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Updated 2026-06-28

How to Add Captions in iMovie on iPhone

By the iPhone Captions editorial team · Updated 2026-06-28

iMovie can put text on your video, but only as manual titles you type and time yourself — it can't transcribe speech. That's fine for a title or two, slow for full subtitles. Here's how to do it, and when to switch tools.

Can you add captions in iMovie on iPhone?

You can add manual text with iMovie's Titles — type each line and place it on the timeline — but iMovie can't auto-transcribe speech, so it's impractical for full subtitles. For captions of what's spoken, use an app that transcribes, like Subly, then export. iMovie titles are best for a hook or a label.

Add a title in iMovie

  1. Start a project. Open iMovie, create a Movie project and add your clip.
  2. Select the clip. Tap it on the timeline to reveal the tools.
  3. Tap Titles (the T). Choose a style; a text box appears on the video.
  4. Type and place. Enter your text and pick its position. Split the clip to change when it shows.
  5. Export. Tap Done, then Share to save the video with the title baked in.

The catch for real subtitles

Each title only spans the clip it's attached to, and you type every line yourself. To subtitle a whole talking video, you'd split the timeline into dozens of pieces and type each caption — hours for a few minutes of video. iMovie has no transcription.

The faster route: transcribe, then export

A captioning app turns the speech into timed captions automatically, so you skip the manual typing entirely. Style them and burn them in.

Frequently asked questions

Does iMovie have automatic captions?
No. iMovie only adds manual Title text you type and position; it can't transcribe speech. For automatic subtitles use a captioning app like Subly, or Apple's Clips for videos you record.
Can I add an SRT to iMovie on iPhone?
No — iMovie doesn't import SRT subtitle files. Either type titles by hand, or caption in an app that burns the text in and exports a video.
Is iMovie good for subtitles?
Only for a few titles. For full dialogue subtitles it's very slow because everything is manual — a transcribing app is far quicker.

Related guides

Add text to a videoAdd text to a video on iPhone — manual titles in iMovie or CAdd subtitles on iPhoneAdd subtitles to a video on iPhone three ways — the free CliAuto-generate subtitlesAuto-generate subtitles from speech on iPhone — how automati

Written for iPhone users. App features and iOS steps can change between versions — check the latest before you rely on them. How we test & our sources →