How To Add Captions To iMovies: Steps For Mac, iPhone & iPad

Subtitles make videos engaging and easier to understand, especially for viewers who are deaf, cannot hear right, or anyone who wants to watch without sound. If you are a Mac or iOS user, iMovie, Apple’s user-friendly video editing software, provides direct options to add captions or subtitles.

This guide covers everything you need to know about how to add subtitles in iMovie on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, along with tips for further enhancing your videos.

Part 1. Can iMovie Auto Generate Captions?

iMovie, as of now, cannot generate subtitles or allow you to add a downloaded SRT file to your videos. If you are looking for auto-captioning, third-party apps like Rev, Kapwing, or Descript can be used to generate and sync subtitles. Once captions are generated using these tools, they can be imported into iMovie for further editing and integration into your video project.

Part 2. Can You Add Text to a Movie In iMovie?

For those sticking with iMovie, it allows you to manually add captions in the form of text to your videos. You can overlay text at any point in your video timeline and can customize font styles, colors, and positions. While adding text manually can be time-intensive, it offers complete control over the final look of your video.

If you have an SRT file for your video, and although you cannot add it to iMovie, you can still use it for the subtitles. You just have to copy the text from the file and paste it into each title box.

Part 3. How to Add Subtitles in iMovie (iPhone and iPad)

Do you want to add captions to iMovie on your iPhone or iPad but don’t know the process? Well, the process is pretty simple. Follow these steps:

Step 1. Open Your Project in iMovie

Open iMovie and tap on your project or create a new one by tapping the “+” button. Now, import the video you want to work with by tapping “Start New Project” and selecting the “Movie” option. While selecting the video from your iOS device, tap “Create New.”

Step 2. Add a Text Layer for Subtitles

Once your video is on the timeline, position the play head where you want your subtitle to appear. Tap on the video clip to highlight it, then tap the “T” icon at the bottom of the screen. This brings up the text options.

Browse the different text styles iMovie offers. Pick one that suits the tone of your video. For subtitles, it’s best to select something simple and easy to read, like “Standard” or “Reveal.”

Step 3. Type Your Subtitle

Double-tap the text box on the preview screen to edit the text. Now, it's time to type in your subtitle and position it at the bottom of the screen by dragging it.

Step 4. Adjust the Timing

Next, just drag the edges of the text box on the timeline to align the subtitle with the video’s audio or visuals. Repeat these steps for each subtitle segment.

Step 5. Preview and Export

Play back your video to ensure the subtitles are perfectly synced. Once satisfied, tap “Done” and export your video by tapping the Share button.

Now your video is ready with subtitles that will enhance its clarity and appeal!

Part 4. How to Add Captions to iMovie on Mac

Mac also has the default iMovie app. If you want to know how to add subtitles in iMovie on your Mac, do these steps:

Step 1. Open Your Project in iMovie

Launch iMovie on your Mac and open your project by clicking “Projects” in the toolbar. If you’re starting fresh, click “Create New” and choose “Movie.” Now, click the “+” icon to upload the video you want to add captions.

Then, use the mouse to drag and drop your video into the timeline to get started.

Step 2. Select Titles and Choose a Subtitle Style

Next, click on “Titles” in the top menu above the iMovie interface. You’ll see various title options.

Scroll through the title templates and pick a style that works best for your video. For subtitles, something clean and minimal, like “Lower Third” or “Standard,” works well. You can search for a template as well.

When you’ve made up your mind, drag your chosen title style to the timeline and place it above the video clip.

Step 3. Add Text

As soon as you drag the style to the section of the timeline, you’ll see a “Title Text Here” option in the preview window. Just click on it and type your subtitle text.

Step 4. Position the Subtitles

Within the timeline, you can click and drag on one of the sides to extend or shorten the video where you want the subtitles to show, or click and drag from the middle to reposition it.

Step 5. Add Subtitles to Complete Video

As of now, you have added captions to a section of the video in your timeline. To do this for the whole video, simply hold the “Options” key on the keyboard and click and drag the existing subtitle to the right or left.

You can now edit the already written text in the box to match the content in other video sections.

Step 6. Preview and Save

Play your video to check the subtitle placement and timing. Once satisfied, click “File” > “Share,” name your video, and click “Save” to export your finished project.

Part 5. How Do I Edit Titles in iMovie? Mac and iOS

Editing titles in iMovie is simple and can be done on both Mac and iOS devices. Here’s how:

On Mac:

1. Open your project and select the title in the timeline.

2. Double-click the text box in the viewer to edit the text.

3. Use the toolbar on the top to adjust font style and size, text color, and alignment

On iPhone/iPad:

1. Tap the text layer in the timeline.

2. Edit the text directly in the on-screen text box.

3. Use the style menu to change font, size, or color, and adjust position by dragging the text box.

Part 6. Enhance Your Captioned Video Using HitPaw Online Video Enhancer

After adding subtitles, you can further improve your video quality with HitPaw Online AI Video Enhancer. This platform uses AI to:

• Enhance resolution and clarity.
• Improve lighting and reduce noise.
• Sharpen details for a professional finish.

Simply upload your video to the online platform by browsing to where you saved the video or dragging and dropping it, and use any of the following AI models, or you can call it effects, to enhance it.

• Face Model: To remove facial flaws.
• General Denoise: Make your video crisp and clear.
• Color Enhancement Model: Bring out color details in your video.
• Colorize Model: Convert black-and-white to color and color to black-and-white footage.
• Low-Light Enhancement Model: Brighten dim video.
• Upscale: Change the video resolution from 720p to 8K.

You can preview the before and after results for your iMovie video side by side and experiment with different models.

Part 7. FAQs of Adding Subtitles to iMovie

Conclusion on Adding Captions to iMovie

In this guide, we’ve explored how to add subtitles in iMovie using your Mac and iOS devices. It is a manual yet rewarding process that allows you to complete the customization of your video’s captions. While iMovie doesn’t support auto-captioning, you can still create high-quality, accessible content with its editing tools. For a pro-level touch, consider enhancing your videos with HitPaw Online AI Video Enhancer to ensure they connect with a broader audience. Sign up now!