---
title: Delivering WebVTT subtitles and captions in HLS
framework: http-live-streaming
role: article
role_heading: Article
path: http-live-streaming/delivering-subtitles-and-captions
---

# Delivering WebVTT subtitles and captions in HLS

Add WebVTT subtitle and caption tracks to your HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) streams, and declare their absence when a stream doesn’t carry captions.

## Overview

Overview WebVTT (Web Video Text Tracks) is the standard format for delivering captions and subtitles in HLS streams. Apple devices running iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and tvOS play WebVTT tracks and support multiple languages. When your media stream or interstitial doesn’t include subtitles or captions, add CLOSED-CAPTIONS=NONE to every #EXT-X-STREAM-INF tag in your HLS multivariant playlist. The following sample stream variant declares that no closed captions are available: #EXT-X-STREAM-INF:BANDWIDTH=2500000,RESOLUTION=1920x1080,CODECS="avc1.4d401f,mp4a.40.2",CLOSED-CAPTIONS=NONE Configure subtitle tracks in the multivariant playlist The following attributes apply to EXT-X-MEDIA tags with TYPE=SUBTITLES in your multivariant playlist:  |  |  |  |   |  |  |  |   |  |  |  |   |  |  |  |   |  |  |  |   |  |  |  |   |  |  |  |   |  |  |  |   |  |  |  |  Synchronize subtitle timing with video segments Follow these guidelines to keep subtitle cues aligned with the audio and video timeline: Format caption text for readability Follow these general accessibility guidelines when you author caption text, as targets rather than hard HLS requirements:

## See Also

- [Authoring multivariant and media playlists](http-live-streaming/multivariant-and-media-playlists.md)
- [Encoding media for HLS](http-live-streaming/encoding-media.md)
- [Configuring delivery for HLS](http-live-streaming/configuring-delivery.md)
- [Delivering ad interstitials in podcast streams](http-live-streaming/delivering-ad-interstitials.md)
- [Reviewing sample playlists and validating streams](http-live-streaming/examples-and-validation.md)
- [Handling downloads and playback](http-live-streaming/downloads-and-playback.md)