Auto Captions for Instagram Story Videos
Auto captions for Instagram Story videos: upload your clip and your spoken words appear as animated captions, timed to each word, placed where they stay visible.
Create an account to generate and export your captions.
Stories play muted by default
Instagram Stories are short and often watched without sound. If you speak, viewers miss the message unless you add captions. Sycamore transcribes your voice and syncs each word so the text appears as you talk.
You keep the visual focus on the video. The captions can sit at the top, center or bottom, so they never cover the reply bar at the bottom of the Story.
Common caption mistakes for Stories
Putting captions at the bottom where the reply bar sits.
Select top or center placement so viewers can still tap reply.
Using a font color that blends with the background.
Choose a contrasting text color and a highlight color that stands out.
Showing a whole sentence at once during a quick tip.
Lower words per line so each burst of speech reads in a glance.
Styles that fit short Stories
Beast
Highlight Words
Word Pop
Staircase
Add captions to a Story in four steps
Upload the video
Drop an MP4, MOV or WebM of your Story. The free plan lets you caption up to 10 minutes.
Pick a style and position
Choose a caption template, then set the captions to top or center so they stay clear of the reply bar.
Fix any errors
Click any word in the transcript that’s wrong, type the correct word, and the timing stays intact.
Export and post
Export a captioned MP4 and upload it to Instagram Stories as you normally would.
Calculate speaking time for a Story
The Speaking Time Calculator shows how long your spoken script will run, helping you stay under Instagram's 15‑second limit.
Before you post your captioned Story
- Captions sit above the reply bar
- Text color contrasts with the video background
- Words per line are short enough to read quickly
- Highlight color stands out
- Exported video is 9:16 or 1:1 for Stories
Caption your next Story
Frequently
Asked Questions
How do I add auto captions to an Instagram Story?
Upload your video to Sycamore, pick a caption template, adjust the position, fix any transcript errors, then export the MP4 and upload it to Stories.
Can I keep captions out of the reply bar at the bottom?
Yes. You can place captions at the top or center, so the reply bar stays visible.
Do I need to edit timing after fixing a word?
No. Click the word, type the correction and the timing remains where it was.
What video formats does Sycamore accept for Stories?
MP4, MOV and WebM files. The export is an MP4 ready for Instagram.
Is there a limit on video length for the free plan?
The free plan lets you caption up to 10 minutes of video, enough for several Stories.