# Open captions vs closed captions for video ads

> Open captions are burned into the picture. Closed captions are a file viewers switch on. Where each fits on Meta and LinkedIn ads, and where to place text.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-05
- **Category**: Creative
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-compare/open-captions-vs-closed-captions

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Open captions are burned into the video and always show, while closed captions are a separate file or track a viewer can switch on. Use open captions when the look must stay the same everywhere, and closed captions where a platform takes a caption file, as LinkedIn does with SRT.

## Side by side

| | Open captions | Closed captions |
|---|---|---|
| What they are | Burned into the picture | A separate file or track |
| Viewer can turn off | No | Yes |
| Style | Any font, colour and animation you design | Plain text. SRT has no text-style standard |
| Files | One video | A video plus a file such as SRT |
| To change them | Re-export the video | Edit the file |
| LinkedIn video ads | Burn them into the video | Upload an SRT file: plain text, no font colours |

## How to export each way

| Tool | Open (burned in) | Closed (file) |
|---|---|---|
| Premiere Pro | Export > Captions > Export Options > Burn Captions Into Video | Export Options > Create Sidecar File, then SubRip (.srt) |
| Final Cut Pro | Share > Roles > Captions > Burn in captions | File > Export Closed Captions (SRT) |
| DaVinci Resolve | Render subtitles into the final video | Export as TTML, SRT or VTT |

Adobe says burned-in text "cannot be disabled on playback". Final Cut Pro splits the two: Subtitles are styled title clips, and Closed Captions sit on a separate track.

## A worked example

Meta says to leave roughly 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side free of text on Reels and Stories ads (checked 3 Nov 2026). Say you burn captions into a 1080 x 1920 Reel ad.

- Top margin: 14% of 1,920 = about 269 px.
- Bottom margin: 35% of 1,920 = 672 px.
- Side margin: 6% of 1,080 = about 65 px.

Your captions fit in a band from 269 px down to 1,248 px, about 979 px tall and 950 px wide. The pixel figures are our arithmetic, not Meta's numbers. See [Meta's Reels spec](https://en-gb.facebook.com/business/ads-guide/update/video/instagram-reels).

## When to use each

- **Open captions:** short ads where the caption look is part of the creative.
- **Closed captions:** platforms that take a caption file, and videos you will re-caption later.
- **Both:** burn in a styled version for ads, and keep an SRT for editing and other uses.

## Where Marxx fits

[Marxx's AI video editor](/features/ai-video-editor) adds word-by-word captions in styles trending on Reels and Shorts, imports SRT, VTT or ASS, and exports SRT or VTT. It also has safe-zone overlays for Reels, Stories, Shorts and TikTok. We make Marxx.

## FAQ

### Do Meta ads need captions?

Meta's spec pages call captions and sound "optional but recommended". Its developer blog says over 75% of Reels views are sound on. Captions still serve the viewers with sound off.

### Can I upload an SRT to LinkedIn?

Yes. LinkedIn's help page says captions must be an SRT file with plain text only. Its spec page calls captions optional.

### Where do I start?

Read [how to add captions to video ads](/guides/how-to-add-captions-to-video-ads). Then check sizes in [9:16 vs 4:5 video ads](/compare/9-16-vs-4-5-video-ads).

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