Closed captions and subtitles are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. Although they both provide written text to accompany spoken dialogue in a video, they serve different purposes and have distinct characteristics.

Closed captions are primarily intended for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing. They display the spoken dialogue and sound effects as text on the screen, allowing viewers to follow along with the audio. Closed captions also include information about speaker identification and sound effects. They can be turned on or off by the viewer, and are typically encoded into the video file.

Subtitles, on the other hand, are intended for viewers who do not speak the language spoken in the video. They translate the spoken dialogue into another language and display it as text on the screen. Subtitles do not include information about sound effects or speaker identification. They cannot be turned off by the viewer, and are often provided as an additional file that can be turned on or off by the user.

In summary, closed captions are designed for the hearing impaired, and subtitles are designed for non-native speakers. Both are important for accessibility and for making video content accessible to a wider audience.

With TITLEBERRY, you can ensure that your video content is fully accessible to all viewers, whether they are deaf or hard of hearing, non-native speakers, or speakers of other languages. We offer comprehensive closed captioning and subtitling services, including translation options to help you reach a wider audience.