Add Subtitles to Video: Top 4 Tools & Step-by-Step Guide [2025]

The primary purpose of making any video is to reach the maximum targeted audience; therefore, you need to add subtitles to the video in as many languages as possible. For doing this, we are giving you the top 4 outstanding tools while sharing our real-time, trying, and testing experience to learn how to add subtitles to a video or YouTube video with a detailed guide and steps.
how to add subtitles to video

Why Add Subtitles to Video? 

Subtitles are no longer optional; they are crucial for maximizing your video’s reach and accessibility. Before getting into how to add subtitles to video or YouTube videos, we will be amazed at some statistical facts about the importance of subtitles. For example, 

  • 80% of viewers watch videos with subtitles
  • 92% of viewers watch videos without sound on mobile
  • YouTube views increase by up to 7.32% after adding subtitles
  • 83% of Facebook videos are watched without audio 

Hence, using these statistical numbers and data, we are providing the best benefits to add subtitles on TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, office presentations, educational videos, etc. 

  • Adding subtitles has increased viewers' engagement on social media
  • It helps video in SEO ranking while increasing keyword density and improving accessibility in search engines
  • Subtitles are the only solution to enjoy for deaf or hearing-impaired people
  • It helps to make your video global while reaching the maximum audience
  • Viewers retain maximum information about the video with subtitles
  • Subtitles give a better understanding of any foreign language video

If you want to maximize your video’s impact, learning how to add subtitles to videos—whether free or professional tools—is essential.

Top 4 Tools to Add Subtitles to Video

After real-time testing and evaluation of many subtitle generators, we selected the following four based on ease of use, automation, language support, flexibility, and pricing.

Tool

Best For

Auto Subtitle

Language Support

Platform

Cost

UniFab AI Subtitle Generator

Fully automated, instant subtitle creation

Yes

30+ languages

Windows

30-day Free trial without watermark

Canva

Easy customization and styling

Partially

Limited

Web

Freemium

Adobe Premiere Pro

Professionals needing auto/manual workflows

Yes

Multiple

Windows, macOS

Subscription

iMovie

Manual subtitle creation for Apple users

No

Multiple

macOS, iOS

Free

How to Add Subtitles to a Video Using UniFab AI Subtitle Generator

Best For: AI-powered, 30-day free trial available, multi-language automatic subtitles

Why UniFab?

We consider UniFab's AI Subtitle Generator at the top of the list because of its simple interface with full AI automation without any manual steps. From auto-detection of the original language to auto-translation to our desired language, it does everything automatically without technical complications or working challenges. 

unifab ai subtitle generator

Attractions

  • Auto-detection and translation of the original language with AI integration
  • Create a video in SRT files with support for 30 languages.
  • Instant subtitles generator for Beginners to professionals,
  • AI tools give 98% accuracy in videos like social media, movies, etc.
  • Complete automatic tool without manual steps & with clarity & time synchronization.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding Subtitles to Video with UniFab AI Subtitle Generator

30-day Free Trial

Full feature access, without watermark!

Step 1

Download UniFab software and launch it, select the Subtitles Generator module. Then, upload the video file for which you want to create subtitles or any SRT file with subtitles.

how to add subtitles to a video in UniFab - step1
Step 2

From the 30+ available options, select the language into which you want to translate the video subtitle. UniFab will then automatically generate the subtitles in your selected language. 

how to add subtitles to a video in UniFab - step2
Step 3

Select the “Start” option to auto-generate the subtitles. Then, you will have a clear and editable .srt file with subtitles. Use UniFab Video Converter to add subtitles to your desired video. 

How to Add Subtitles to a Video in Canva

Best For: Quick subtitles with styling options online

We have kept the online tool Canva on the list as it has a dedicated auto-video caption-generating option. To add subtitles to a video in Canva, we used only a few clicks. It generates the best suitable subtitle according to our video style instantly and automatically with subtitle highlighting and customising functions. 

canva subtitle generator

Attractions

  • The Captain Generator option for how to add subtitles to a downloaded video 
  • Customize brand font using “Brand Kit” option & subtitles’ style with icons & stickers.
  • Personalize editable subtitles while adjusting colors, size, text, font, etc.

Challenges

  • It works only online with internet dependency.
  • Auto-generated subtitles’ clarity and accuracy depend on the video's original quality.
  • It has very limited language support.
  • There is no control over the timing adjustment of the subtitles.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding Subtitles to Video in Canva

Step 1

Start the Canva app on your system. From the left-side panel, select “Text” > and hit “Add Subtitles.” > The subtitle text box will appear. Type your desired subtitles. 

How to Add Subtitles to a Video in Canva - step1
Step 2

To “adjust the timing” of your created subtitles, you need to drag the Start and End handles. 

How to Add Subtitles to a Video in Canva - step2
Step 3

Select “Add” to add more subtitles. Then, select “Save” to complete the subtitles-adding option. 

Note: You can try the Auto-Caption function to add subtitles to any video. For doing this you need to select “Video” in the left-sidebar > hit “Auto-Caption” > subtitles will be generated automatically > you can edit the generated subtitles as per your need. 

How to Add Subtitles to a Video in Premiere Pro

Best For: Professionals needing auto and manual editing

The combination of AI automation and manual subtitle creation options is the prime factor keeping Premiere Pro on the list. The caption preset is another attraction that ensures the seamless subtitling process throughout the video.

adobe subtitle generator

Attractions

  • Auto-subtitle generation with built-in speech-to-text transcription function
  • Create subtitles manually under the Captions and Graphics workspace.
  • Import and sync subtitles files like SCC, SRT, TTML, etc, to any video.
  • Subtitles customization with options like Properties Panel & Track Styles 
  • Explore video editing with font, color, position, etc & try ready-to-use captions. 
  • It offers multiple language support with a real-time preview option.

Challenges

  • Sometimes it fails to import SRT files.
  • Subtitles are often out of sync.
  • Premiere Pro does not support some of the subtitle formats.
  • The creation process for manual subtitles is very time-consuming.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding Subtitles to Video in Premiere Pro

Step 1

After opening the tool's dashboard, move to the timeline > choose the audio file of your desired video to which you want to add the subtitles. You can select the whole audio file or any specific part of it. 

How to Add Subtitles to a Video in Premiere Pro - step1
Step 2

Go to the “Window” at the upper right corner of the screen, select “Captain and Graphics,” and> the Caption menu will open. Then, choose “Transcribe,” and> the tool will automatically generate the transcript. 

How to Add Subtitles to a Video in Premiere Pro - step2
Step 3

Next, select the “Closed Caption” (CC) option. You will then get a menu to select your caption preferences, such as duration, formatting, etc. Next, select “Create Captain.”

How to Add Subtitles to a Video in Premiere Pro - step3
Step 4

To customize your captions’ appearance on screen, highlight the caption in the timeline > move to the “Essential Graphics” option. Now, customize creatively by adjusting text, font, size, etc. 

How to Add Subtitles to a Video on iMovie

Best For: Apple users preferring manual subtitle control

For dedicated Apple users, we have tested the Apple-developed iMovie app and added subtitles to videos manually without any automation. The designated “Title” option makes the process skill-free and straightforward. It lets us select the subtitle style under “Subtitles” depending on our needs. 

imovie subtitle generator

Attractions

  • It creates subtitles manually using the title tool with complete control over subtitles’ style & appearance.
  • Creative customization with built-in subtitles style, including lower third, title, and subtitles. 
  • Try a text editing tool to personalize subtitles’ appearance with color, font, alignment, etc.
  • Manual adjustment of timing, duration, and subtitles synchronization with the spoken speech 
  • For creating subtitles in different languages, you can add multiple subtitle tracks.
  • It supports animated subtitle styles.

Challenges 

  • iMovie is only for Apple users
  • The SRT file was neither exported nor imported.
  • No automatic option, and the manual process is very time-consuming and requires experience.
  • There is no advanced subtitles adding option.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding Subtitles to Video in iMovie

Step 1

Open iMovie, choose “New Project,” > and import your desired video for which you want to create subtitles. 

How to Add Subtitles to a Video on iMovie - step1
Step 2

Drag and drop your selected video into the timeline area. Select the section where you would like to add subtitles. Select “T” for the (Text) option. Choose the text style from the options “Subtitles”/ “Lower Third.”

How to Add Subtitles to a Video on iMovie - step2
Step 3

In the preview, select the text box > type your required subtitles > customize with font, color, size, etc.

Step 4

Adjust the timing by dragging the edges of the text clips. Then, move the clip to sync it with the audio. 

Step 5

Add multiple subtitles if needed, then select “Done.” > Select the share icon to export the video, then select the “Save Video” option. 

Bonus: Tips for Choosing the Best Video Subtitle Generator

Users often get confused about which tool to use to add subtitles to a video.Therefore, before selecting any video subtitle generator, let's look at a few facts and factors you must consider to choose the best one. 

  • Simple Interface: The tool must have a very easy-to-use interface for newbies without complicated steps. It has to be for anyone and everyone with any skill level. 
  • Automatic Generator: To save time, energy, and avoid technical complications, automation has to be the primary requirement to avoid time-consuming manual effort. 
  • Output Accuracy: Accuracy is the key in any subtitles to convey the authentic message and information about the video for deaf people or to understand foreign language content. 
  • Maximum Language: To increase the audience of your video, you must select a tool with multiple language support. Making your video global will increase the audience of your video. 
  • Flexible Customization: The tool must allow you to customize the subtitles’ appearance to match your video context, branding, or other specific purposes. 
  • Cost-effective: When selecting a tool, balance function and price, and therefore, select the one that offers the maximum features at the minimum price. 

We considered all these factors while selecting the above-mentioned top 4 tools. In that case, we first kept the UniFab Video Converter because it meets all the parameters of being the perfect subtitle generator. 

Conclusion

Adding subtitles boosts your video’s reach, engagement, and accessibility. Whether you want a free way to add subtitles to a video, a professional-grade tool, or a quick online solution, this guide’s top 4 tools cover your needs. For effortless AI-powered subtitling with multi-language support, UniFab AI Subtitle Generator is the best choice to start.

FAQs about How to Add Subtitles on YouTube

Can I add subtitles to a YouTube video that is not mine?

Yes, you can add subtitles to a YouTube video that isn’t yours only if the owner has enabled community contributions. Otherwise, you can create subtitle files for personal use with third-party players or tools, but you cannot upload subtitles directly to someone else’s video.

How to Add Subtitles to a YouTube Video? 

There are multiple methods to add subtitles to a YouTube video. Let's see the 2 major methods. 

Method 1: Add Subtitle (SRT File) to YouTube

To create your own SRT file, you can use the UniFab AI Subtitles Generator and then add it to a YouTube video by following the given steps. 

  • Step: Move to YouTube Studio > click on “Content” > choose your video > go to the left menu to select “Subtitles” > select “Add” > “Upload File” > Select Subtitles file in SRT format > then Upload > YouTube will automatically sync the subtitles. 

Method 2: Use YouTube AI to auto-generate subtitles

Without any manual steps, generate subtitles automatically and edit them as per your preference. 

  • Step: Go to YouTube Studio > Subtitles > select “Auto-Sync” / “Auto Generate” > wait for a while to process YouTube > edit the error and mistake by hitting the “Edit” option. 
HarperMore >>
I enjoy capturing life's beautiful moments and exploring innovation. Trying different video editing software helps me find the best tools for my work. My articles aim to help you discover video editing software that fits your style, as we navigate the ever-changing world of technology together.