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How to Create Subtitles in DaVinci Resolve

subtitles

If your job requires video editing and using several different programs every day, you have definitely come across DaVinci Resolve, and you have probably been using it daily.

This excellent editing program focuses on colour correcting and nonlinear video editing, and it is suitable for Windows and Mac OS devices.

If you have been creating short movies or videos through this software, you will be glad to find out that there is a new way of adding subtitles to it that can make your performance a whole lot faster and easier!

These methods work in both the DaVinci Resolve free version and the DaVinci Resolve Studio.

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Why use subtitles on your videos?

Uploading subtitles to different videos is very important for all social media creators because it can make their content a lot more exciting and suitable for watching, even on mute (which most people do on phones).

If you are a Youtube creator, you probably know that search engine optimization works in favour of those videos with subtitles. This is one more reason you should download DaVinci Resolve and start making the content of the highest quality.

Even though their previous features and filters were quite simple and you couldn’t do too much to control and add your subtitles, there is a great new feature available to everyone right now.

Quick video of how to create subtitles in DaVinci Resolve

Step-by-step guide

1. Open the ‘Edit’ tab

edit tab open

2. Enable the ‘Effects’

This will open your ‘Effects’ panel in the bottom left of your screen where you will find the subtitle effect for DaVinci Resolve.

select effects tab

3. Search for ‘Subtitle’ in your effects panel

subtitle effect

4. Drag & drop the ‘Subtitle’ effect onto your timeline & select it

Drag and drop the effect directly from the effects panel to your timeline. It will only allow you to drop it on its only subtitle track above the video tracks.

Once it’s in the timeline, click on the subtitle track to open its settings.

drag and drop subtitle effect

5. Edit your settings

Here you can adjust your captions. to create a new caption or sentence, all you need to do is click the ‘Add New‘ button.

caption setting

If you open the ‘Style‘ tab in the subtitles settings, you can edit the font, size and colours. This is where you customise it to your needs.

style setting

6. Export your subtitles

Go to the ‘Deliver‘ tab

deliver davinci resolve tab

Edit the subtitle settings

You can find these subtitle settings in the panel on the left. Scroll down to the bottom of the custom settings.

davinci export subtitles

After you have done editing, you can export your subtitles as a separate file, which is an excellent option for YouTube creators and subtitling movies and TV shows.

You can export the subtitles as – ‘As a separate file‘, ‘Burn into video‘ or ‘As embedded captions‘.

choose format

Once you find the right option for yourself, all you need to do is render the video and continue uploading your content to social media platforms.

Video tutorial

How to import subtitles & captions into DaVinci Resolve

Follow the below steps to import SRT or FCPXML captions:

  1. Go to ‘File‘, select ‘Import…‘ or ‘Import AAF, EDL, XML‘.
  2. Choose the SRT or FCPXML file to upload.
Picture of Will Sutton

Will Sutton

Will is a professional Camera Operator/Video Editor with over 17 years of experience). Now living between the Isle of Man & Brighton UK. Highly experienced in Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and After Effects + some other editing software. Founder of Teckers, Bounce Color, Stunt Camera Crew & more.

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