Adding subtitles used to mean typing every line by hand and nudging it into place on the timeline. These days most video editors can transcribe the audio and lay out the captions for you, so the job comes down to a quick proofread.
Plenty of people watch with the sound off, and subtitles are how they follow along. Captions also help deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, and translated subtitles open your video to people who speak other languages.
Below, you'll find the basic steps for how to put subtitles on a video, followed by ten tools for Windows, Mac, and the browser.
How to add subtitles to video: the basic steps
Every tool has its own buttons, but the process looks almost the same everywhere:
Import your video. Most apps accept MP4, MOV, and other common formats, so you can usually drag the file straight in.
Generate the captions. Look for a feature called auto subtitles, auto captions, or speech-to-text, and pick the language spoken in the video. If a tool doesn't have one, you'll need to add each line as a text layer and time it yourself.
Proofread. Speech recognition has improved a lot, but names, brand terms, and slang still trip it up. Watch the video once and fix anything that looks wrong.
Style the text. Choose a font, size, and color that stay readable on a phone screen. Two short lines near the bottom of the frame work for most videos.
Export. Burn the captions into your MP4, or save them as a separate subtitle file, usually SRT.
Burned-in captions or an SRT file?
Burned-in captions become part of the picture, so they show up on every platform and viewers can't switch them off. They're the usual choice for Reels, TikTok, and other short social clips.
An SRT file is a small text file with numbered lines and timestamps that you upload next to the video. YouTube and most course platforms accept it, viewers can turn captions on or off, and you can add more languages later without exporting the video again.
Best desktop apps to add captions to video
Movavi Video Editor
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Free version: yes, with 60-second exports and a watermark
Auto captions: yes, 100+ languages
Movavi Video Editor is an intuitive video editor with customizable video templates, one-click AI tools, and hundreds of drag-and-drop effects. It's made for beginners and everyday creators, from YouTubers captioning vlogs and tutorials to small businesses subtitling promos. Its auto subtitles recognize speech in 100+ languages and don't use credits. You can choose from 60+ caption designs, including ones that highlight each word as it's spoken, translate the captions into English, and export an SRT file or burn the text into the video.
Movavi is made for everyday projects rather than professional post-production, so it has fewer advanced controls than high-end editors.
Pros
- Auto subtitles with no credits
- SRT export or burned-in captions
- Customizable video templates and hundreds of effects for the rest of the edit
Cons
- Fewer advanced controls than professional editors
- No web version or cloud integration
Wondershare Filmora
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Free version: yes, with a watermark
Auto captions: yes, paid with AI credits
Filmora is a beginner-friendly editor from Wondershare with a big library of effects and titles. Its Speech-to-Text feature supports 45 languages and can translate the generated subtitles into 23 more, showing both versions on the timeline. You can download the result as an SRT file or customize the captions with animated styles.
Speech-to-Text runs on AI credits. Each minute of subtitles uses a set number of credits, so heavy captioning means buying a plan that includes them or topping up. Free exports carry a watermark.
Pros
- Speech-to-Text in 45 languages
- Subtitle translation into 23 languages
- Animated caption styles
Cons
- Automatic subtitles use AI credits
- Watermark on free exports
Adobe Premiere Pro
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Free version: no, but there's a 7-day trial
Auto captions: yes, via Speech to Text
If you already pay for Premiere Pro, you have a captioning tool: Speech to Text is part of the subscription. It transcribes your sequence, turns the transcript into captions on the timeline, and lets you style them with Adobe's graphics tools. Captions can be exported as an SRT file, which is handy if you deliver videos to YouTube or clients.
For someone just starting out, though, Premiere Pro is a lot of software. It's built for professional work, and the interface reflects that.
Pros
- Speech to Text included with the subscription
- Full control over caption styling
- SRT export
Cons
- Subscription only
- Steep learning curve for beginners
DaVinci Resolve
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Free version: yes, but automatic subtitles require Studio
Auto captions: DaVinci Resolve Studio only
DaVinci Resolve is Blackmagic Design's editing, color, and audio suite. The free version already includes a full subtitle track, so you can type and time captions, style them, and import or export SRT files. Automatic captioning is in the paid Studio version. Its Create Subtitles from Audio feature builds a timed track from the dialogue, based on the language, caption preset, and line length you choose.
Resolve does ask for patience. There's a lot to learn, and it runs best on a fairly powerful computer.
Pros
- Manual subtitle tools and SRT support in the free version
- AI subtitles in Studio
- One-time Studio license
Cons
- Automatic subtitles require the paid Studio version
- Steep learning curve
Final Cut Pro
Platforms: macOS
Free version: 1-month trial through Apple Creator Studio
Auto captions: yes, for English speech
Final Cut Pro is Apple's professional editor for Mac, and it has two automatic options. Transcribe to Captions creates closed captions from spoken English, and Generate Captions turns speech into styled subtitles you can customize for social videos. You can also type captions in the caption editor or import a caption file you already have.
Automatic captioning only works with English speech and needs a Mac with Apple silicon. There's no Windows version.
Pros
- Closed captions and styled subtitles generated automatically
- Caption-file import
- One-time purchase or subscription
Cons
- Automatic captions in English only
- Mac only
CapCut
Platforms: Windows, macOS, web, iOS, Android
Free version: yes, but some features require Pro
Auto captions: yes, with CapCut Pro
CapCut is ByteDance's editor, built around short social videos, trending templates, and fast effects. Its auto captions generate editable subtitles from your audio, and you can apply animated caption styles that suit TikTok and Reels. Since CapCut runs on desktop, in the browser, and on phones, you can start a project on one device and finish it on another.
Auto captions are on CapCut's list of Pro features, so regular captioning means a subscription. Pro prices also differ depending on your region and platform.
Pros
- Animated caption styles for social video
- Available on desktop, web, and mobile
- Large template library
Cons
- Auto captions require CapCut Pro
- Pricing varies by region and platform
Descript
Platforms: Windows, macOS, web
Free version: yes, with 1 hour of transcription a month
Auto captions: yes, built from the transcript
Descript turns your video into a transcript you edit like a document. Delete a sentence from the text, and it's gone from the video too. Captions come from the same transcript, so once the text is correct, your subtitles are ready. That makes it a strong fit for podcasts, interviews, and talking-head videos.
The free plan includes just one hour of media per month and exports at 720p with a watermark.
Pros
- Text-based editing from the transcript
- Captions generated from the same transcript
- Free plan to try the workflow
Cons
- One media hour per month on the free plan
- 720p, watermarked free exports
Best online tools to add captions to video
Microsoft Clipchamp
Platforms: web browser, Windows
Free version: yes, 1080p exports with no watermark
Auto captions: yes, one language per video
Clipchamp is Microsoft's editor that runs in the browser and comes preinstalled on Windows 11. Its autocaptions are free: you choose the spoken language, start the transcription, and correct the result in the transcript panel. You can export the video with captions on screen or download them as an SRT file. The free plan exports up to 1080p without a watermark as long as you stick to free features.
Clipchamp can only transcribe one language per video, so it isn't ideal for interviews that switch between languages.
Pros
- Free autocaptions
- 1080p export without a watermark on the free plan
- SRT download
Cons
- One spoken language per video
- 4K export requires Microsoft 365 or Clipchamp Premium
VEED
Platforms: web browser
Free version: yes, 720p exports up to 10 minutes with a watermark
Auto captions: yes, 125+ languages
VEED is a browser-based editor with a strong focus on subtitles. Its auto subtitle generator supports 125+ languages and offers dynamic styles that make key words pop as they're spoken, a look that works well for Shorts and TikTok. You can translate captions into other languages, and paid plans let you download them as SRT, VTT, or TXT files.
The free plan adds a watermark and comes with limits on longer projects and AI usage. Downloading subtitle files requires a paid plan.
Pros
- Auto subtitles in 125+ languages
- Dynamic caption styles
- SRT, VTT, and TXT downloads on paid plans
Cons
- Watermark on free exports
- Subtitle files and longer videos require a paid plan
Kapwing
Platforms: web browser
Free version: yes, 4-minute exports at 720p with a watermark
Auto captions: yes
Kapwing is popular with teams that make social content together. Its auto subtitler captions and translates videos in the browser, and you can style the result or upload an SRT file you already have. There's also an AI assistant that can trim pauses and add subtitles for you. Upgrading to Pro unlocks SRT and VTT downloads and watermark-free exports up to 4K.
On the free plan, exports are capped at four minutes and 720p, and you get only 10 minutes of auto-subtitling. Paid plans increase the export limits and remove the watermark.
Pros
- Auto subtitles and translation in the browser
- SRT upload, plus SRT and VTT downloads on Pro
- Collaboration features for teams
Cons
- Only 10 minutes of auto-subtitling on the free plan
- Watermark and 720p limit on free exports
Conclusion
The best tool depends on how you work and where your video ends up. If you want captions and editing in one desktop app on Windows or Mac, Movavi Video Editor and Filmora are both beginner-friendly. Clipchamp is the easiest free option on Windows, and CapCut fits creators who edit on several devices. If you're ready for professional software, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Final Cut Pro all handle captions well. For podcasts and interviews, Descript lets you edit through the transcript, and VEED and Kapwing let you caption in the browser without installing anything.