Burned-in captions vs. Instagram's own
Instagram can add basic captions, but the style is limited and viewers can turn them off. Burned-in animated captions are part of the video itself, so they always show, they match your brand colors, and the same file works on TikTok and YouTube Shorts too.
Where to place captions on a Reel
The bottom of a Reel is covered by your caption text, username and audio, and the right side by the buttons. Keep captions slightly above the lower part of the screen and avoid covering your face. Use the Position slider to move them, and check by playing the preview.
Make your Reel easy to read
Big, bold words with a dark outline stay readable on any background. Pick two to four words per caption so each one is on screen long enough to read, and use the Text tab to fix names, products or slang the AI didn't catch.