How to Add Subtitles to YouTube Videos

Video creators, editors, and producers all know how time-consuming it can be to add subtitles to YouTube videos, especially if the video is long. However, the benefits of subtitles in making your videos engaging and useful are numerous. With subtitles, your videos can reach a wider audience who speak different languages ​​and can be viewed by people with hearing impairments in addition to those who prefer to watch video content without sound. Overall, subtitles can help you convey your message in the most effective way.

Here we tell you the easiest way to add subtitles to YouTube videos, and if you follow the process, you will find that it is not difficult to do. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how to add subtitles to YouTube videos on your desktop. If you want to know the details on how to transcribe YouTube videos, you can find it at the bottom of the article.

Add subtitles to videos when uploading to YouTube

You can’t add subtitles to videos using the YouTube Studio app on mobile, so you’ll have to do it on your desktop.

1. Open YouTube Studio and log into your channel. Click the upload video icon and start uploading the video. During the upload process, you will see various sections such as “Details”, “Permission Management”, etc. when you enter video elementyou will see the option Add subtitles. Click Add to Under this, you will get three options – Upload files, Automatic synchronizationand Manual entry.
2. Upload file: If your file contains the exact same script used in the video, you can choose With timing options. However, if you have text that needs to be synchronized with what is being said in the video, then you have the option No time option and YouTube will automatically sync subtitles based on your video.
3. Auto-sync: You can copy and paste subtitles and YouTube will automatically sync them with your video.
4. Manual entry: This option allows you to manually enter subtitles while watching the video.
5. Once done, check the subtitles and match them to your video. You can also change the time by editing the timestamp. Then preview the final video with subtitles and edit the text again if you find any errors.
6. Your video will now have subtitles, which you will be able to see when it is posted to YouTube subtitle Written right below it, your viewers can choose to enable subtitles if they prefer.

Add subtitles to uploaded YouTube videos

1. If you are logged in to your YouTube channel, click on your profile picture icon in the upper right corner and visit your channel. Click Manage videos Then open the video you want to add subtitles to.
2. Now, scroll below and click subtitle on the right.
3. If YouTube has automatically transcribed your video, you can edit these subtitles. However, the biggest drawback here is that this text takes a lot of time to edit. You’ll need to add punctuation, paragraphs, and even periods after each sentence, which can consume a lot of your time. So, this article is more or less useless to you. Click the three dots next to “Edit Timing” and select clear text options. You now have two options – enter video subtitles manually or by clicking on the three dots and selecting Upload files options. You can choose any option you like.
4. However, if you don’t see automatic subtitles after clicking subtitle Options Then you will get three options – Upload files, Automatic synchronizationand Manual entry. You can follow step 2 of the previous guide to learn how to use these options.
5. Once done, check the subtitles and match them to your video. You can also change the time by editing the timestamp. Then preview the final video with subtitles and edit the text again if you find any errors.
6. Your video will now have subtitles, which you will be able to see when it is posted to YouTube subtitle Written right below it, your viewers can choose to enable subtitles if they prefer.

How to transcribe your YouTube videos

Bonus tip: If you want to add your own subtitles to a YouTube video but don’t have a script handy, you’ll have to convert the video to text. The fastest way is to use a transcription app or website.

There are many apps you can use to transcribe videos these days, but we prefer an online transcription tool called Otter because we find it very easy to use and the translations are mostly accurate.

1. If you are using Otter for the first time, please open and register your account. Now, click Record option to return to YouTube Studio and play the video you want to subtitle without closing this window. You will now see Otter transcribing your video in real time.
2. Once the entire video is converted to text, stop recording and let it process. You can now find your text file below my conversation.
3. Just click on the text file and it will open in front of you. You can export or copy the text. To export, click on the three dots at the top and select exit. The thing to note here is that even if you use the best app to transcribe your videos, you still need to proofread and edit your subtitles as there may be incorrectly transcribed words.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Let us know what you think and what other guide topics you’d like us to cover in the comments below.

---