How to add closed captions to on-demand videos

The below described feature will be available starting September 10, 2024.

In addition to making closed captions or subtitles available to your attendees to switch on during live sessions, you can also upload closed caption files that will be enabled in your VOD (on-demand video or live session replays).

This can be done via Backstage:

• In the Video library or Content hub
• In the live session VOD settings

Note: The closed caption files must be in VTT format, with a maximum file size of 1MB.

Tip: If you have used Wordly as part of our services for your closed captions during live sessions, you can contact your SpotMe Project Manager and request the closed captions file(s) in VTT format, in order to upload them to the on-demand video.

Adding closed captions to the VOD in the Video library or Content hub

In the Video library or Content hub, you can select any video that is present in order to add the closed caption languages and files to it.

In the video details page, you can do this by clicking on Add closed captions +:

The language options that are initially displayed are the ones that are selected in the workspace settings:

Here you can edit the closed caption language options by adding, editing and removing languages if needed, and select the appropriate closed caption file for each language.

To note, the language options that correspond to the workspace languages (per the workplace settings) cannot be deleted here.

The trashcan buttons in the above screenshot can be used to remove the selected closed caption files from the language options.

Once you have adjusted the closed caption languages and selected the files to upload, click on Save to complete the upload. The system will check that the files are valid, and will of so will proceed with the upload. You'll see the file(s) upload take place in the pop-up in the bottom left of the screen:

Once they are uploaded, you can use the video preview in the top left of the screen to select and see the closed captions being displayed while the video is playing.

Important: After uploading closed caption files to you on-demand video, you should always check to see that your attendees can enable them, and that the timing of the closed captions are synchronized with the video/audio.

Remember to click on Save in the video details page after the upload is completed.

As soon as the closed caption languages and files are added to the on-demand video, they will be accessible for attendees to enable when watching the video.

Note: Only the closed caption language options that actually have a close caption file that is uploaded will be available for attendees to enable when watching the video.

Tip: You can follow the same instructions as explained above when adding closed captions to an on-demand video in the Content hub.

Adding closed captions via the live session VOD settings

After the live session has taken place and has a "Past" or "Published" status, you can go to the live stream VOD settings in order to enable and add closed captions to the live session replay.

You can do this by clicking on Add closed captions + in the settings window:

From here you can follow the instructions described above in the Adding closed captions in the Video library or Content hub section.