How to Auto-Generate Subtitles in DaVinci Resolve (In Under 2 Minutes)

Are you thinking of skipping subtitles because they take too long? Think again because adding subtitles to video content is no longer optional—with most social media videos viewed on mute, clear captions are essential for retention. DaVinci Resolve is a popular NLE used by many video editors, as it is a powerful editor and also had a free version. It offers robust tools to automate this process, whether using built-in Studio capabilities or specialized AI plugins. You can easily make any edits or color grade your videos in DaVinci Resolve. However, it is a bit technical, so you do need to spend some time learning how to use the software. Here is a quick guide to make subtitles easier for you.

Method 1: Adding Automated Captions in DaVinci Resolve (Studio)

If you are using DaVinci Resolve Studio, you can auto-generate subtitles directly on the timeline using its built-in speech-to-text tool:

1. Select Your Sequence: Open your project in the Edit Page and mark an In/Out point on your timeline (or select the specific clips you want captioned).
2. Run Auto Caption: Go to the top menu, select Timeline > Create Subtitles from Audio.
3. Configure Settings: In the pop-up menu, select your target language, set the Preset (e.g., Teletext or Netflix standards), and adjust constraints like Max Characters Per Line (around 30–37 is ideal for mobile) and Line Count (1 or 2 lines).
4. Generate & Format: Click Create. DaVinci will process the audio track and place a dedicated Subtitle Track above your video. You can customize fonts, drop shadows, background boxes, and alignment globally from the Inspector panel under the Track tab.

Method 2: Customized Captions with FireCut AI

While DaVinci's native tool handles standard subtitles well, AI-powered plugins like FireCut take captioning further by automating visual styling for short-form content (Reels, TikToks, Shorts). You can also use FireCut for automated captions on the free version of DaVinci Resolve. Lets see how FireCut helps you with your editing workflow:

• Styles Captions: You can select your caption styles from a range of popular presets or make your own custom style by selecting your favorite font, size, color and settings.
• Animated & Dynamic Captions: FireCut automatically generates animated, word-by-word highlighted captions popular in viral content, saving hours of manual keyframing.
• Formatting Captions: You can easily format your captions, like align, remove punctuation, remove profanity, or turn all letters to uppercase or lowercase.
• Multi-Language Support: It processes over 50 languages with strong accuracy, handling slang and background noise efficiently.
• Auto-B-Roll & Zoom-Ins: Beyond captions, FireCut can also add automated zooms or relevant B-roll overlays directly alongside your transcript and make your videos more attractive.

How to Generate Captions with FireCut:

1. Download FireCut for your platform using the links in your dashboard.
2. Close DaVinci Resolve, then install and open FireCut.
3. Copy your license key from your dashboard. (If you haven't yet purchased a key, you can start a free trial here. Once you have checked out your free trial through Stripe, you will see your license key in your dashboard). Paste this key into FireCut → Settings menu.
4. Open DaVinci Resolve, and connect it to FireCut from Workspace → Scripts → FireCut.
5. Click on your sequence and select Generate Captions, choose a visual preset (like MrBeast or Alex Hormozi style), and apply it instantly to your timeline.
6. You can also change settings as per your liking.
7. Click on Add Styled Captions, and you’re done

Bonus tip: Already added the captions and want to change something? Simply select the captions and click Edit Selected Captions on the captions menu to edit parts of your captions.

Whether you rely on DaVinci Resolve’s built-in Studio tools for clean, standard subtitle tracks or leverage FireCut for high-energy animated captions, auto-generation saves hours of manual transcription. FireCut also comes with many other features that can transform your workflow. So let AI take over! Start your free trial for FireCut for DaVinci Resolve today.