Table Of Content
Adding subtitles to a video is one of the simplest ways to boost reach, accessibility, and engagement. So if you're wondering how to add subtitles to a video or looking for professional solutions, this guide is for you. We'll cover step-by-step tutorials on the top tools—including UniFab AI Subtitle Generator, Canva, Premiere Pro, and iMovie—plus specific methods for how to add subtitles to a YouTube video that is not yours or how to add subtitles to a downloaded 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,
Hence, using these statistical numbers and data, we are providing the best benefits to add captions on TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, office presentations, educational videos, etc.
If you want to maximize your video’s impact, learning how to add subtitles to videos is essential.
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 |
Best For: AI-powered, 30-day free trial available (no watermark), multi-language automatic subtitles
If you're wondering how to add subtitles to a vide, the easiest solution is to use UniFab AI Subtitle Generator. This tool is designed for beginners and professionals alike, offering automatic subtitle generation, translation, and synchronization without complicated steps.
30-day Free Trial for full feature, without watermark!
Download UniFab software and launch it, select the Subtitle Generator module. Then, upload the video file for which you want to create subtitles or any SRT file with subtitles.
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.
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.
Now, UniFab has also released a cloud-based subtitle generator online. This means you don't even need to download software—just upload your video directly in the browser, and UniFab will automatically generate accurate subtitles in multiple languages.
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.
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.
To “adjust the timing” of your created subtitles, you need to drag the Start and End handles.
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.
⚠️ Limitations: Canva's auto-caption feature supports only limited languages, and timing adjustments may require manual edits. It’s best for simple, visually polished subtitles, not large-scale multilingual projects.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
⚠️ Limitations: Importing certain subtitle formats may fail, and manual subtitle creation can be time-consuming. Still, Premiere Pro is the most reliable tool if you need professional-level subtitle editing.
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.
Open iMovie, choose “New Project,” > and import your desired video for which you want to create subtitles.
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.”
In the preview, select the text box > type your required subtitles > customize with font, color, size, etc.
Adjust the timing by dragging the edges of the text clips. Then, move the clip to sync it with the audio.
Add multiple subtitles if needed, then select “Done.” > Select the share icon to export the video, then select the “Save Video” option.
Personal projects like family videos, school projects, or vlogs.
Apple users who want a free and easy way to add subtitles.
Videos that don’t require automation but need creative customization.
⚠️ Limitations: iMovie doesn’t support importing or exporting SRT subtitle files, and all subtitles must be added manually. For long videos, this process can be time-consuming.
If you're uploading content to YouTube, adding subtitles is one of the most effective ways to increase reach and accessibility. Many creators ask how to add subtitles to a YouTube video—the good news is, YouTube provides built-in options, and you can also upload your own subtitle files.
This method is ideal if you’ve already generated subtitles using a tool like UniFab AI Subtitle Generator.
Steps:
YouTube’s built-in AI can generate captions for your video automatically.
Steps:
A common question is: can you add subtitles to a YouTube video that isn’t yours?
Yes, if the channel owner has enabled community contributions. You can submit subtitles, and the owner can approve them.
No, if community contributions are disabled. In this case, you cannot upload subtitles directly to the video. However, you can still:
In short, if it's your video, you can freely upload or auto-generate captions. If it's not yours, your options depend on whether the uploader has enabled community subtitles.
Learning how to add subtitles to a video is one of the most effective ways to improve your content’s reach, accessibility, and engagement. Subtitles not only make your videos more inclusive for global and hearing-impaired audiences, but they also provide SEO benefits that help your videos rank higher on YouTube and Google.
Throughout this guide, we’ve shown you multiple ways to add subtitles to videos:
If you want a reliable, AI-powered, and free way to get started, UniFab (desktop or online version) is the best option. With just a few clicks, you can generate and customize subtitles that make your video more engaging, professional, and impactful.
Sometimes you may already have a video saved on your device and wonder how to add subtitles to a downloaded video. The process is simple—you can either use a media player to load external subtitle files or permanently embed them with a subtitle generator tool.
To permanently add subtitles to a video or movie, you need to burn them into the file (hardcode). You can use tools like VLC Media Player (convert video with added subtitles) or professional software such as UniFab AI Subtitle Generator or Premiere Pro, which let you generate, edit, and export the video with subtitles embedded—making them always visible and impossible to turn off.
You can add subtitles to an already recorded video by using a subtitle editor or generator: simply upload your video to a tool like UniFab AI Subtitle Generator, Canva, or Premiere Pro, let it auto-generate or manually type subtitles, then export the video with the subtitles embedded or save an SRT file to play alongside your video.