How do I add auto-generated captions to my media file in Canvas Studio?

In Canvas Studio auto-generated captions are added to your uploaded media by default. The automatic tool uses technology to transcribe media file language with 85% accuracy.  Automatic captioning can also be set to auto-publish; this feature is turned off by default. Unless the settings have been locked by your district, you can manage your auto-captioning and auto-publishing settings in the Personal settings menu.

Auto-generated captions are not available for YouTube or Vimeo media uploads. For these media types, you can upload caption files or create captions manually. For other media types uploaded before March 25, 2024, automatic captioning can be added to the media file by request.

If professional captioning is available in your district, the Professional option is available in the Captions request window.  Professional captioning uses a human captioner who transcribes media files with up to  99% accuracy.

Auto-generated captioning is supported for the following languages: Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish.

Notes:

  • If auto-captioning and auto-publish settings can not be changed in your user account, they have been set and locked by your district.
  • After Canvas Studio Media contains captions, other users can download the transcript of the media.
  • Professional captioning is only available if your district contracts with professional captioning services Verbit or Cielo24.
  • If the professional captioning option does not display in the Captions request window, professional captioning is not currently available in your district. Contact your admin for more information.

Locate  Media

In Studio, the My Library page opens by default. The library displays media preview tiles with the most recently added media displayed first.

To search for a media file, click the Search icon [1]. To sort media by title, click the Sort By drop-down menu [2]. To filter media by collection, or caption status, click the Filter by drop-down menu [3].

Note: Media that includes captions displays the Caption icon [4].

Open Media

Open Media

Hover your cursor over the media thumbnail and click the View button.

Open Captions

Open Captions

To request automatic captioning for media uploaded before March 25, 2024, click the Captions tab [1]. To request a caption transcript, click the Request button [2].

Request Automatic Captions

Request Captions

To select the language spoken in the file, click the Language drop-down menu [1].

To confirm your request, click the Request button [2].

Notes: If the professional captioning option does not display in the Captions request window, professional captioning is not currently available in your district.

Request Professional Captions

Request Professional Captions

If  professional human captioning is available in your district, the Professional option displays. To select professional captioning, click the Professional radio button [1].

To select the language spoken in the media file, click the Language drop-down menu [2].

Captioning service types vary based on the captioning provider. To select a service type from the services available from your district's provider, click the Service type drop-down menu [3].

To confirm your request, click the Request button [4].

View Queued Caption Request

View the queued caption requests.

Caption requests that are in progress display the Processing status marker [1].

Caption requests that have been denied or failed display the Failed status marker [2].

You will receive an email notification when the caption transcript is complete.

Note: Canvas Studio allows one automatic and one professional captioning file per language, per media file.

Review and Publish Automatic Caption File

In the Captions tab, the publish status displays [1]. For automatic captions to display in your media, you must review and publish the file.  

To review and publish the file, click the Options icon [2]. Then, click the Review and Publish link [3].

Review Caption File

If you are using automatic captions, you can make any desired edits to the caption file in the caption editor.

To publish the captions, click the Publish button [1].

To close the caption editor without publishing, click the Close button [2].  

Manage Published Captions

To manage published captions, click the Options icon [1]. To review or edit captions, click the Edit link [2]. To download the caption file, click the Download link [3]. To replace the caption file with a file from your computer, click the Replace link [4]. To delete the caption file, click the Delete link [5].

Note: Canvas Studio caption files download as SRT files. After downloading, you can convert caption files into word processing files on most computers.

Enable Captions

Enable Captions

By default, captions are turned off. To turn on captions in the media, click the Toggle Captions On icon.

Notes:

  • The Toggle Captions On icon only displays if the media has captions.
  • The captions icon is accessible from the Settings menu on screens that are 480px wide or smaller.