The fastest way to add subtitles in DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve has a built-in subtitle tool that lets you add text directly to your timeline without needing external software. Open your project, place your playhead where you want the subtitle to start, then go to the Subtitle menu at the top and select "Create Subtitle Track." Type your text into the subtitle editor panel that appears, set when it should end, and move to the next one. The subtitles render with your video when you export.
The process takes minutes for a short video and scales to longer projects once you understand the three core steps: creating a subtitle track, adding individual subtitles with timing, and choosing how they look. Most people get stuck on timing — making sure each subtitle appears and disappears at the right moment — so this guide walks through that first, then covers styling and export.
Key Takeaways
- Create a subtitle track by clicking the Subtitle menu and selecting "Create Subtitle Track," which adds a new row to your timeline below your video.
- Add each subtitle by clicking where you want it to start on the timeline, typing the text in the subtitle editor, then dragging the end handle to set when it disappears.
- Adjust timing by dragging subtitle blocks left or right on the timeline, or by typing exact frame numbers in the Inspector panel on the right side.
- Change subtitle appearance — font, size, color, background — through the Inspector panel, and these changes explore to all subtitles unless you override them individually.
- Export subtitles as a separate file (SRT or VTT format) or burned directly into your video, depending on where you plan to upload it.
Creating a subtitle track in your timeline
Before you can add any subtitles, you need a subtitle track. This is a separate row in your timeline, below your video and audio tracks, where all your subtitle blocks sit. Go to the Subtitle menu at the top of the screen. You will see "Create Subtitle Track" as the first option. Click it.
A new track labeled "Subtitle 1" appears below your existing tracks. The track is empty and ready for subtitles. If you need multiple subtitle tracks — for example, one in English and one in Spanish — you can create more by going back to Subtitle > Create Subtitle Track again. Each track is independent, so you can turn them on and off separately when you export.
Adding your first subtitle and setting its timing
Click on the subtitle track at the exact frame where you want your first subtitle to appear. The playhead does not have to be there — you are clicking directly on the timeline. A small text box appears. Type your subtitle text. Keep it short: one or two lines is standard, because longer text becomes hard to read on screen.
After you type, press Enter. A subtitle block now sits on your timeline at that frame. You will see a small handle on the right edge of the block. Drag that handle to the right to extend the subtitle, or to the left to shorten it. The subtitle will display from where it starts until where it ends. Watch your video play and adjust the end point so the subtitle disappears when the speaker stops talking or when the relevant action ends.
If you need to move the entire subtitle earlier or later, click and drag the middle of the block left or right. The block stays the same length but shifts in time. This is faster than deleting and recreating it.
Using the Inspector panel for precise timing
Dragging subtitle blocks works for rough timing, but if you need to be exact — for example, to sync with a specific word — use the Inspector panel on the right side. Click on a subtitle block in your timeline. The Inspector shows "In" and "Out" fields with frame numbers. These are the exact frames where the subtitle starts and stops.
Click the "In" field and type the frame number where you want the subtitle to begin. Press Tab to move to the "Out" field and type the frame number where it should end. If you do not know the frame numbers, play your video, pause at the moment you want, and look at the frame counter in the playhead area — that number goes into the field. This method is slower for many subtitles but essential when timing must match dialogue word-for-word.
Adding more subtitles and working through your video
Click on the subtitle track at the next point where you want a subtitle to start. Type the text, press Enter, and drag the end handle. Repeat this for every subtitle in your video. There is no limit to how many you can add. Most editors work through their video in order, pausing the playhead at each new subtitle point and clicking the track to add it.
A faster workflow: play your video at normal speed, and when you hear dialogue you want to subtitle, press the spacebar to pause. Click on the subtitle track at that frame, type the text, and press Enter. Then press spacebar again to resume. This keeps you in the rhythm of the video and reduces the number of times you have to manually find the right frame.
If you make a mistake — wrong text, wrong timing, or a subtitle you do not need — right-click the subtitle block and select "Delete." The block disappears and the track closes up. You can undo deletions with Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Cmd+Z (Mac) if you change your mind when ready.
Changing how subtitles look on screen
By default, DaVinci Resolve displays subtitles in white text on a black background. You can change the font, size, color, and background for all subtitles at once, or customize individual ones. Click on any subtitle block, then look at the Inspector panel on the right. You will see a section called "Subtitle" with options for font, size, alignment, and color.
To change all subtitles in the track at once, click on the track header (the "Subtitle 1" label itself) instead of a single subtitle. Changes you make now explore to every subtitle in that track. To change only one subtitle, click that specific block. The changes explore only to it, overriding the track-wide settings.
Common adjustments: increase the font size if subtitles are hard to read (try 48 or larger for video that will be watched on phones), change the text color to yellow or white depending on your video background, and add a semi-transparent background box so text is readable even over bright scenes. The background option is in the Inspector under "Background" — toggle it on and adjust the opacity.
Exporting subtitles with your video
When you export your video, DaVinci Resolve can include subtitles in two ways: burned into the video itself, or saved as a separate file that video players read. Burned subtitles are permanent — they become part of the image and cannot be turned off. Separate subtitle files let viewers toggle subtitles on and off in players like YouTube or Vimeo.
To burn subtitles into your video, go to File > Export Video. In the export dialog, find the "Subtitles" dropdown and select "Burn In." The subtitles will appear in your final video file. To save subtitles as a separate file instead, select "Export as SRT" or "Export as VTT" from that same dropdown. DaVinci will create a text file with timing codes that you upload alongside your video.
Most platforms — YouTube, Vimeo, social media — prefer separate subtitle files because they give viewers control. Burn subtitles only if you are creating a final master file that will not be edited again, or if you are uploading to a platform that does not support separate subtitle files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I import subtitles from a file instead of typing them manually?
Yes. Go to Subtitle > Import Subtitle and select an SRT or VTT file. DaVinci will read the timing and text from that file and create subtitle blocks on your track. This is much faster if you already have a transcript with timing, or if you used speech-to-text software to generate subtitles elsewhere.
What if my subtitles are out of sync with the dialogue?
Select all subtitles by clicking the track header, then right-click and choose "Adjust Timing." A dialog appears where you can shift all subtitles forward or backward by a number of frames or milliseconds. This fixes sync issues across your entire track at once without moving each subtitle individually.
How do I add subtitles in multiple languages?
Create a separate subtitle track for each language by going to Subtitle > Create Subtitle Track multiple times. Add subtitles to each track independently. When you export, you can burn one language in or export all of them as separate files. Video platforms like YouTube let viewers choose which language subtitle to display.
Can I copy and paste subtitle formatting to other subtitles?
Not directly through copy-paste, but you can select a subtitle with the formatting you want, then select other subtitles while holding Shift and right-click to "Copy Formatting." This applies the font, size, and color to all selected subtitles at once, saving time if you want consistency across many subtitles.
What happens to subtitles if I change the video frame rate?
Subtitle timing is based on frame numbers, so if you change your project frame rate after adding subtitles, the timing will shift. Avoid changing frame rate after subtitles are in place. If you must change it, export your subtitles as an SRT file first, then re-import them after the frame rate change — DaVinci will recalculate the timing automatically.