What's the best caption font for TikTok?

Arial Black and Poppins Bold are the most popular. They're thick enough to read on small screens and neutral enough to work with any content type. For a more unique look, try Bebas Neue (all-caps display font) or Lato Bold.

Should I use word-by-word highlighting or show full sentences?

Word-by-word highlighting performs better in almost every case. It keeps the viewer's eyes on the screen, creates a reading rhythm that matches the audio, and increases watch time. Full-sentence captions are only better for long-form content where reading speed matters more than engagement.

What caption colors work best?

White text with a yellow highlight is the safest choice — it works on any background and any content type. For professional content, white text with a subtle drop shadow. For entertainment, experiment with neon colors (cyan, green, hot pink) on dark backgrounds.

How many words should I show per line?

For 9:16 vertical video: 3-4 words per line. For 16:9 horizontal: 5-7 words. For 1:1 square: 4-5 words. Fewer words per line means larger text, which means better readability on mobile. Never show more than 2 lines at once.

Can I change caption styles after generating clips?

With tools like Dubcap, yes. The clip editor lets you switch templates, change fonts, adjust colors, and reposition captions — all with a live preview. Changes are non-destructive: your original transcript is always preserved, so you can reset and try a different style. --- **Related guides:** [Best Fonts for Video Captions](/blog/best-fonts-video-captions-2026) | [AI-Assisted vs. Automatic Clipping](/blog/ai-assisted-vs-automatic-video-clipping) | [9:16 vs 16:9 Aspect Ratio Guide](/blog/9-16-vs-16-9-aspect-ratio-guide) | [How to Add Captions to Short-Form Video](/blog/how-to-add-captions-short-form-video) | [Hook-First Editing Guide](/blog/hook-first-editing-guide-2026) | [How to Measure Video Performance](/blog/measure-short-form-video-performance-analytics) *Ready to try these caption styles on your own content? [Dubcap](https://dubcap.app) gives you 13+ caption templates with full styling control — font, size, color, positioning, and word-by-word highlighting. Upload a video and start editing for free.*

Caption Style Guide: How to Design Better Video Subtitles in 2026

Caption Style Guide: How to Design Better Video Subtitles in 2026 — Dubcap Blog