts: 30-60 seconds
Shorter videos have higher completion rates, teaching you what works.
3. Use Brand Kit for Consistency
After your first video, save your settings:
- Go to Settings → Brand Kit
- Save your preferred:
- Colors
- Fonts
- Template
- Caption position
- Apply automatically to all future videos
4. Batch Process Multiple Videos
If you have several videos to caption:
- Upload all at once (queue system)
- Apply same template to all
- Export in batch
- Download all at once
Saves massive amounts of time.
5. Check Safe Zones
Before exporting, verify captions don’t overlap with:
- Platform UI elements (bottom buttons)
- Your face (if you’re in frame)
- Important visual elements
Use the preview to check on different screen sizes.
Common First-Time Questions
”Do I need video editing experience?”
No! CapKit is designed for creators with zero editing skills. If you can drag-and-drop a file and click a button, you can use CapKit.
”How long does it take to caption a video?”
- First video: 2-3 minutes (learning the interface)
- After that: 30-60 seconds per video
- With Brand Kit: Under 30 seconds per video
Much faster than CapCut or Premiere Pro (30+ minutes).
”Can I edit captions after exporting?”
No, captions are “burned in” to the video. But you can:
- Make changes in CapKit
- Export again (counts as one video from your plan)
- Replace the uploaded version
”What if the transcription is wrong?”
CapKit’s AI is 95%+ accurate, but you can:
- Edit any text before exporting
- Fix names, technical terms, etc.
- Report persistent issues to improve the AI
”Can I use my own fonts?”
Currently, CapKit offers 20+ professional fonts. Custom font upload is coming soon. Use Brand Kit to save your preferred font choice.
”Do captions work with background music?”
Yes! CapKit transcribes spoken audio even with music. For best results:
- Keep music volume lower than voice (50-60%)
- Use clear speech
- Avoid excessive background noise
What to Do Next
Continue Learning
- Explore templates: Browse all caption styles
- Set up Brand Kit: Create consistent branding across videos
- Learn advanced features:
- Caption Translation for multi-language content
- Export Settings for quality optimization
Create More Content
- Upload your next 5-10 videos
- Test different templates to see what performs best
- Monitor engagement rates and adjust
Upgrade Your Plan
After using your 3 free videos:
- Creator Plan: 30 videos/month, great for occasional posters
- Studio Plan: 75 videos/month, perfect for regular creators
- Agency Plan: 150 videos/month, ideal for agencies or daily posters
Join the Community
- Follow CapKit on [social media] for tips
- Subscribe to newsletter for new templates
- Share your best captioned videos with #CapKit
Get Help
Need assistance? We’re here to help:
- Help Center: Browse FAQ and guides
- Email Support: Contact us via contact page
- Priority Support: Included with Studio and Agency plans
Start Creating Today
Ready to add professional captions to your videos?
Sign up for CapKit — Get 3 free videos, no credit card required.
Your first captioned video can be ready in under 60 seconds.