How to Add Captions and Subtitles
WP Media Player supports VTT caption tracks through the Pro subtitle editor. Upload a VTT file, set its language label, and the player renders captions with a language switcher in the control bar. The free version includes the language switcher infrastructure and the captions toggle control; the subtitle editor that uploads and times VTT files requires Pro.
Upload a VTT File (Pro)
Open the video in the media editor and go to the Subtitle section. On Pro builds, the subtitle editor opens with a list of existing tracks and an Add button. Click Add to open the form.
Use the Media Library button to upload or select a VTT file. The file URL and filename fill in automatically. Choose a language from the dropdown — English, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu are available. Toggle Is Default on for the track that should play first when the viewer opens the captions menu.
Click Save to add the track to the list. Add as many languages as you need.
How Captions Appear on the Frontend
When a subtitle track is active, the captions render as text over the video at the timestamps defined in the VTT file. The viewer can turn captions on and off from the CC button in the control bar — this button is controlled by the Captions Toggle setting in the player preset.
If multiple languages are uploaded, the language switcher in the settings menu lets the viewer pick between them. The language switcher itself is enabled separately in the Multi-Language section of the media editor, which is available in the free version.
Captions vs. Chapters
Chapters are a separate free feature. When you add chapters to a video, WP Media Player can auto-generate a WebVTT file from the chapter titles and timestamps for use as a captions track. This is distinct from uploading a purpose-built subtitle file through the Pro editor.
What to Check
- The VTT file is listed in the subtitle editor with the correct language label
- Captions appear on the video at the right timestamps in the frontend preview
- The language switcher lists all uploaded tracks
- The CC button is visible in the control bar
Next Steps
Subtitles are one part of making your video accessible. For timed interactive content that appears at specific points in the video, see how to add interactive layers to place CTAs, hotspots, and forms over the player.