Soft subtitles or burned-in subtitles?
| Soft (SRT/VTT) | Burned-in | |
|---|---|---|
| Viewer can turn off | Yes | No |
| Several languages | Yes, one file each | One video per language |
| Works on TikTok, Reels, Stories, WhatsApp | No | Yes |
| Your own font and style | No, the player decides | Yes |
| Readable by search engines | Yes | No |
| Fix a typo later | Replace the file | Re-render the video |
Step by step
- Get the subtitles. Drop the video and press “Generate subtitles”, or use “Open an SRT/VTT instead” if you already have a file (then add the video too).
- Check them against the picture. Play the video: the current line lights up in the list and on the preview.
- Choose how to add them. In Export, download an SRT/VTT to upload alongside the video, or “Render captioned video” to burn them in.
Adding an SRT to a video on your computer
To play a video with a subtitle file, keep them in the same folder with the same name (holiday.mp4 and holiday.srt): VLC, IINA, Windows Media Player and most smart TVs load it automatically. To add a switchable track inside the file itself, FFmpeg can mux it without re-encoding: ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -i subs.srt -c copy -c:s mov_text out.mp4.
Questions people ask
How can I add subtitles to a video for free?
Drop the video above and generate subtitles (or open an existing SRT), then export an SRT file or render the video with the subtitles burned in. It is free; only the audio is uploaded, and only when you generate subtitles.
Should I burn in subtitles or upload an SRT?
Upload an SRT where the platform supports it (YouTube, Vimeo, LinkedIn, Facebook) so viewers can switch them off and choose a language. Burn them in for TikTok, Reels, Stories, WhatsApp and anywhere that ignores subtitle files.
Can I add subtitles in a different language?
Yes. Generate subtitles in the original language, then use Translate in the AI tools tab before exporting or burning.