Subtitling videos: The ultimate guide to subtitling
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Subtitling videos: The ultimate guide to subtitling

Last modified on 26 June 2024.

Subtitling is a crucial aspect of modern video content. Not only does it increase accessibility to a wider audience, but it also enhances the viewing experience and helps convey the message better. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll tell you all about the importance of subtitling, when to do it, how to do it and what to watch out for the best subtitling experience.

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The importance of subtitling

Subtitling is much more than just a textual representation of spoken words. It plays an essential role in reaching diverse audiences, regardless of language or hearing barriers. Here are some key reasons why subtitling is crucial for your videos:

#1 Accessibility

Subtitling videos allows people with hearing impairments to understand the content. It also opens the doors for viewers who do not fully understand the spoken language, such as non-users of the original language or people who are in noisy environments. In addition, for several years now, it has also been possible to increase accessibility for the elderly by increasing TV subtitles.

#2 SEO benefits

Search engines can index subtitle text, making your videos more likely to be found in search results. This can increase your online visibility and drive more viewers to your videos.

#3 Increased engagement

Viewers stay engaged with your videos longer through subtitles because it holds their attention and makes the message clearer. This allows viewers to better understand the content and makes them more likely to watch your video to the end.

When should I subtitle my video?

It is advisable to always subtitle your videos unless it is really not necessary. There are several situations in which subtitling is particularly valuable:

  • Social media and online platforms
    On platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn, subtitling videos is essential because viewers often scroll without sound and the videos must be subtitled to grab their attention.
  • Instructional videos and tutorials
    Subtitles help understand complex instructions, making it easier for viewers to follow the steps.
  • International audience
    If you want to reach a global audience, you should consider subtitling videos in multiple languages.
  • Documentaries and educational content
    Subtitles enhance the educational value of content, making it easier to absorb important information.
  • Sound problems
    Sometimes the audio quality of a video can be poor, making subtitling necessary for an optimal viewing experience.

How can I subtitle my video?

There are several ways to subtitle your videos, and we will discuss two popular methods:

Automatic subtitling with Triple8

Triple8 is a powerful subtitling software that automatically converts spoken language into text. Here’s how it works:

  • Upload your video to Triple8.
  • The software processes your video and automatically generates subtitles.
  • Check the subtitles and adjust them if necessary.
  • Download the generated SRT file and add it to your video.

Subtitling with an SRT file

An SRT file is a text file that contains time codes and associated subtitles. It allows you to manually create and edit subtitles. You can use an SRT file to add subtitles on Facebook, subtitles on YouTube, and more.

What is an SRT file, and when do I need it?

An SRT file is a widely used text format for subtitling. It contains time codes that indicate when each subtitle should appear and disappear. You need an SRT file when you want to create subtitles manually, or when you want to add SRT subtitles to platforms that offer SRT support.

Tips for subtitling your video

Do you want to add subtitles to videos? Then it’s helpful to know that subtitling requires precision and care to provide an optimal viewing experience. Here are some tips to help you subtitle your videos:

  1. Ensure accuracy
    Accurate subtitles are essential to get the message across correctly. Pay attention to proper spelling, grammar, and timing of subtitles.
  2. Keep it short and to the point
    Subtitles should be concise and appear at the right time. Make sure each subtitle fits within the screen and remains legible.
  3. Avoid redundant text
    Avoid unnecessary details while subtitling. Keep the text relevant and focused on the essence of the words spoken.
  4. Consider different languages
    If you want to reach an international audience, consider subtitling in multiple languages. This will increase the accessibility and engagement of your video.
  5. Check readability
    Make sure subtitles are easy to read on different devices and screen sizes. Choose a clear font and appropriate colour contrasts.

How do I add my subtitles?

To add subtitles to videos on popular social media and video editing platforms, use the tips below:

#1 Subtitles on Facebook

Adding subtitles on Facebook is done in the following way:

  1. Post a new video or go to an existing video on your Facebook page.
  2. Via the [three dots], click on “edit video” (for new videos, you need to wait until the video is ready for playback).
  3. Go to “Subtitles” and under “Upload SRT files” click “choose file”.
  4. Click “Save.”

Add subtitles in multiple languages to a Facebook video

Repeat steps 3 and 4 if you want to add subtitles in multiple languages to your video. Do this until the subtitles of each language are added.

Removing subtitles from a Facebook video

If you want to remove subtitles from your Facebook video, follow these steps:

  1. Open your video and click on “edit video” via the [three dots].
  2. Go to “Captions” and click [X] next to the SRT file.

#2 Subtitles on YouTube

Adding subtitles on Youtube is done in the following way:

  1. Login to the YouTube Studio and go to “Subtitles” on the left side of the menu.
  2. Select the video to which you want to add the subtitles.
  3. Select the language of the subtitles and click “Add”.
  4. Decide how you wish to add the subtitles:
  • Upload an SRT file and choose “with timing” if you created it with Triple8
  • Automatic sync: Youtube chooses the timing for the text you entered
  • Type subtitles manually and also determine the timing
  • Automatic translation: Youtube subtitles and automatically translates audio to text. Note that Youtube does this word for word and not in contextual phrases like Triple8

Add subtitles in multiple languages to a YouTube video

Repeat steps 3 and 4 if you want to add subtitles in multiple languages to your YouTube video. Do this until the subtitles of each language are added. Read more about learning a foreign language using subtitles soon.

Edit or remove subtitles from my YouTube video

If you want to edit or delete subtitles on Youtube, do the following:

  1. Login to the Youtube Studio and go to Subtitles on the left side of the menu
  2. Choose the video whose subtitles you want to edit or delete
  3. Go to the desired language and click Edit or the [3 dots] to remove the subtitles

#3 Subtitling on Instagram

Do you want subtitles on Instagram? Instagram does not (yet) have an option to upload SRT files, nor does it have a feature that automatically adds subtitles to your video. If you want to post videos with subtitles on Instagram, the video should already have subtitles. Don’t worry if your video doesn’t have that yet.

Triple8 makes it quick and easy. Upload your video in the Triple8 editor and download your video with subtitles within 5 minutes. Then post it on Instagram. And voilà, your Instagram video has subtitles.

#4 Subtitles on TikTok Videos

TikTok also does not (yet) have an option to upload SRT files or a functionality that automatically generates subtitles. For subtitles on TikTok, the same applies as for Instagram: if you want to post a video with subtitles, upload a video that already has subtitles in it. Triple8 will do that for you within 5 minutes. Upload your video, give it 5 minutes and then download the video with subtitles. Then post it on TikTok and your TikTok video has subtitles.

#5 Subtitles on LinkedIn

To add subtitles on LinkedIn, you need an SRT file

  1. Post a new video and after uploading, click “edit”
  2. Click “select subtitle” and select the SRT file
  3. Click on “ready”

After the video is uploaded, you will get a notification. You can see the subtitles on LinkedIn after this if you click “CC” at the bottom right of the video.

#6 Subtitles in Premiere Pro

In Premiere Pro, you can add subtitles to your video in two ways:

  1. Manual
    Type and time the subtitles yourself
  2. Automatic
    Upload an automatically generated SRT file through Triple8 and import it into Premier Pro

Manually adding subtitles in Premiere Pro

Follow the following steps to manually type and time the subtitles in your Premiere Pro video:

  1. Open your video in Premiere Pro
  2. Click “New item”, then “Subtitles” and choose “Open captions”
  3. Drag the Open Captions to your timeline and extend the bar to where needed
  4. Double-click Open Captions and edit the text in the Captions tab
  5. Click + for another block of text.

No time or desire for manual subtitling in Premiere Pro? Upload your video in the Triple8 editor and within 5 minutes download the SRT file of your video. You can import it into Premiere Pro using the steps below.

Import SRT file in Premiere Pro

If you have the SRT file of the subtitles, then within 1 minute you will have added subtitles to your video in Premiere Pro. This is how you do it:

  1. Open your video in Premiere Pro
  2. Go to “File,” choose “Import…” and click on the SRT file
  3. Drag the file from the Project to the timeline and place the subtitles at the correct timing to correspond with the audio

Editing subtitles in Premiere Pro

Is there an error in the subtitles, or is the text not properly visible? In Premiere Pro you can easily edit the text but also the style of your subtitles:

  1. Open the video in Premiere Pro
  2. Double-click on the subtitle bar and in the Captions tab edit the text
  3. Edit the font, color and style of the subtitle as desired in this tab

#7 Subtitles in iMovie

In iMovie, it is not possible to upload an SRT file, nor does iMovie have a subtitle feature. Still, there is a way to subtitle manually in iMovie. It’s cumbersome and time-consuming, but it can be done. If you already have an SRT file, it already saves you a lot of work. Don’t have one yet? In the Triple8 editor, you can create one within 5 minutes.

Manually adding and editing subtitles in iMovie

  1. Open your project in iMovie
  2. Go to Titles and choose the “default lower third” title
  3. Adjust the style of the title
  4. Insert the text and adjust the visibility to the audio (in your SRT file you will find the text and time of the subtitles per line)
  5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 for each new sentence
  6. Export your iMovie project as a video file. The subtitles are automatically rendered in the video.