Closed captions workflow in Final Cut Pro for Mac

You can use the closed captions workflow to add closed captions or open (burned-in) captions to your projects. Special caption roles make it easy to deliver captions in multiple languages. You can use Generate Captions to create closed captions automatically, or you can create them manually.

The viewer showing a video image with a superimposed closed caption

Step 1: Choose a closed caption format

If you create closed captions manually, first choose whether to create CEA-608, iTT, or SRT closed captions. The format you choose depends on the intended use of your project and the target audience. Broadcasters, streaming services, and government regulators each have their own delivery specifications.

If you create closed captions automatically with Generate Captions, Final Cut Pro generates closed captions in the iTT format. To convert the closed captions to a different format, see Convert closed captions to another format.

Step 2: Create a closed caption role

Create a closed caption role for the chosen format and a subrole for each language version.

If you use Generate Captions, Final Cut Pro creates a closed caption role and an English language subrole automatically.

Step 3: Create or import closed captions

Create closed captions automatically or manually, or import an initial set of closed captions in one language.

Step 4: Edit closed caption text

Edit closed caption text directly in the timeline using the closed caption editor, or make text changes in the inspector.

Step 5: Adjust and arrange closed captions

Use the powerful editing tools in Final Cut Pro to adjust the timing and arrangement of closed captions in your projects. You can connect closed captions to specific frames in a clip and set the duration of each closed caption.

Step 6: Format closed caption text

To determine how your closed captions look onscreen, you can format closed caption text in the inspector. The CEA-608 and iTT closed caption standards each have their own specifications for text formats, placement, color, transitions, number of lines, and number of characters. The SRT format has relatively few formal specifications. You can format SRT closed captions in Final Cut Pro, but you have the option to remove all formatting during export to make them universally compatible with players and devices.

Step 7: Create closed captions in additional languages

After you finalize an initial set of closed captions in one language, you can create closed captions in additional languages by duplicating the first set of closed captions. You can enter translated text in the closed caption editor or the inspector, or you can import closed captions in other languages into new language roles.

At this stage, you can also convert closed captions to another format.

Step 8: Export closed captions

You can export closed captions with your final output media file, either as a separate file or embedded directly in the video file.

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