You can share a clean video for free, or add burned-in captions with a trial or subscription. Start from a recording’s review screen: Export video shares the original; Captions creates a captioned copy.

What captions include

Captions are generated on your iPhone from recognized speech. When a capture-time script is available, the app aligns the recognized words to that script. Takes without a saved script use recognized speech directly.

The app burns captions into a copy of the video. They cannot be switched off in that exported copy. The original in Recordings stays clean. There is no caption text editor, style customization, or SRT/sidecar export.

Create and share a captioned video

  1. Open a saved recording and tap Captions.
  2. Leave Caption Source on Audio to recognize speech from the saved video, or choose another source below.
  3. Wait for Captions Ready. If segments are available, tap Export with Captions to render them into a separate copy.
  4. When Captions Burned In appears, tap Share Video.
  5. Choose Save to Photos, Save to Files, or Share…, and finish saving or sharing.

Processing time depends on the recording and your device. Play the exported copy in its destination before publishing it; the app does not provide a manual caption-correction step.

Choose Audio, Transcript, or Mix

  • Audio runs speech recognition on the saved video. This is the default and is the right starting point for a take recorded without voice-follow.
  • Transcript uses the transcript saved during voice-follow recording. It cannot work if that take has no recorded transcript.
  • Mix combines the recorded transcript with a fresh transcription, preferring recorded words where available and filling gaps from the audio.

Changing source generates captions again. If Transcript reports that no recorded transcript is available, select Audio. See Voice-Follow Scrolling for recording with that feature.

When words or timing are wrong

Names, background noise, unclear speech, and departures from the script can affect recognition and alignment. The app can use recognized speech when a take differs substantially from the script, but that does not guarantee correct wording or timing.

Try Audio or Mix if a recorded transcript produces poor results. For a new take, use a quieter room, check the microphone, and update your script before recording. If the exported captions are still unsuitable, export the clean original and caption it in another editor.

Export without captions

From recording review, tap Export video. Choose Save to Photos or Share Video / Save to Files. The latter opens the system share sheet, where destinations depend on your installed apps and device setup.

Export Options on this clean-video path offers Original, 1080p, or 720p and H.264 MOV, H.264 MP4, or HEVC MOV. It never increases resolution beyond the source. These options belong to recording review; the captioned Share screen has its own destination buttons.

Photos requires permission to add videos. Files lets you choose a folder; choosing a cloud provider may require a connection. A share sheet opening does not itself confirm that the destination saved the video.

Examples: choose the copy you need

  • A colleague will edit the video: export a clean copy at Original resolution. Choose the format their editor accepts; H.264 MP4 is a starting point when they ask for MP4.
  • You need a smaller review copy: try 720p with H.264 MP4, then check the file and readability. Size depends on the source and duration.
  • You want visible captions in the video: use Captions, review the words, then Export with Captions. Keep a clean copy if you may need different captions later.
  • Your publishing tool will add captions: send the clean video through Export video to avoid two visible sets.

Check the receiving app’s requirements. Clean-video Export Options do not configure the separate captioned sharing path.

If captions or export fail

  • Upgrade prompt: check your plan or restore your purchase. Dismiss Captions and use Export video for a clean copy.
  • No caption segments: check that the recording contains audible speech. Try Audio if Transcript is unavailable.
  • Speech recognition error: check permission and on-device availability. The app does not fall back to sending audio to a server.
  • Export Failed: check available iPhone storage and tap Try Again. Your clean original is unchanged.

See Permissions and Troubleshooting for permission recovery and support.