What is Closed Captioning and How Does it Differ From Subtitles

Matthew Patel

Posted in Zoom Oct 25 · 27 Oct, 2021

What is Closed Captioning and How Does it Differ From Subtitles

Closed Captioning vs Subtitles: What's the Difference?

In today's digital world, video content is everywhere. Many people see the terms "closed captions" and "subtitles" but do not know their real distinctions. These features help people enjoy movies, shows, and online videos, but each serves a unique purpose. Understanding what sets them apart can help you pick the right tool for your needs.

Definitions: Closed Captioning and Subtitles

Closed captioning and subtitles both add text to video. However, their uses and what they display are different. Media companies sometimes mix up these terms, but their functions are not the same.

What is Closed Captioning?

Closed captions are a written version of a video's audio. This includes all spoken words, as well as important sounds.

Captions show all dialogue and narrations on screen.
They also display background noises, music lyrics, and speaker changes.
Captions describe sounds that matter to the plot, like "door creaks" or "thunder rumbling."
They help viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing follow the action (FCC, 2023).

Captions can be turned on or off by the viewer, giving them control over their experience. You can find reliable closed caption services to add accurate captions to your content.

What Are Subtitles?

Subtitles focus on translating the spoken words into another language. They are best for people who can hear but do not speak the language used in the video.

Subtitles appear at the bottom of the screen as translations.
They do not include sound effects, speaker labels, or music cues—only the spoken words.
They help viewers understand foreign dialogue in movies, shows, or videos.
Subtitles support learning new languages by showing both native and foreign text (Journal of Language Teaching, 2021).

Many distributors use subtitling services to reach wider audiences in global markets.

Key Features and Differences

Closed Caption Features

Display spoken dialogue and all relevant sounds.
Include speaker IDs and position changes for clarity.
Assist those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
May move around the screen to show who is speaking.
Often required by law for broadcast media in the United States (ADA, 2022).

Subtitle Features

Translate speech into different languages.
Keep a consistent position, usually at the bottom of the screen.
Designed for viewers with no hearing loss, but with language barriers.
Do not include non-dialogue audio descriptions.
Useful for language learners and international viewers.

Different Types of Captions and Subtitles

Closed Captions vs Open Captions

Closed captions can be turned on or off by the viewer.
Open captions are "burned in" and always visible.
Live closed captioning is possible during real-time broadcasts but may lag slightly.

SDH: Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

SDH is a hybrid of subtitles and captions.
They offer translations but also include non-speech information, such as sound effects and music cues.
They do not change position like closed captions—text stays at the bottom.

Language Learning with Subtitles

Turning on subtitles can help new learners connect spoken and written language.
Research shows that watching foreign media with subtitles increases language understanding (Language Learning & Technology, 2022).

Legal and Practical Benefits

Both closed captions and subtitles make content more inclusive. In America, closed captions are required for most public broadcasts to meet disability laws (ADA, 2022). Subtitles, on the other hand, help shows and movies reach a global audience. Both features:

Make video accessible for people with disabilities.
Expand potential viewership worldwide.
Improve understanding when audio is unclear or there is background noise.
Align with diversity and inclusion efforts by media producers.

Making the Best Choice for Your Content

Summing up, closed captioning and subtitles both give viewers text support, but they are designed for different needs:

Use closed captions for accessibility—helping people who are deaf or hard of hearing follow your content.
Use subtitles for language support—helping people who speak different languages enjoy your video.

Correctly labeling and deploying captions and subtitles makes your media stand out. Quality matters, so consider professional transcription proofreading services for error-free results.