Guide

Adding Subtitles in Davinci Resolve

Alizah Aamir Alizah Aamir
• • 3 min read
Adding Subtitles in Davinci Resolve
Photo by Monica Flores / Unsplash

Subtitles are no longer a luxury—they’re a necessity. They boost accessibility for viewers with hearing impairments, make your content digestible in sound-off environments (like social media feeds), and can even expand your reach globally. Not to forget they can also look very cool if done right!

If you’re editing in DaVinci Resolve, you're in luck! The software offers robust tools for adding and customizing subtitles. Here’s a breakdown of the three primary methods: manual creation, importing an SRT file, and using AI to automate your workflow.

Method 1: Manually Creating a Subtitle Track

This method is ideal for shorter videos or if you need to create titles for non-dialogue elements. It is a longer method as you have to do everything manually. Lets go over all the steps that you would have to follow to add subtitles manually in DaVinci Resolve:

  1. Navigate to the Edit Page: Make sure you're in the Edit workspace (the icon that looks like a razor blade) at the bottom of the screen.
  2. Add a Subtitle Track: Right-click in the empty track area above your video clips in the timeline. From the context menu, select Add Subtitle Track. A new track, typically labeled "Subtitle 1," will appear.
  3. Add Your First Subtitle Clip: Move your playhead to the exact spot where the first line of dialogue or text should begin. Right-click on the new subtitle track and select Add Subtitle. A beige clip will appear.
  4. Enter and Adjust Text:
    • Select the new subtitle clip and open the Inspector panel on the right-hand side of the screen.
    • In the Caption tab, type your subtitle text into the text box.
    • Adjust the length of the subtitle clip on the timeline by clicking and dragging its edges to perfectly sync with the spoken word or on-screen action.
    • To add the next subtitle, click the Add New button at the bottom of the Caption tab, or move the playhead to the next line of dialogue, right-click the subtitle track, and select Add Subtitle again.
  5. Style the Subtitles (Globally): For a consistent look across all your subtitles, go to the Track tab within the Inspector. Here, you can adjust the Font, Size, Color, Position, and add features like a Stroke (outline) or Drop Shadow to ensure maximum readability against any background.

Method 2: Importing an SRT File

This method is a little more convenient than manually adding subtitles. You can simply use an external file for creating subtitles. If you've used an external service to generate your subtitles (like a transcription service or automated tool), you likely have an SRT (SubRip Subtitle) file. 

  1. Import the SRT File: Go to File > Import > Subtitle... and select your .srt file from your computer. It will appear in your Media Pool.
  2. Add to Timeline: Drag the imported SRT file from your Media Pool directly onto your timeline. DaVinci Resolve will automatically create a new subtitle track and populate it with all the timed captions.
  3. Stylize: Select the subtitle track and use the Track tab in the Inspector to adjust the appearance of all the imported captions simultaneously.

Method 3: FireCut for DaVinci Resolve

If all these methods were still too complicated for you, try an easy solution. Just sit back and let AI do the work for you with this amazing plugin called FireCut. FireCut was originally launched for Premiere Pro and helped save hours for many editors. Luckily they have just launched their DaVinci Resolve version. 

FireCut adds captions to your videos in seconds with a few simple clicks. Moreover, you have control over the design, font and style. You can even add auto emojis related to your content. Let’s go over the steps to add captions with FireCut:

  1. Install FireCut for DaVinci Resolve: You can follow this quick guide to install FireCut for DaVinci Resolve; https://learn.firecut.ai/overview-davinci-resolve/installing-firecut
  2. Click on “Add Caption” feature: Simply click on “Add Captions” > Transcribe.
  3. Select Caption Settings: Here you can select your caption style, font, color and design. You have the option to add automated emojis or animate the captions here. You also have presets which can add styled captions with just a click. For a detailed view of caption settings you can refer to this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkCEjmI3Mbk&t=130s
  4. Click “Add Styled Cations..”: Voila! Your captions are now added to your video but that doesn’t mean you cannot edit them again. Just select the captions and click “Edit Captions” if you still need to change anything.

Wasn’t that easy? FireCut is trusted by many content creators and video editors as it has previously helped a lot of people save and time and money. This plugin makes your life easier and leaves more space and time in your life for creative tasks.

So now that we have seen all the methods to add subtitles to your videos in DaVinci Resolve it would be much easier for you to decide one for your use. Needless to say, AI has helped to automate a lot of mundane tasks and is constantly evolving. So do not stay behind and let AI make your workflow smoother. Start today with a trial for FireCut for DaVinci Resolve!