How to Add Captions to Instagram Stories

Folks can follow along even without any audio

By
Sandra Stafford
Headshot of Sandra Stafford
Sandra Stafford
Writer
  • Fayetteville State University
Sandra Stafford is a writer who specializes in tech and writes about all sorts of gadgets—tactical flashlights, blue light-blocking glasses, therapy lamps and more.
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Published on September 6, 2022

What to Know

  • Add captions: Create a story, and then press the Sticker icon and select Captions.
  • Enable automatic captions stories from others: Open your profile > Settings > Account > Captions > toggle to on.

Adding captions is a great way to make your stories more accessible to more people. Here's how to turn it on.

How to Add Captions to Your Instagram Story

Adding captions to your stories is one of those things you should be doing on Instagram. Here's how to add captions next time you make a story.

  1. Create a Story in the Instagram app. The icon is your profile picture and a plus sign. You can only add captions to stories that contain speech.

  2. Tap the Stickers icon. It's located in the options tray.

  3. Choose Captions. Instagram will automatically transcribe the speech in your video.

    Instagram profile screen, story creation, stickers.

  4. Tap the transcript. Use the color picker, located at the top, to change the color. To change the font, choose one of the other font options at the bottom.

  5. Edit the captions. If you see any words that are translated incorrectly, double-tap the transcript, then tap the word to edit it. In this case, the word "I" will be edited to "I'll."

  6. Share your story. When you're finished editing your captions, use the arrow icon to share your story. Anyone who watches it will be able to see captions.

    Instagram speech transcript, edit words in caption, transcript corrected.

Automatic Captions on Instagram

Some people don't add captions to their Instagram stories. If you want to see captions on those stories, you will need to enable automatic captions. The feature is automatically enabled on some devices, but others will have to enable the captions. Captions increase accessibility for the Deaf and hard of hearing, but there are other benefits to captions. Consider using captions if:

  • You watch videos in a non-native language
  • You are practicing reading, regardless of language
  • Your comprehension is helped by reading
  • You use Instagram without volume

How to Get Captions on Instagram Stories

Here's how to turn on automatic captions for the stories and reels on your Instagram feed.

  1. In your Instagram profile, tap the face in the lower right corner.

  2. Open the Menu and tap Settings.

    Profile, then settings

  3. Tap Account.

  4. Tap Captions.

    Account, then Captions

  5. Slide the toggle for Captions to the right.

  6. Captions are now enabled.

  7. Captions will automatically generate on videos with speech.

    Turn on auto captions, will automatically play on stories with speech

    Automatic captions will show even when your volume is turned up. Videos that were captioned by their creators may display two sets of captions.

FAQ
  • How long are Instagram captions allowed to be?

    Instagram captions max out at 2,200 characters, which is roughly between 300 and 500 words.

  • How do I write good Instagram captions?

    Some suggestions for more engaging captions include an attention grabbing first sentence, a call to action or question for viewers, and approaching it like telling a story. You can also use lists for inspiration.

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