Subtitle styles for short videos: which one to use

Subtitles make a clip followable with the sound off. The style decides how it feels. A short guide to each one in ClipSprint.

Published

Why the style matters

Many people scroll with the sound off, and a clip they cannot follow is a clip they skip. Subtitles fix that. Their style then sets the tone: calm and readable for an interview, punchy for a quick tip.

In ClipSprint the subtitles are made in the Clip Editor from the clip's own audio, timed to each word, in the language that is spoken. Every style below uses those same word times.

Classic: readable everywhere

White lines with a dark outline, one line at a time. It suits long answers, calm conversations and any clip where the words matter more than the effect. It is available on every plan.

Highlight and box: follow the voice

The line stays on screen and the word being said changes colour, so the eye follows the speaker. Box adds a dark band behind the line, which keeps it readable over bright or busy pictures.

Karaoke: build the sentence

Every word already said keeps the colour, so the line fills up as it is spoken. It works for lyrics, punchlines and sentences that land on their last word.

Pop and one word: energy

Pop colours the word being said and makes it bigger for an instant. One word shows only the word being said, large, where the subtitles sit. Both suit fast tips and short, rhythmic clips; for long answers they can tire the eye.

Glow: a soft look

The line is drawn with a blurred halo of the colour you pick. It suits calm, aesthetic clips, music and night scenes.

Capitals, colour, size and place

Any style can be written in capitals, on every plan; the words themselves stay as they were said, so turning it off brings them back. Pick the colour, the size and where the subtitles sit: low for a single speaker, on the line between the halves for split screen.

Highlight, box, karaoke, pop, one word and glow are on paid plans. A clip keeps the style it was saved with if the plan changes.

Check the words

Speech recognition is good, not perfect: read the lines before saving, especially names. Retyping a line keeps the timing of its words. Saving renders the same clip again and does not use a clip from your month.

Step-by-step guide

Add subtitles

Add subtitles to a vertical clip in seconds: ClipSprint writes what is said, timed to each word, in the language it detects. Correct, place and export.

← All posts

Try it on your own video

Start on the free plan: 10 clips a month.

Start free