How to Add Closed Captions to Vimeo Videos

To add closed captions to a Vimeo video, upload an SRT or VTT caption file in the video's Advanced settings under Subtitles & Captions. Vimeo does not auto-generate captions on all plans, so the simplest way to get a caption file is to transcribe the video with PlainScribe (up to 99% accuracy, $0.067/min) and export an SRT.

TL;DR

• Vimeo needs a caption file: you upload an SRT or VTT; you provide the text, Vimeo displays it.
• Get the file fast: transcribe the video in PlainScribe and export an SRT in minutes for $0.067/min ($4 per audio hour).
• Steps: Vimeo video → Settings → Advanced → Subtitles & Captions → add language → upload SRT.
• 47 languages auto-detected, plus translation if you want captions in more than one language.
• Private: PlainScribe deletes uploads and transcripts after 7 days; 30 free minutes to start.

Why Caption Your Vimeo Videos

Closed captions let deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers follow your video, help non-native speakers, and keep muted-autoplay viewers engaged. They also improve discoverability since caption text is machine-readable. On Vimeo, captions appear behind the CC button and viewers toggle them on or off.

Step 1: Get a Caption File

Vimeo displays captions but you supply the file. The quickest source is an AI transcript exported as SRT.

1. Open PlainScribe and upload your video (up to 200MB; MP4, MOV, WebM and more). The first 30 minutes are free.
2. Let it transcribe at up to 99% accuracy, auto-detecting across 47 languages.
3. Review the text, fix any proper nouns, then export an SRT (Vimeo also accepts VTT). Need multiple languages? Translate first, then export each track. See subtitle translation.

Step 2: Upload Captions to Vimeo

1. Sign in to Vimeo and open the video you want to caption.
2. Click Settings, then the Advanced tab.
3. Scroll to Subtitles & Captions (sometimes shown under Distribution) and click + Add / Add Language.
4. Choose the language and Captions as the type, then upload your SRT or VTT.
5. Save. Vimeo processes the file and shows a CC button on the player.

Step 3: Verify the Sync

Play the video and confirm captions match the speech. If they drift, the SRT was likely timed to a different export of the video; regenerating it from the actual file in PlainScribe guarantees the timecodes line up.

Cost to Caption a Vimeo Video

| Length | PlainScribe ($0.067/min) | Rev AI ($0.25/min) | |---|---|---| | 10 min | $0.67 | $2.50 | | 30 min | $2.01 | $7.50 | | 60 min | $4.02 | $15.00 |

Verdict: producing a clean SRT for Vimeo costs cents per video on pay-as-you-go, with no subscription. See the pricing page.

FAQs

Does Vimeo auto-generate captions? Vimeo offers caption upload on all plans and has added auto-caption features on some tiers, but availability and accuracy vary. For reliable, editable captions, generate an SRT with PlainScribe and upload it manually.

What caption file format does Vimeo accept? Vimeo accepts SRT and VTT. SRT is the most common and works everywhere; PlainScribe exports both. See subtitle file formats.

How do I add captions in multiple languages on Vimeo? Translate your transcript in PlainScribe to each of the 47 supported languages, export an SRT per language, then add each one under Subtitles & Captions in Vimeo's Advanced settings.

My Vimeo captions are out of sync. How do I fix them? The SRT timecodes do not match the uploaded video, usually because it was timed to a different export. Regenerate the SRT from the exact file you uploaded so timestamps align.

How much does it cost to caption a Vimeo video? $0.067 per minute, or $4 per audio hour. A 10-minute video costs about $0.67, and the $10 minimum buys roughly 150 minutes of credit.

Caption your next Vimeo upload in minutes. Start free with 30 minutes, no credit card. See also how to create subtitles from a video.