How to Edit Captions in Panopto

Summary

This guide will show you how to edit captions in Panopto to ensure your video content is accurate and accessible. Editing captions can help improve clarity and meet accessibility requirements.

Info

Important - Please note the following before reading on:

Compliance with EU Accessibility Regulations

EU Accessibility Regulations require that pre-recorded videos must only be released once accurate captions are in place. Please note that different standards apply to captioning for live lectures.

Handling Pre-recorded Videos

Pre-recorded videos should remain hidden until accurate captions are available, as automatic captions alone are often insufficient without manual quality checking. To comply with these regulations, it’s possible to hide individual videos from your cohort if they are stored in a Panopto folder that has already been shared but the captions are not yet ready.

Guidance on hiding individual videos (making them “unavailable”).

Need Help with Captioning?

As of February 2021, the University has established a central pool of student captioners who can assist with this work.

Learn more about using the Central Captioning Pool to hire and book a Student Captioning Assistant.

Accessing the Caption Editor

1. Log in to Panopto
   Go to Panopto and sign in with your University of York credentials.

2. Find Your Video
   Use the search bar or navigate through your folders to locate the video you want to edit.

3. Open the Editor
   Hover over the video thumbnail, then click on the Edit button.

Editing Captions

1. Access the Captions Tab
   In the editor, click on the Captions tab on the left-hand side.

1. Review and Edit Captions
   • Click on any caption text to make corrections to the auto-generated captions.
   • Modify the text for accuracy, clarity, and punctuation.

1. Adjust Caption Timing
   • To synchronize captions with audio, adjust the start and end times by dragging the handles or manually entering the time.

Saving and Applying Edits

1. Preview Changes
   Play the video in the editor to ensure captions are correct and properly timed.

2. Save Changes
   Click Apply in the top-right corner to save your edits. Choose whether to replace the existing session or create a new version.

3. Confirm Changes
   Return to your video library, open the video, and check that your changes are reflected.

Best Practices

• Keep Captions Concise: Aim for one to two lines per caption for readability.
• Ensure Accuracy: Double-check the spelling of names, technical terms, and punctuation.
• Consistency: Use consistent capitalization and formatting across captions.

Troubleshooting

• Misaligned Captions: Adjust the timestamps if captions do not sync with audio.
• Missing Captions: Verify that captions are enabled and properly uploaded.
• Saving Issues: Ensure a stable internet connection; try applying changes again if edits do not save.

More Details and Troubleshooting

• Visit our comprehesive Panopto Recordings and Captions guide for details on how to edit captions on a larger scale and for more complex editing and troubleshooting tips page.