Burn Subtitles into a Video

Turn a subtitle file into words that are part of the picture, so they show on every phone and player, even with the sound off. It all happens in your browser; nothing is uploaded.

Burn in Subtitles

How to Burn Subtitles into a Video

Open your video in the video editor (MP4, MOV or WebM).
In the Subtitles tool on the left, press Load .srt or .vtt and choose your subtitle file. No file yet? Paste your script and press Match to the video instead.
Choose a Style; the size and colours are under More options. Drag the subtitles up or down on the picture so they sit clear of faces and text.
Leave Burn into video ticked. In the Compress tool, Save as can be anything but Lossless (cuts only), including a size to stay under.
Press Save MP4 at the top right.

Questions

What's the difference between burned-in and normal subtitles?

Burned-in subtitles are drawn into the picture, so they always show and can't be turned off. A subtitle file (.srt) sits next to the video and only shows where the player supports it. The editor can give you both: the MP4 with burned-in subtitles and, with Save subtitles (.srt), the file.

Will my subtitle timings change?

No. The times in your file are used as they are. If you cut parts of the video afterwards, the subtitles move with the cuts, and subtitles in a cut-out part are dropped.

Why can't I burn subtitles with Lossless (cuts only)?

Lossless copies the original picture without changing it, so there is no way to draw on it: the video is saved without the subtitles, and the Compress tool says so. Choose another option under Save as in the Compress tool, such as Maximum quality, to burn the subtitles in.

Does burning in lower the quality?

The picture is encoded again. Maximum quality, the default, aims to look the same as your original; Smaller file trades some quality for a lighter file.