Instagram launches auto-generated captions videos in the feed

What you need to know

Instagram has launched auto-generated captions.
Users will now be able to see the auto-generated captions on videos in the app’s feed.
The news comes as the company announced it is shutting down the IGTV app.

Instagram is playing catchup with YouTube on this one.

If you’ve ever watched a video on YouTube, you’ve notived the option for captions. While those who upload the video can manually add their own closed captions, YouTube will also offer to automatically generate captions for videos as well.

Now, it appears that Instagram is playing catchup to YouTube. Today, the company announced that it is bringing auto-generated captions to videos in teh feed of the Instagram app. According to the announcement, the feature will work for seventeen languages at launch.

We’re excited to share auto-generated captions for IG Feed videos.

Adding captions makes Instagram more accessible for those in the deaf/hard-of-hearing communities🧏🦻. You will have the option to turn captions on (or off).

Available in 17 languages (with more to come).

We’re excited to share auto-generated captions for IG Feed videos.

Adding captions makes Instagram more accessible for those in the deaf/hard-of-hearing communities🧏🦻. You will have the option to turn captions on (or off).

Available in 17 languages (with more to come). pic.twitter.com/DiaFa95o7U

— Instagram (@instagram) March 1, 2022

The news comes a day after the company revealed that it would be shutting down the IGTV app in favor of video in the main Instagram app with Instagram Video (Feed Video and Reels). Instead of trying to keep the separate IGTV app going, the company has decided to invest more heavily in Reels, its TikTok competitor.

Instagram says auto-generated captions for videos in the feed should be showing up for users starting today.