How to add captions or subtitles to an HTML5 video?
Jul 27, 2025 am 12:06 AM
Use the <track> element inside the <video> tag to add captions or subtitles. 2. Set the src attribute to point to the WebVTT file. 3. Specify the kind attribute as "subtitles", "captions", "descriptions", "chapters", or "metadata". 4. Include srclang for language identification when kind is "subtitles". 5. Add a label for the display name in the player menu. 6. Optionally use the default attribute to enable the track by default. 7. Ensure the WebVTT file starts with "WEBVTT", uses correct time formatting (HH:MM:SS.mmm), and has blank lines between cues. 8. Save the file in UTF-8 encoding. 9. Provide a fallback message inside the <video> tag for unsupported browsers. 10. Test browser compatibility and consider using libraries like video.js for enhanced support. 11. Style captions using the ::cue CSS pseudo-element. Captions enhance accessibility and user experience and are straightforward to implement when these steps are followed correctly.
Adding captions or subtitles to an HTML5 video is straightforward using the <track></track> element. This feature enhances accessibility and improves user experience, especially for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, or those watching in noisy environments.
Use the <track></track> Element Inside the <video></video> Tag
The <track></track> element allows you to specify external text tracks (like subtitles or captions) in supported formats—most commonly WebVTT (.vtt files).
Here’s a basic example:
<video controls> <source src="movie.mp4" type="video/mp4"> <track src="subtitles.en.vtt" kind="subtitles" srclang="en" label="English" default> <track src="subtitles.es.vtt" kind="subtitles" srclang="es" label="Spanish"> Your browser does not support the video tag or text tracks. </video>
Understand the <track> Attributes
Each <track> tag supports several important attributes:
src: Path to the WebVTT file (e.g.,subtitles.en.vtt)kind: Specifies the type of text track:subtitles– Translations of the dialogue (useful for non-native speakers)captions– Includes dialogue and sound descriptions (ideal for accessibility)descriptions– Text descriptions of the video for screen readerschapters– Chapter titles for navigationmetadata– Used for scripting, not visible to users
srclang: Language of the track (e.g.,en,es,fr). Required whenkind="subtitles".label: Human-readable name shown in the player’s menu (e.g., "English").default: (Optional) Tells the browser to enable this track by default. Only one track should have this attribute.
Format Your WebVTT File Correctly
WebVTT files must start with WEBVTT and use a specific time format. Example (subtitles.en.vtt):
WEBVTT 1 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:08.000 Hello, welcome to the video. 2 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:13.000 This is an example of subtitles.
Make sure:
- The file is saved with UTF-8 encoding
- Time format is
HH:MM:SS.mmm - There’s a blank line between cues
Browser Support and Fallbacks
Most modern browsers support <track> and WebVTT, but:
- Always include a fallback message inside the
<video>tag - Test on target browsers (especially older versions of Safari or mobile browsers)
- Consider using JavaScript libraries like video.js for broader compatibility and better UI controls
Also, note that:
- Captions won’t display unless the user enables them (except the
defaulttrack) - Styling captions is limited, but you can use
::cueCSS pseudo-elements:
video::cue {
background-color: black;
color: white;
font-size: 1.2em;
}Basically, just link your .vtt file with the right attributes and ensure the format is correct. It’s simple but easy to miss small details like the srclang or kind values.
The above is the detailed content of How to add captions or subtitles to an HTML5 video?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!
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