Subtitle problems
Subtitles not showing on TikTok: text, not files
Short answer
On TikTok, subtitles that never appear are usually not a broken file: TikTok's help documents captions as text you add in the app, and does not document uploading a subtitle file for a video post. The documented route is the Text tool on the editing screen. If you want the exact words, timing and styling of an .srt file, burn them into the picture before you upload, and keep them clear of the areas the player covers.
Key takeaways
- TikTok's editing help documents a Text tool on the editing screen, not a subtitle file upload.
- Text added in the app is an object you place and time by dragging its handles.
- Burned-in captions are the only file-based route, so they are the plan for exact wording.
- TikTok's ad help notes that ad captions are limited to four lines, so keep lines short.
- Text near the bottom and right edges is covered by the interface, not cropped.
Caption track or burned-in text: which one you have
A caption track is a separate data track: the platform can switch it off, translate it, restyle it or refuse to load it, and the text keeps its own timing. Burned-in text is pixels in the picture. It cannot be switched off, restyled or mistimed by the player, but it cannot be translated either and it becomes part of the image forever.
That difference decides the fix. If the destination documents a subtitle upload for your surface, fix the file. If it does not, the only route that survives is burned-in text.
| What the platform documents | Track | Burned in |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube (Studio) | Upload a file, auto-sync, type manually, auto-translate | Works, but you own the styling |
| Auto captions are generated, with review before publish | Works | |
| TikTok | In-app Text tool; no subtitle file upload documented | Works, and is the only file route |
| No caption track documented for Pins | Works |
Where a platform documents neither, the burned-in route is not a workaround: it is the documented behavior. The table above lists only what each help page states.
Find your case
| What you see | What it usually means | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing appears where you expected captions | No subtitle file upload exists on this surface, so nothing was attached | Add text in the app or burn captions in (steps 2 and 5) |
| Text appears but disappears too early | The text clip is shorter than the speech it covers | Drag the handles to lengthen it (step 3) |
| Text covers the right side or the caption line | It sits in the interface area | Move it inside the safe zone (step 4) |
| Only the first line of a long sentence shows | The line is longer than the display allows | Split it into shorter lines (step 3) |
| Captions show on your screen only | A draft, or the post is not public | Post it publicly and re-check (step 1) |
| Words are misspelled or auto-wrong | Speech-to-text produced them | Edit the text before posting (step 2) |
Fix it step by step
Post publicly before you judge what a viewer sees
TikTok's making-a-post help notes that a new post keeps the privacy setting of your previous post, so a post can end up private and only visible to you. Check the privacy setting before deciding that something is missing for everyone.
NextManage privacy settingsPost
Add the text with TikTok's Text tool
On the editing screen, tap Text at the bottom, type the line, then tap Continue. Tap the text on the preview screen to edit it, or tap Edit at the bottom. TikTok documents no subtitle file upload for video posts, so this is the documented way to put words on the picture.
Add postUploadNextEditText
Time and size the text by dragging
To change how long the text stays, hold and drag the arrow on either side of it to make it shorter or longer. To duplicate it, tap the text sticker or the text below the video track and tap Copy; the copy is inserted directly below the original. TikTok's ads help notes that ad captions display a maximum of four lines, so keep lines short.
Move the text out of the interface area
Text near the bottom sits under the caption, sound and button column. TikTok's ad help says the safe zone depends on the format and caption length and offers downloadable safe-zone files, so use the overlay to check a placement before you commit to it.
Burn captions in when wording and timing must be exact
Render the file yourself:
ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -vf "subtitles=subs.srt" -c:a copy -c:v libx264 -crf 20 out.mp4. The subtitles filter requires an FFmpeg built with libass, so build it once and every cue lands exactly where the .srt says.Check the upload itself if the post looks wrong
TikTok's own troubleshooting for posting problems is short and worth doing once: switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data, clear the app video cache, restart the app and device, and make sure you are on the latest version of the app.
Safe area for a 1080×1920 video
| Edge | Keep text out of | Pixels |
|---|---|---|
| Top | 12.5% | 240 px |
| Bottom | 34.4% | 660 px |
| Left | 11.1% | 120 px |
| Right | 11.1% | 120 px |
| Button column | x 72-89%, y 44-66% | 780-960 × 840-1260 px |
Official guidance. Source: TikTok Auction In-Feed Ads: Safe zone files (TikTok Ads Help), checked 2026-10-03. Published for TikTok In-Feed ads. Organic posts can differ, and the right-hand button column (shaded) is excluded as well.
Text on TikTok, from the official help page
| Tool | Text, on the editing screen |
|---|---|
| Add step | Tap Continue, then tap the text to edit |
| Timing | Drag the arrow on either side of the text |
| Copy | Tap Copy to duplicate the text below the original |
| Per post | Up to 35 items, up to 8 overlays, one sound |
| Subtitle file upload | Not documented · burn captions in for a file-based route |
Burning captions in: the whole command
The subtitles filter draws the cue text into the picture. FFmpeg documents that it needs libass and converts the file to ASS internally, which is why plain .srt files work.
ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -vf "subtitles=subs.srt" -c:a copy -c:v libx264 -crf 20 out.mp4burns the text and keeps the original audio stream.ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -vf "subtitles=subs.srt:force_style='FontName=DejaVu Sans,FontSize=16,MarginV=120'" out.mp4sets the font and lifts the text off the bottom edge.- Render the same line twice at two positions if you need to check the safe area, then delete the worse one.
Computed: at 1080 × 1920, a MarginV of 120 px lifts the baseline 120 px up, which is 6.3% of the frame height. TikTok's own interface occupies far more than that at the bottom.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my TikTok subtitles not show?
TikTok documents captions as text added in the app with the Text tool, and does not document a subtitle file upload for video posts. So an uploaded .srt never attaches: add the text in the app, or burn it into the video.
Can I upload an SRT to TikTok?
TikTok's help does not document it. The documented caption route is in-app text; for file-based captions, render them into the picture before uploading.
How long can TikTok text stay on screen?
As long as you drag the handles to make it, within the clip's length. TikTok's editing help describes dragging the arrow on either side to change the duration.
Why is my TikTok text cut off on the right?
The interface sits over that part of the frame. TikTok's ad help says the safe zone depends on the format and caption length and provides safe-zone files to check a placement.
Sources
- TikTok Help: Editing TikTok videos and photos (official, checked 2026-10-07)
- TikTok Help: Making a post (official, checked 2026-10-07)
- TikTok Ads Help: Auction In-Feed Ads (formats, safe zone) (official, checked 2026-10-07)
- FFmpeg Documentation: Video filters (crop, pad, scale, setsar, subtitles) (official, checked 2026-10-07)
Reviewed 2026-10-07. Steps not attributed to a source are general video practice or computed above.