> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.descript.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Captions

> Add a captions layer, apply a caption style, and customize your captions in Descript's Properties panel.

export const Wistia = ({id, title = "Video", ratio = "16 / 9"}) => <Frame>
    <iframe className="w-full rounded-xl" style={{
  aspectRatio: ratio
}} src={`https://fast.wistia.net/embed/iframe/${id}?seo=false`} title={title} allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowFullScreen />
  </Frame>;

Descript builds captions straight from your script, so they're timed and synced automatically with your media.

<Wistia id="jyszqg6cx9" title="Captions in Descript" />

## Add a captions layer

1. Open the right-hand sidebar and click the **Captions** panel.
2. Choose where to apply captions: use the toggle at the top to apply captions to the current scene or all scenes. [Learn more about scenes](/getting-started/scenes).
3. Click a caption style from the sidebar. Descript applies the selected font, colors, and animation to your composition.

## Find a caption preset

**Search** by name, or **Filter** by style to narrow the list. **Sort** the results by default order, recently used, or alphabetically. Descript's older caption styles are grouped under the **Legacy** category and sit at the bottom of the list.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/descript-5bf56f3f/ntnW-PyUcVzI9V2-/images/captionsPresets.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ntnW-PyUcVzI9V2-&q=85&s=5ae770223bd211b046826ad73fc18b89" alt="Captions panel showing available presets, filter, and sort options" width="1738" height="929" data-path="images/captionsPresets.png" />
</Frame>

## Switch to a different preset

**Select your captions layer first.** With the layer selected, click a new preset to apply the new style.

If a captions layer is not already selected, clicking one of the available presets adds a *new* captions layer instead of restyling the one you have.

## Style your captions

Select a captions layer, then open [the Properties panel](/descript-tour/properties-panel) to customize it. Changes apply to the selected scene or captions layer.

You can adjust:

* Font, size, and alignment
* Text and background colors, including [gradients](/visuals/color-stroke#apply-a-gradient)
* [Stroke and outline](/visuals/color-stroke#apply-a-stroke-or-border)
* Active word: the fill, stroke, and background of the word currently being spoken
* Future words: the fill and stroke of words not yet spoken
* Line animation: animate each word, line, or paragraph as it arrives and exits the screen. [Learn more about text animations](/effects-animations-transitions/text-animations#available-text-animations)

<Note>
  **One-word presets**

  Presets that show a single word at a time don't have future words to style, so the **Future words** adjustments won't apply.
</Note>

## Convert a text layer to captions

Convert any text layer to a captions layer:

1. Select the text layer, then click the **ellipsis button** in the selection toolbar.
2. In the right-hand sidebar, open the **Type** dropdown and switch from **Freeform** to **Captions**.

## Add captions for multiple speakers

Create a separate captions layer for each speaker to make dialogue easier to follow visually.

1. With nothing selected, click a preset in the **Captions** panel to add a new layer.
2. Select the captions layer in the scene or timeline, then open [the Properties panel](/descript-tour/properties-panel).
3. Click the **options slider icon** next to the layer type and choose the speaker from the dropdown.
4. Repeat for each speaker as needed.

Each captions layer can be styled and positioned independently.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/descript-5bf56f3f/ntnW-PyUcVzI9V2-/images/captionsSpeakerProperties.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ntnW-PyUcVzI9V2-&q=85&s=0e98d3445e312ec3fd966e45411a8278" alt="Speaker dropdown for a captions layer in the Properties panel" width="1696" height="929" data-path="images/captionsSpeakerProperties.png" />
</Frame>

## Remove captions

To delete a captions layer without affecting your script:

* Select the captions layer in the scene or timeline.
* Press <kbd>Delete</kbd> on your keyboard, or right-click and choose **Delete**.


## Related topics

- [Animate text and captions](/effects-animations-transitions/text-animations.md)
- [Translate your captions into another language](/repurpose/translate-captions.md)
- [Correcting misspelled captions after uploading to YouTube](/export-and-share/youtube-correct-captions.md)
- [Record in a Descript Room](/record/record-in-a-descript-room.md)
- [Wordless media in your script (Beta)](/script-editing/wordless-media.md)