# Creating a captions encode by cloning
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You can create one captions encode and clone it among several outputs. The *source* encode could be an encode that you created from scratch, or it could be an encode that was itself created by cloning. For example, create *captions-1*, then clone it to *captions-2*, then clone *captions-2* to *captions-3*.

Note that the procedure for cloning a captions encode is nearly identical to the procedure for cloningg a video encode or captions encode.

1. On the **Create channel** page, find the output group that you [created](creating-a-channel-step4.md). 

1. Under that output group, find the output where you want to set up a captions encode.

1. The output might contain a captions encode that MediaLive has automatically added. If you don't plan to use this captions encode, remove it. Choose the captions encode and choose **Remove captions**.

1. Create a new captions. Choose **Add captions**. A menu appears that includes the option **Use an existing captions description**, followed by a list of the captions that currently exist in the entire channel. Choose the captions that you want to use.

1. Choose the captions encode that you want to use as the source for the new captions encode.

1. On the dialog that appears, choose **Clone the existing settings**. The fields for the encode appear, with the fields showing the values from the source encode.

1. Complete other fields as appropriate, to configure the captions encode. For detailed information about setting up captions encodes, see [Create captions encodes](create-captions-encodes.md).

1. Keep in mind that this cloned encode is a new encode instance. If you change fields, you don't affect the source encode.