Guide
How to add captions to a wedding toast or event speech on iPhone
Updated
To add captions to a wedding toast or event speech on iPhone, trim the speech in Photos, open it in CaptionAddr, let it transcribe the English speech on your iPhone, correct names in Edit Captions, then style the captions and export a captioned copy to Photos to share. Videos up to 2 minutes are free; CaptionAddr Pro covers up to 30 minutes.
Why caption a toast or speech
Speeches at weddings, birthdays, retirements and award nights are often recorded from across a loud room. Captions make every word easy to follow when the video is watched later, shared in a group chat or played with the sound off, and they help guests who are deaf or hard of hearing.
CaptionAddr burns the captions into the picture, so they stay with the video wherever you send it.
Caption a toast or event speech on iPhone
- Trim to the speech. In Photos, trim the recording so it starts just before the speaker begins and ends after the last line. This keeps it within your plan’s length and drops chatter before and after.
- Choose the video. Tap Select Video in CaptionAddr and pick the clip with Apple’s Photos picker. Vertical and landscape recordings both work, and the video keeps its shape.
- Let the captions generate. Captions start as soon as the video opens; keep the app open; the English speech is transcribed on your iPhone, not on a server.
- Correct names and inside jokes. In Edit Captions, fix the spelling of names, places and nicknames. You can edit, delete and reorder words, with undo and redo.
- Style and place the captions. Choose one of the 20 fonts and a size that reads on a phone, turn on the tinted background over a busy room, and drag the captions clear of the speaker’s face.
- Export and share. Tap Export Video to save the captioned copy to Photos, then send the captioned copy to family and friends or post it wherever you like.
Tips for clearer speech captions
- Record close to the speaker. A phone near the speaker, or a recording from the venue’s microphone, picks up far clearer words than a phone at the back of the room.
- Expect gaps during applause. Laughter, cheering and clinking glasses can cover words. Play those moments back in Edit Captions.
- Keep the band out of it. Speech over loud music is harder to transcribe, and a first dance or other music-only part has nothing to caption.
- Keep your original. CaptionAddr exports a new copy and leaves the original recording in your library.
Limits
- English only. CaptionAddr transcribes English speech and doesn’t translate, so a speech in another language won’t be captioned.
- No speaker labels. Captions show the words spoken, not who said them.
- Single-word captions. Words appear one at a time, timed automatically; full-sentence layouts and manual per-word timing aren’t available.
- Style controls. You choose the font, size, tinted background and position. Captions are always white uppercase text with a dark outline; there are no color controls.
- Length. Free covers videos up to 2 minutes; CaptionAddr Pro covers up to 30 minutes. The App Store shows the current Pro price in your currency.
- Burned-in captions only. There is no SRT, VTT or text export, and the app doesn’t post to social platforms.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add captions to a wedding speech video on iPhone?
Trim the speech in Photos, open it in CaptionAddr, generate captions on your iPhone, correct names in Edit Captions, choose a font and size, drag the captions into place and export a captioned copy to Photos.
Will it spell names correctly?
Not always. Unusual names, nicknames and places can be misheard. Correct them in Edit Captions before you share the video.
Can I caption a long speech or several toasts?
Free covers videos up to 2 minutes. CaptionAddr Pro, an optional monthly or annual subscription through Apple, covers videos up to 30 minutes. Longer recordings need to be trimmed or split into shorter clips.
Does the video get uploaded anywhere?
No. Speech is transcribed on your iPhone, and the captioned copy is saved to Photos. You decide where to share it.
Is there a watermark on the captioned video?
No watermark is required. A small CaptionAddr watermark is optional and off unless you turn it on.