Captions

Text displayed on screen that represents the audio content of a video, including spoken dialogue and important sound effects. Captions are essential for deaf and hard of hearing viewers but also benefit people with ADHD (providing a second modality for processing information), non-native speakers, and anyone in sound-sensitive environments. Two main types exist: closed captions (can be toggled on/off by the viewer) and open captions (permanently embedded in the video). Caption quality—including accuracy, timing, positioning, and readability—significantly affects their usefulness.