Guide
How to add subtitles to a video
Adding subtitles takes two steps: get a subtitle file (an SRT with timed lines), then either burn it into the picture or upload it alongside the video. You can type the SRT yourself, generate it automatically from the audio, or use one you already have. Burned-in captions show everywhere. Soft captions can be switched on and off and translated.
No subtitle file yet? Type one in any text editor or export one from your video editor's caption feature. Then burn subtitles hard-codes it into the video. Your video never leaves your device.
How to add subtitles with Videozify
- Create your SRT: type it in Notepad or TextEdit, or export captions from an editor that has auto captions (Clipchamp, CapCut, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve).
- If your captions are in VTT, ASS or another format, convert them to SRT with the subtitle converter.
- Skim the SRT in any text editor to fix names or jargon.
- Open Burn subtitles, drop the same video, then choose your SRT and a caption style such as Bold or Boxed.
- Press Burn in subtitles and wait for the progress bar.
- Preview the captioned video and download the MP4, ready for Reels, TikTok, LinkedIn or a presentation.
Soft subtitles vs burned-in captions
Soft subtitles live in a separate file (SRT or VTT) or a separate track inside the video container. Players show them on top of the picture, and viewers can turn them off, resize them or pick a language. Course platforms, video sites, media players, smart TVs and HTML5 web players all support them.
Burned-in (open or hard-coded) captions are drawn into the pixels. They can't be turned off, but they show on every platform and app, including ones that ignore subtitle files, such as Instagram Reels, WhatsApp, X/Twitter clips and most messaging apps. Social videos usually autoplay muted, so burned-in captions are what keep people watching.
- Use soft subtitles when the platform supports caption uploads or you need several languages
- Use burned-in captions for social feeds, ads, and videos shared in chats
Three ways to get the subtitle file
Type it yourself. An SRT is plain text: a number, a time range like 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,500, the caption text and a blank line. It's accurate but slow, at roughly 5 to 10 minutes of work per minute of speech.
Generate it automatically in an editor. Clipchamp, CapCut, Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve can write timed captions from the audio and export them as SRT. Accuracy on clear speech is very high, and a quick read-through fixes names and technical terms.
Use an existing file. If someone sent you subtitles in another format, such as VTT, ASS or TTML, convert them to SRT with the subtitle converter first.
Making captions readable
Keep lines to about 42 characters and at most two lines per caption. That's the broadcast norm and works well on phones. Each caption should stay on screen for at least a second and not much longer than seven. Break lines at natural pauses, not in the middle of a phrase.
For vertical social video, use large text with a strong outline or a background box, positioned in the lower third but above the area where apps place buttons and descriptions. Bold white text with a black outline is readable on almost any footage.
Native options on each platform
Windows: Clipchamp, which comes with Windows 11, has an auto captions feature that generates and burns in captions inside its editor. It needs a Microsoft account and supports several languages.
Mac: iMovie can add titles manually but has no automatic captions or SRT import. Final Cut Pro imports SRT and iTT caption files and can burn them in on export.
iPhone and Android: Instagram and TikTok both offer auto-captions inside their apps when you post. They're convenient but tied to that platform. You can't download the captions or reuse them elsewhere, and styling options are limited. CapCut also offers auto captions inside its editor.
Video sites and course platforms usually let you upload an SRT file to a video after publishing. That's the best route for searchable, switchable captions.
Why subtitles are worth the effort
Captions make video accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers. They help people watching in a second language or in a noisy place, and they keep autoplaying muted videos watchable. Platforms reward longer watch time, and captioned videos tend to hold attention longer. A caption file is also text that search engines can read, which helps discovery on platforms that index captions.
Common problems and fixes
Captions out of sync: if every line is early or late by the same amount, the source video was trimmed after the captions were made. Regenerate the captions from the final cut.
Strange characters such as é instead of é: the SRT was saved in an old encoding. Open it in a text editor and save it as UTF-8, then burn it again.
Text too small on phones: choose a bolder style, or crop the video to vertical first so the captions scale with the frame.
A realistic workflow for a 5-minute video
Generating captions for a 5-minute talking video takes under a minute. Reading through the SRT and fixing a few names takes about five minutes. Burning the captions into a 1080p clip in the browser takes a few minutes on a modern laptop. The whole job takes 10–15 minutes, compared with an hour or more of typing captions by hand.
Keep the SRT file alongside the captioned video. If you later notice a typo, you can fix the text and burn it in again from the original video without regenerating anything.
Translating your subtitles
Once you have an SRT in the original language, you can have it translated line by line (by a person or a translation tool) while keeping identical timings. Upload each language as a separate soft track where the platform allows it, or burn in the language your audience speaks.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best subtitle format?
- SRT works almost everywhere. Use VTT for HTML5 web players and ASS when you need styling.
Can I add subtitles without software?
- Yes. Burn your own SRT into the video in your browser with Videozify's free burn subtitles tool.
Are auto-generated subtitles accurate?
- Very accurate on clear speech. Always skim them for names and technical words.
Will burning in subtitles reduce quality?
- The picture is re-encoded once at high quality, and the audio is copied untouched.
Can viewers turn off burned-in captions?
- No. Use soft subtitles if viewers need that choice.
How do I add subtitles on iPhone?
- Generate the SRT and burn it in through Videozify in Safari, or use the auto-captions in the app you're posting to.
Do I need to pay?
- Yes. Burning in your own SRT and converting subtitle formats are 100% free, with no signup and no watermark.
Do subtitles help search visibility?
- Caption files are text, so platforms that index captions can use them to understand and surface your video in search results.
Can I edit the caption style?
- Choose from Bold, Classic, Boxed and Karaoke yellow, or use an ASS file for custom styling.
Can I add subtitles in another language?
- Yes. Get a translated SRT (from a translator or your editor's caption tools), keep the same timings, then burn it in or upload it as a separate track.