Video content has taken the world to new heights by drastically changing how audiences consume information everywhere. Although not immediately apparent, YouTube transcription can make these videos even more effective as it allows everyone to receive the message loud and clear, regardless of who they are or how they prefer to consume content. However, let’s be real: the whole captioning process can be a head-scratcher for creators trying to figure out the best way to do it. And beyond YouTube, accurate transcription plays a vital role in many industries, from marketing to legal transcription services, where precision and clarity are equally crucial.
YouTube, the king of video-sharing platforms, has a solution: the automated captioning feature. Although it may be tempting to let the machines do the heavy lifting, pause a bit. Being aware of the consequences of relying solely on robot-generated captions is crucial. Before making the call, consider the pros and cons of manual and automated captioning methods to ensure you make an informed choice that aligns with your content goals.
In this article, you’ll learn how:
- Transcription pricing models differ—by line, page, audio minute, or flat fee—and knowing the differences can help you avoid hidden charges and overbilling.
- Factors like speaker count, audio quality, and turnaround time directly impact your final transcription bill, often more than you expect.
- Choosing a reputable provider like Ditto Transcripts ensures you get U.S.-based professionals, transparent billing, and 99.9% accuracy that’s legally admissible.
What are Video Captions?
You know those words or sentences appearing on the screen while a video is playing? They’re called video or closed captions. Captions ensure everyone can understand what’s being said, even if they can’t hear the sound. It’s a bit different from when we add subtitles, as they’re primarily used for those who can listen to but can’t understand the language in the video. Similarly, trial transcription services ensure that every spoken word in the legal event is accurately captured, providing a clear written record that everyone can refer to and ensuring that nothing important gets lost in translation or is missed entirely.
Adding captions to their videos is essential for YouTube creators as it helps people with hearing problems enjoy the content just like everyone else. Captions also come in handy when folks can’t or don’t want to play the audio out loud. A survey of U.S. consumers found that 92% of them view videos with the sound off on mobile devices.
Therefore, when creators have the correct captions at the right time, they make their videos accessible to a much larger audience. More viewership can lead to more earnings for content creators. Similarly, verbatim transcription services focus on capturing every word, pause, and sound exactly as spoken — ensuring complete accuracy and context, whether it’s for video content, interviews, or legal proceedings.
Types of Videos Where Highly Accurate Captions Are Essential
Having discussed video captions, below are some videos you can search for—whether on YouTube or other platforms—where correct video captions are needed.
| Videos | Description |
| Educational or Instructional | Clear captioning to grasp all key points and avoid missing crucial info. |
| Legal | Precise transcription of complex terminology and details to avoid misinterpretation. For example, deposition transcription services ensure every statement and detail is recorded verbatim, providing an accurate legal record that can be referenced during trials or legal proceedings. |
| Medical | Accurate captions for medical jargon and procedures—consequences if misunderstood. |
| Interviews | Capture nuanced language, proper nouns, and context of the subject matter. |
| Documentaries | Properly transcribe complicated topics or terminology to convey the intended message. |
| Film Productions | Word-for-word dialogue text allows viewers with hearing issues to experience the storytelling. |
Does YouTube Automatically Caption Videos?
The short answer is that YouTube doesn’t automatically add captions to every video uploaded. However, the creator can enable captions in supported languages.
YouTube utilizes automated speech recognition that attempts to generate captions using machine learning techniques. I want to get real on this one—automatic captions aren’t the most accurate way to go. The accuracy of YouTube’s captions can be unreliable, depending on several factors. If the audio quality is poor, with significant distortion or background noise, some words may get lost in translation.
AI will struggle to pick it up correctly if the volume is too low. Accents can also ruin the works, as YouTube’s automatic captioning feature might not be the best at understanding them all. And don’t even get me started on random sounds. Automatic transcription technology may misinterpret them as words, resulting in perplexing captions.
How Do You Manually Put Captions on Your YouTube Videos?
There are several ways to add captions to your YouTube videos, including auto-generated ones. However, if you’re a YouTuber who prioritizes the accuracy of your video captions in your channel by adding them manually, here’s the way to do it:
Step 1: Find the “Subtitles” option.
Log in to YouTube, go to YouTube Studio, and select Subtitles on the left menu—that’s three steps at once.
Step 2: Choose A Video
This is where you’ll choose the video to which you want to add subtitles. I uploaded three short videos as samples.
Step 3: Click on Add Language.
After choosing a video, you’ll see an option to choose the subtitle language. In my case, I’ve chosen English.
Step 4: Click Add.
Right after choosing a language, click the option “ADD LANGUAGE”.
Step 5: Pick one of the two methods of manually adding captions.
For this step, you can choose which method of adding captions you prefer. The options are:
- Upload File: If you have your transcripts, whether you created them yourself or had them produced by professionals, such as Ditto Transcripts, you can upload them here.
- Type Manually: Although YouTube provides shortcuts to expedite the process, manually typing captions requires substantial time and effort—we don’t recommend this option as it can be laborious yet inefficient.
On the other hand, there are also two automated features that you can use.
- Auto Translate: YouTube can automatically generate caption translations into other languages you select.
- Auto Sync: YouTube automatically syncs the captions to match your video timing, so you don’t have to do it manually.
However, these options are powered by machine learning algorithms, which means they can’t be as accurate as the ones provided by professional services. So, they’re not the best option for YouTube videos where accurate captions are crucial for your audience.
Step 6: Once done, click Publish
After choosing a method or adding the caption, you can finish the job by clicking “Publish” in the upper-right corner. If you want to edit your captions, return to this page.
Should You Settle For Automated YouTube Video Captions?
No, it’s best not to settle for automated YouTube video captions in most cases. While YouTube’s automation feature can provide a general idea of the content, it has many limitations that may compromise the usability of the transcripts.
According to research, automated transcripts—including those on YouTube—are only about 61.92% accurate under the best circumstances. This means that they are bound to contain errors, misinterpretations, or inconsistencies that could be problematic for certain types of content.
For example, accuracy is the most critical factor in educational videos, tutorials, interviews, or legal proceedings, ensuring that the information is conveyed correctly.
In those cases, it is highly recommended that you opt for professional human transcription services. These services can convert and provide a more reliable transcript that captures nuances, technical terms, and complicated discussions with better precision.
Let Ditto Transcribe Your Crucial YouTube Videos
With a strong presence in the industry since 2010, Ditto offers world-class, human transcription services that no other provider can match. Our services include:
- Industry-leading customer service. Here’s one of our client testimonials
- More than 99% accuracy on all types of content transcription
- 100% US-based, human transcription
- Fast turnaround times
- Different and affordable rates to fit different budgets. For more information, feel free to check our legal transcription prices
- Stringent security measures that meet different regulatory requirements
- No long-term commitments or contracts (pay as you go)
- Flexible features for varying requirements
- Professional translation services for Arabic, French, Spanish, German, and more
- Industry-leading customer service. Here’s one of our client testimonials
In hindsight:
| Feature | Automated YouTube Captions | Manual Captions | Ditto Transcription Services |
| Accuracy | Around 60–80% depending on audio quality, accent, and background noise. | Can reach up to 90% accuracy, but depends on user’s skill and attention to detail. | 99%+ accuracy guaranteed through professional human transcription. |
| Time Required | Instant — automatically generated after upload. | Time-consuming; must type or upload captions manually. | Quick turnaround with dedicated professionals handling transcription. |
| Cost | Free (included with YouTube). | Free if done manually, but labor-intensive. | Affordable rates with flexible plans — pay only for what you need. |
| Best For | Casual creators or quick reference videos. | Small projects where creators can manage captions themselves. | Educational, legal, medical, interview, and professional content requiring high precision. |
| Language Support | Limited to YouTube’s supported languages. | Dependent on the creator’s language skills. | Professional translation and transcription in Arabic, French, Spanish, German, and more. |
| Security & Compliance | None guaranteed; processed by YouTube’s AI. | Creator-controlled, but no compliance assurance. | 100% U.S.-based and compliant with strict confidentiality and data security standards. |
| Context Understanding | Often struggles with accents, jargon, or overlapping speech. | Better than automated but still subjective. | Human transcribers capture nuances, tone, and context accurately. |
Don’t Settle for Automatic Captioning When You Have Ditto
So what are you waiting for? Maximize your reach and retention with the best transcription company in the industry, Ditto Transcripts, and see the difference.
Ditto Transcripts is a Denver, Colorado-based FINRA, HIPAA, and CJIS-compliant transcription services company that provides fast, accurate, and affordable transcripts for individuals and companies of all sizes. Call (720) 287-3710 today for a free quote.