How To Add Subtitles In DaVinci Resolve (2 Ways)
Blackmagic has officially released automatic subtitles! Thank heavens. While other software applications allow you to do this, it’s always nice when you can achieve your goal within your editing program. Today, I will show you the two fastest ways to add subtitles in DaVinci Resolve.
Difference Between Closed Captions and Subtitles
Why do you need to know the difference? Well, there are a couple of reasons.
First, it’s important to distinguish between the two so you can deliver the right assets to your client. Second, one might be a better fit for your project. So what’s the difference?
We hear closed captions, marked on your screen as CC, and subtitles, marked on your screen as SUB, used interchangeably. The easiest way to distinguish the two is that closed captions take the speech that is happening on screen and translates that at the bottom of the screen in the same language. In comparison, subtitles were created to translate the dialogue spoken by the actors and turn it into a language that the viewer could understand. And with the spread of social media and video learning, having one of these in your video is essential to the video education process.
The creation of subtitles and closed captions opened up a world of possibilities. Not only do these methods reduce discrimination against people with disabilities, but they also allow us to share our creations all around the world. Suppose you haven’t considered adding closed captions or subtitles to your films. In that case, I highly recommend this as an option for your viewers. You don’t want to put in all of that work and limit your audience, right?
How To Add Text In DaVinci Resolve (2 Ways)
Manually Add Text
If you only need a couple of subtitles here and there, this is going to be the easiest option, so you don’t have to wait for DaVinci to render subtitles for your entire video.
- In the top left corner, select Effects
- Under the Toolbox arrow, select Titles
- Scroll all the way to the bottom and select Subtitle
(You can also type Subtitle in the search bar)
- Drag and drop the Subtitle over your footage (this creates a new Subtitle layer or “ST1”)
- Click on the Subtitle, and in your video Inspector window under “Video,” write your subtitle
(to edit your text further, font, size, etc., check the Customize Caption option)
- You can always copy and paste your subtitle to create a new one or click Add New in your Inspector window
(keyboard shortcut: MAC Cmd + C to copy, Cmd + V to paste. PC Ctrl + C to copy, Ctrl + V to paste)
Pro Tip #1:
Before you add a new subtitle, make sure your playhead is where you want the subtitle to start. If it is left on a previous subtitle, it will break up your current subtitle.
Pro Tip #2:
To edit the entire track, instead of doing one at a time, select Track instead of Caption in your Inspector window.
Auto Subtitles
If you are trying to add subtitles for a whole video, you are in luck! This is going to be the feature for you. And yes, it really does work.
- First, make sure you have a subtitle track. If you don’t already, in your timeline where your other tracks are, right-click and select Add Subtitle Track
- In your top bar, select Timeline > Create Subtitles from Audio
- Select your language, your caption preset (Teletext or Netflix), characters per line, single or double lines, and how many gap frames between subtitles
(This part can take some time, depending on how long your video is, so go grab a snack and some coffee!)
- DaVinci automatically places your subtitles over your video based on your presets.
- To edit them, click on the subtitle you want to change and use your inspector window on the right to fix the text.
(to edit your text further, font, size, etc., check the Customize Caption option)
Pro Tip #1:
In most cases, you will be using Netflix subtitles instead of Teletext. Teletext isn’t as widely used as it was before. Make sure you ask your client what kind of text they prefer!
Pro Tip #2:
To edit the entire track, instead of doing one at a time, select Track instead of Caption in your Inspector window.
Congratulations! You have successfully added your subtitles. Now you are ready to export your video and upload it for notes!
FAQs About Adding Subtitles In DaVinci Resolve
Can I jump between subtitles to edit them?
Yes, you can! You can always select the subtitle you want to edit or use the Prev and Next keys in your inspector window to jump between subtitles.
Can I lengthen or shorten the subtitles?
Yup! Simply hover over the side you want to shorten or lengthen. You will see an arrow pointing toward the left or right, depending on which way you are trying to drag your clip.
Can I move the subtitles?
Absolutely, you can. Click in the center of the subtitle block and drag it to wherever you need it to be.
Can I add subtitles to a small part of my video?
Yes! This will work with the automated subtitles. Drag your playhead to where you want the subtitles generation to start. We do this by using our in and out points. Select i, which will create your in-point. Drag your playhead to where you want them to stop, and select o as your out point. Or you can always drag the dots on either side of your in and out points.
Can I change the settings once I initialize the auto subtitle feature?
Unfortunately, you can’t. You can always Cmd + Z for Mac or Ctrl + Z for PC to undo and start the process again.
Can I edit one caption at a time?
Yup! Simply click on the caption you want to edit and make sure you are using the Caption tab in your inspector window and now the Track tab.
Can I upload my own fonts?
Yes, you can! You need to make sure that DaVinci is not open. Once you have downloaded and installed all of the fonts you want to import, all you have to do is open DaVinci, and all of your fonts should be there. Make sure you check the install instructions on your font to ensure that you have them installed properly.
Conclusion
Thankfully, DaVinci Resolve has made this super easy to add captions and customize them. Have you used the new auto-generated captions before? Let us know in the comments what you think, and happy filmmaking!
Additional DaVinci Resolve Tutorials
- How To Freeze Frame in DaVinci Resolve
- How To Zoom in DaVinci Resolve Using Keyframes or Dynamic Zoom
- How To Cut in DaVinci Resolve (3 Ways)
Courtney Birk
Courtney Birk is a Los Angeles-based actress, colorist, and multi-media artist. She’s never quite satisfied with having enough artistic outlets – so she’s usually painting, singing, and collaborating with her best friend to find creative ways for new storytelling. Her passion for the arts has driven her to work in many different mediums, including music, fine art, theater and film production.
In the segment on manually adding text in DaVinci Resolve, Courtney Birk advises using two professional tips to enhance the process. While these tips are undeniably valuable for a polished output, I’m curious about additional strategies for optimizing text placement against varying backgrounds within a scene. Are there specific color contrast ratios or guidelines recommended to ensure readability across diverse scenes? Moreover, how does DaVinci Resolve handle dynamic text adjustments when clipping between scenes with vastly different lighting or color schemes?
Hey there! Great question. When it comes to ensuring text visibility, a general rule of thumb is to use contrasting colors (light text on dark backgrounds or vice versa) and drop shadows or borders when necessary. DaVinci Resolve doesn’t automatically adjust text for you, but you can use the keyframe feature to alter text properties as scenes change. Hope that helps!
Really appreciated the auto subtitles section, Courtney Birk. It’s a game-changer for indie filmmakers like myself who are always on a tight schedule. Quick to implement and surprisingly accurate.
While the article provides an insightful overview on adding subtitles in DaVinci Resolve, I find the distinction between auto-generated and manually inserted subtitles to lack depth in exploring their respective pros and cons. Auto subtitles, albeit time-efficient, often lack the preciseness and contextual understanding that manual subtitling can offer, particularly in terms of capturing nuanced dialogue or dialects accurately. This differentiation is crucial for content creators aiming at high-quality outputs.