Closed Captioning in Google Drive - The Accessibility Guy

Today’s blog post explores how to add a caption track to an MP4 file directly in Google Drive.

If you already store and share videos in Google Drive, this feature enhances your accessibility workflow. You can upload your own caption file, choose the language, test the captions during playback, and adjust how they appear on screen.

Video Guide

Why Add Captions in Google Drive?

Captions make video content easier to access for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. They also help people who watch videos without sound or need extra support following spoken information.

If your video already lives in Google Drive, you can add a caption track directly to the file, allowing you to stay in the same folder where you already manage your documents and other resources.

Add a Caption Track

Open Google Drive and locate the MP4 file you want to caption. From the folder menu select:

More actions
File information
Manage caption tracks

Google Drive will open the caption management window.

Before uploading your SRT file, review and edit it for accuracy, timing, names, and technical terms. Google Drive doesn’t allow edits once the caption file is uploaded.

Once the file is ready, open Manage caption tracks. Google Drive will show an automatically generated caption track, which you can keep if you want viewers to have another option.

Select Add new caption track, choose Upload, then select your edited SRT file from your computer. The SRT file contains the caption text and timestamps that control when each caption appears during playback.

Test the Caption Track

Open the video and select Play.

Use the closed caption button in the video player to turn captions on. Watch several parts of the video to check that the captions appear at the correct time. If the timing or wording needs work, update the original caption file and upload the corrected version.

Adjust Caption Settings

Open the Settings menu in the Google Drive video player and select the subtitle or CC options. From there, switch between uploaded caption tracks, automatic captions, and other available languages.

The display options allow you to customize captions for readability, including the font, size, background color, and opacity.

TL;DR Simple Captioning Workflow

Here is the full process:

Record or upload your MP4 video.
Create a transcript or caption file; we used OtterAI.
Review the captions for accuracy.
Export the captions as an SRT file.
Locate the video in Google Drive.
Open File information and select Manage caption tracks.
Add the new caption track.
Select the correct language.
Upload the file.
Play the video and test the captions.

Google Drive makes it possible to add and manage captions directly where you already store your videos, giving viewers a more accessible way to engage with your content.

Let me be your champion for inclusion. I offer tailored solutions (and self-paced courses!) to ensure your documents meet and exceed compliance expectations. For more detailed insights, tutorials, and in-depth discussions on accessibility and related topics, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel: The Accessibility Guy on YouTube. Subscribe for regular updates!