Displaying CaptionHub captions on SharePoint and OneDrive videos
How to upload captions to SharePoint and OneDrive
When you use the CaptionHub SharePoint connector, your finished captions are delivered as WebVTT (.vtt) files back to the same folder as your media. You may notice these captions don't appear automatically when you play the video in SharePoint or OneDrive — only Microsoft's own automatically generated captions show up. This article explains why, and how to get your CaptionHub captions to display on the video.
SharePoint's video player doesn't pick up caption files simply because they sit in the same folder as the video. A caption track has to be attached to the video itself through the player — a quick, one-time step per video.
Why the caption file doesn't appear on its own
The video player in SharePoint and OneDrive (Microsoft Stream) only displays captions that are registered against the video. It doesn't look for .vtt files stored next to the media, so the file the connector places in your folder stays there as an ordinary file until you attach it. Microsoft's automatic captions appear because they're generated and registered on the video for you; your CaptionHub .vtt simply needs to be added in the same way.
Attaching a caption file to your video
You'll need edit permission on the video file. Because the player uploads captions from your computer, first download the .vtt from your SharePoint or OneDrive folder to your device.
- In SharePoint or OneDrive, click the video so it opens in the built-in player.
- Select
Video settingson the right-hand side of the player.
- Expand the
Transcripts and captionssection if it isn't already open.
- Select
Upload, then choose the language of your file — this is the label viewers see when they turn captions on.
- Choose
Select fileand pick your CaptionHub.vtt. If you pick the wrong file, use theXicon to remove it and try again.
- Turn captions on with the
CCbutton in the player controls to check the track displays correctly.
Removing Microsoft's automatic captions
Microsoft's automatically generated captions don't disappear when you add your own. If both are in the same language, viewers will see two entries in the CC menu. To make your CaptionHub captions the only ones shown, delete the automatic transcript: open Video settings, expand Transcripts and captions, then select Delete from the ... menu next to the automatic entry. If you remove the wrong one, you can restore it from the file's version history.
If you'd prefer Microsoft's automatic captions were never generated in the first place, a Microsoft 365 administrator can switch them off across your organisation. Ask your IT team about the Media Transcription setting.
Replacing or updating captions
To swap an existing caption file for a new version, open Video settings, expand Transcripts and captions, and choose Replace from the ... menu next to the track you want to update.
Things to keep in mind
- Each caption file must be under 4 MB.
- The player keeps your caption timings and text, but strips out styling, positioning and comments on upload, so captions display in the player's standard format.
- Uploaded captions are stored with the video and inherit its permissions — anyone who can view the video can see the captions. They won't show as a separate file in the folder view.
Need more help?
If your captions still don't appear after following these steps, raise a ticket at app.captionhub.com/support and our team will be glad to help.