How to add subtitles to a video automatically
Cutline turns speech into subtitles with Whisper, with a timestamp for every word. Recognition runs on your device, so the audio is not sent to any server, and you can edit and style the result before exporting.
Generate subtitles in five steps
- Open the editor and put your video on the timeline.
- Open the Subtitles tab and click Recognize speech.
- Choose the speech language (or leave automatic detection on), the recognition model and the word timing mode, then start the job.
- Wait for the job to finish. It runs in the background, so you can keep editing; the first run also downloads the model, which takes longer.
- Review the lines, fix any mistakes, and choose a subtitle style.
Export the result
Subtitles are added to the timeline as text, so they are rendered into the video when you export to MP4 or WebM (⌘E or Ctrl+E). If you only need the text, use Export subtitles in the Subtitles tab to save an SRT or VTT file for YouTube, a video player or another editor.
You can also go the other way: import an existing SRT or VTT file by dropping it into the Subtitles tab.
Getting better recognition
- Pick the spoken language yourself when you know it; it is more reliable than detection on short or noisy clips.
- Clean audio matters most. Reduce background music under the voice before you recognize.
- Check names, brands and technical terms by hand: they are the usual mistakes.
- Cut long pauses first so the lines are short and easy to read; see how to cut pauses.
Why it is private
Speech recognition runs in your browser on your own hardware. Your video and its audio are never uploaded, and there is no account. The same applies to the rest of the editor: read how Cutline keeps video local.
Frequently asked questions
Is automatic subtitling free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no minutes limit and no watermark.
Which languages are supported?
You can choose from the languages in the list, including English, Russian, Ukrainian, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Turkish, Japanese, Chinese and Korean, or leave detection on automatic.
Can I use subtitles I already have?
Yes. Import an SRT or VTT file in the Subtitles tab, or drop it onto the editor, and edit it there.
Is my audio sent to a server?
No. Recognition runs on your device.