Are you a video creator or producer struggling to add subtitles to your YouTube videos? Adding subtitles to videos can be a time-consuming process, especially if the videos are long. However, the benefits of subtitles are numerous. With subtitles, your videos can reach a wider audience that speaks different languages, and also be accessible to the hearing challenged, apart from those who like to watch their video content on mute. Overall, subtitles can help you convey your message in the most effective way possible.

In this article, we will guide you through the simplest way to add subtitles to your YouTube videos. We will also provide details on how to transcribe your YouTube videos.

Add Subtitles to Videos While Uploading on YouTube

Step 1: Open YouTube Studio and log into your channel.

Step 2: Click the Upload Videos icon, and start uploading your video.

Step 3: During the upload process, you will be taken through various sections like Details, Rights Management, etc. When you come to Video Elements, you will see the option of Add Subtitles. Click Add under that, and you will get three options:

  • Upload File: If you have a file that has the exact script used in the video, you can choose the With timing option. But, if you have text that needs to be synced with what you are saying in the video, then you can choose the Without timing option, YouTube will automatically sync the subtitles according to your video.
  • Auto-Sync: You can copy your captions and paste them, and YouTube will auto-sync them according to your video.
  • Type Manually: With this option, you can manually type the subtitles as you watch the video.

Step 4: After you’re done, check the subtitles and match them with your video. You can also change the timing by editing the timestamps. Then preview the final video with subtitles and edit the text once again if there are any mistakes that you can spot.

Step 5: Your video will now have subtitles, and when it is published on YouTube, you will be able to see subtitles written right below it, and your viewers can choose to enable subtitles, according to their preference.

Add Subtitles to an Already Uploaded YouTube Video

Step 1: If you’re logged into your YouTube channel, click on the profile picture icon on the top right, then visit Your channel.

Step 2: Click on Manage videos and open the video you want to add subtitles to.

Step 3: Scroll below and click on Subtitles on the right side.

Step 4: If YouTube has automatically transcribed your video, you can edit these captions. But, the biggest drawback here is that this text takes a lot of time to edit. You will need to add punctuations, break the paragraphs, and even add full stops after every sentence, which will consume a lot of your time. So, this text is more or less useless to you. Click on three dots right beside Edit Timings and choose the Clear text option. You will now have two options:

  • Manually type subtitles of the video
  • Upload the file by clicking on three dots and choosing the Upload File option

Step 5: But, if you don’t see automatic captions upon clicking the Subtitles option, then you will get three options – Upload File, Auto-Sync, and Type Manually. You can follow Step 2 of the previous guide, on how to use these options.

Step 6: After you’re done, check the subtitles and match them with your video. You can also change the timing by editing the timestamps. Then preview the final video with subtitles and edit the text once again if there are any mistakes that you can spot.

Step 7: Your video will now have subtitles, and they will be visible to your viewers once you have saved the changes. Make sure to inform your viewers that your video has subtitles available by adding a note in your video description or mentioning it in the video itself.

Transcribing Your YouTube Videos

If you don’t already have a transcript of your video, you can use YouTube’s built-in transcription tool to create one. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Log in to your YouTube Studio account and click on the Content tab.

Step 2: Find the video you want to transcribe and click on the pencil icon to edit it.

Step 3: Click on the Subtitles/CC tab and then click on the “Add Language” button.

Step 4: Select the language you want to transcribe your video into and click on the “Set Language” button.

Step 5: Choose the “Transcribe and Auto-Sync” option and YouTube will automatically generate a transcript of your video.

Step 6: Once the transcription is complete, you can edit and refine it to ensure its accuracy. You can also use the timestamps provided by YouTube to ensure that the subtitles sync up correctly with your video.

Step 7: Save your changes and publish the subtitles to your video.

Adding subtitles to your YouTube videos can be a tedious task, but it is worth the effort. Not only will it help you reach a wider audience, but it will also make your content more accessible and user-friendly. By following the simple steps outlined in this guide, you can easily add subtitles to your YouTube videos and ensure that your message is conveyed effectively to all viewers.