Captions put subtitles on your video. Chapters put a clickable list of sections underneath it, so viewers can jump to the part they want.
Both use the same kind of file, called WebVTT, with a .vtt ending. You write it in any plain text editor.
A captions file
WEBVTT
00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:04.500
Welcome to the course.
00:00:04.500 --> 00:00:09.000
In this first lesson we'll set everything up.
The first line must be WEBVTT on its own. After that, each block is a time range, then the words to show during it.
A chapters file
WEBVTT
00:00:00.000 --> 00:02:30.000
Introduction
00:02:30.000 --> 00:07:45.000
Setting up your account
00:07:45.000 --> 00:12:00.000
Your first campaign
Same shape, but the text is the chapter’s name rather than speech, and the ranges cover whole sections.
Getting the timestamps right
The format is hours:minutes:seconds.milliseconds — two digits for hours, minutes and seconds, then a full stop and three digits.
00:01:30.000 correct
0:01:30.000 wrong — hours needs two digits
00:01:30,000 wrong — needs a full stop, not a comma
A file with the wrong format does not show an error. It simply does nothing, which is why this is the part worth double-checking.
Adding the file to your video
- Save your file with a
.vttending. - Upload it in Media › Add New and copy its URL.
- Edit your video, and paste the URL into Captions file or Chapters file on the Video Settings tab.
- Save, then reload the page with your video on it.
What your viewers see
Captions appear as subtitles, which the viewer turns on with the player’s own controls.
Chapters appear as a clickable strip beneath the player, with the current chapter highlighted as the video plays. Clicking one jumps straight to it. The plugin draws this strip itself, because browsers show nothing for a chapters file on their own.
Captions also give search engines text to read about your video. See Helping your videos appear in Google with Video SEO.
Still stuck? Open a ticket on the support page on ABC and a real person will help.
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