Subtitling videos not only improves the viewer’s experience, it also makes it accessible to people with hearing disabilities, speakers of other languages, and those who prefer to consume content without audio. In this guide you will learn how to subtitle videos from scratch, with a special focus on accessibility and good practices.
What does it mean to subtitle videos?
Subtitling videos involves inserting text synchronized with the audiovisual content. This text may reflect dialogue, relevant sounds, and other auditory cues necessary to understand the message.
Important: We should not confuse subtitles with transcripts.
- A transcription is a complete text of the audio, without the need to be synchronized.
- The subtitles, on the other hand, are displayed on the screen coordinated with the audio of the video.
Types of subtitles: Open, Closed and Accessible
- Closed Captions (CC): They can be activated or deactivated. They include sounds, effects and voices.
- Open subtitles: Always visible on the screen. They are “burned” in the video.
- Accessible subtitles: They are designed for people with sensory disabilities. They include descriptions such as [Soft music] or [Laugh].
Step by step: How to subtitle a video from scratch
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Choose the right tool
If you’re just starting out, you can opt for free and easy-to-use tools:
| TOOL | TYPE | RECOMMENDED FOR |
|---|---|---|
| AndouTube Studio | Automatic | Upload your own videos |
| Kapwing | Mixed | Quick online projects |
| Amara.org | Manual | Collaborative subtitling |
| Subtitle Edit | Manual | Advanced editing |
| Aegisub | Manual | Professional subtitles |
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Transcribe the content
Listen to the video and write the text word by word. You can use voice recognition tools like Otter.ai or Google Docs (voice dictation) if you want to speed up the process.
SEO Tip: Include important sounds like [Phone Rings], [Applause], [Laughter], or [Long Silence].
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Divide the text into segments
Avoid long blocks. The ideal:
- Maximum 2 lines per subtitle.
- No more than 70 characters per line.
- Make sure the subtitles are long enough to be read comfortably.
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Sync subtitles with audio
This is done manually or with the help of the tool itself.
For example:
- In Subtitle Edit, you can adjust the exact times to the nearest millisecond.
- In Kapwing, you can visually move subtitles over a timeline.
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Export in compatible format
The most common:
- .SRT (SubRip Subtitle): Simple, widely supported.
- .VTT (WebVTT): Ideal for the web, supports basic styles.
Both can be edited in any text editor.
What is a .SRT file?
An .srt file is a text format that contains the subtitles and the times at which they should appear. Its structure is:
1
00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:05,000
[Phone rings]
2
00:00:06,000 –> 00:00:09,000
Hello, who is speaking?
It is lightweight, compatible with most players and platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo or Facebook.
Good practices for accessible subtitling
- Use sustained capital letters for sounds or music: [DRAMATIC MUSIC]
- Identify the speaker if he is not on screen: JUAN: Are you there?
- Do not summarize: faithfully transcribe what was said.
- Sync carefully to avoid overlapping voices and text.
- Respect the visual contrast if the subtitles are open.
Final review
Before publishing:
- Check spelling and punctuation.
- Validates that the times are well synchronized.
- Ask for feedback from someone who is hearing impaired if possible.
Conclusion
Subtitling a video from scratch is more than a technical task: it is an act of inclusion. Using the right tools, following good practices and understanding the different types of subtitles will allow you to create truly accessible content for everyone.
