Why are there no subtitles on the Vimeo app?

Having a subtitle or caption on a video as you watch can help with understanding the context. However, when watching a video with the Vimeo player, closed captions or subtitles don't always automatically appear. The user must toggle them on and off. This gives them the freedom to choose whether to incorporate them or not. If the subtitles can't be toggled on or a specific language isn't available, it indicates a problem with the transcription file. In most cases, it is missing.

To ensure you gain the most reach with your videos, you must troubleshoot any problems with your subtitles. Verifying that they work is essential before posting your video. Third-party software is an excellent resource for creating transcriptions in various dialects and accents, allowing you to reach a much broader audience who may not be able to understand the original spoken words of the video.

This article will explain how to enable captions while watching a video on Vimeo. For the video creators, we'll explain how to troubleshoot problems with your subtitles. We'll also discuss how to access third-party software to create a transcript to replace the one Vimeo creates. Read on for everything you need to know about why your subtitles aren't working.

How to enable captions while viewing a video in Vimeo

Captions won't automatically display in the Vimeo video player. Users must toggle them on and off as needed. In the player's bottom toolbar, they'll find a "CC" button. When they click this button, they can select the subtitles or captioning they wish to see with the video.

Vimeo uses Helvetica Neue as the font with bold styling for captions and subtitles. In addition, the font size is responsive to your browser window. This means if you maximize your window, the text size will increase accordingly.

Video creators are responsible for adding captions and subtitles to the videos. If you are looking for a specific language and it's unavailable, it's an indication that the creator has not transcribed or translated that particular language file. If you're the viewer, you'll have to reach out to the creator to request them to add it. As the creator, you must take the steps needed to incorporate the requested content into your video.

How to add captions and subtitles to your Vimeo video

If you have a paid Vimeo account, you won't have to do anything to add subtitles or captions to your video. Each time you upload a new video, the platform automatically transcribes the audio and adds the option for viewers to use closed captioning. However, you may find you must make edits here and there to the files to ensure their accuracy. For free users, you'll need to download, edit, and re-upload the files when you notice discrepancies.

Alternatively, you can utilize your own subtitles instead of the auto-captioning Vimeo offers. To do this, follow these steps:

1. From your library, open the desired video.

2. Click the "CC" button within the video player to open the transcript.

3. Next, click "Settings" in the Closed Caption menu. You'll find this to the right of "Transcript."

4. To the right of "My Uploads," click the +. Specify your language and file type.

5. Select "Choose File" and upload the corresponding file from your computer.

6. After completing the upload, toggle the file to activate it. You can replace, delete, or edit the file with the "..." option next to the file name. Click those dots and select the command you want from the open menu. You can purchase one from a reliable third-party service if you don't already have a transcript. Vimeo supports the following extensions: WebVTT, SRT, SCC, DFXP/TTML, and SAMI. However, WebVTT is the most recommended file format.

How to obtain a transcription file from a third-party platform

If you are using a free Vimeo account or don't want to use the transcript generated by your paid account, several third-party platforms can create your transcript files for you. Some of them promise better accuracy than Vimeo.

Happy Scribe is one of these third-party services. It promises 85% accuracy for machine-generated transcripts and 99% for human-generated transcripts. It's a straightforward process. All you need to do is follow each step:

1. Upload your chosen file from wherever it's stored, including your hard drive, Google Drive, Dropbox, or Youtube.

2. Choose your video's language. Happy Scribe is an excellent choice because it supports over 120 languages, including different accents and dialects.

3. Select from human-generated or machine-generated.

4. You'll receive your transcription within minutes for machine-generated and 24 hours for human-generated.

5. You can export your transcript in several formats, including SRT and WebVTT. In addition to transcription services, Happy Scribe can also translate your video for you. This will allow you to add subtitles and captions in different languages, reaching a larger audience. Once you have your captions, you'll need to take them to your video manager and follow the steps to add them to the correct video in the abovementioned steps. Because Happy Scribe offers the approved formats, you should have no problem uploading the transcription to your video, creating the perfect subtitles and captions.

Are you ready to troubleshoot your subtitles?

With the information now at your fingertips for why subtitles are not appearing in your Vimeo app, you can easily troubleshoot the problems as you come up against them. Whether it's because you haven't translated the transcription file into a specific language or the closed captioning hasn't been toggled on, you now know where to look.

You can use the automatic feature built into your paid Vimeo account or use your own transcription obtained from a third-party source. Happy Scribe is an excellent option because of its ability to provide translations and transcriptions with up to 99% accuracy, depending on the generation method you select. In addition, it supports many languages.

Vimeo makes the process of adding subtitling to your videos straightforward. However, as with any technology, there is room for error. Ensuring your videos are correct before you share them is essential to guarantee the best viewing experience for users.