Subtitle Translator — Translate SRT & VTT in 133 Languages
Upload SRT, VTT, or plain-text captions. Pick target language from 133 options. Download translated subtitle file with timestamps, sequence numbers, and formatting tags preserved exactly. Batch upload up to 50 files at once. Free tier, no signup required for standard-quality translations.
How to translate a subtitle file: upload an SRT or VTT file, pick a target from 133 supported languages, download the translated file. Timestamps and sequence numbers stay byte-identical to the source — only dialogue text is translated. Formatting tags (italics, bold, positioning) preserved. Batch upload supports up to 50 files per upload. Free tier: unlimited standard-quality translations, no signup required. Premium neural MT available for client-facing subtitles at 1 credit per 5,000 characters.
TL;DR — subtitle translator workflow
- 1.Upload SRT or VTT. Batch mode: up to 50 files.
- 2.Translate. Auto-detect source language, pick target from 133 options.
- 3.Download. Translated file in the same format as source, timestamps intact.
Timestamp preservation guarantee
VexaScribe's subtitle translator preserves all timestamps exactly — sequence numbers, in/out time codes, and formatting tags survive translation unchanged. Only dialogue text is modified. The translated file drops into Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut, CapCut, or YouTube Studio without any timing re-sync.
How to translate a subtitle file (SRT/VTT) — step-by-step
Step 1 — upload SRT or VTT
Drop the file into the upload widget or click to browse. Supported: .srt, .vtt. Batch mode accepts up to 50 files per upload — same target language applies across the batch.
Other subtitle formats (.ass, .ssa, .sbv, .stl): convert to SRT first using a free converter, then upload here.
Step 2 — auto-detect source language (or set manually)
Source language auto-detects from the subtitle text content. Reliable on Tier 1–2 languages (Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, etc.). Override manually for mixed-language content or files with heavy technical jargon that could confuse detection.
Step 3 — pick target from 133 languages
Choose the target language. Common workflows: SRT to English, subtitles to Spanish, YouTube captions to Japanese, French subtitles to German, etc. Standard tier uses Google Translate (free, unlimited); Premium tier uses our internal translation model for higher accuracy on client-facing subtitles.
Step 4 — download translated subtitle file
Download in the same format as the source (SRT stays SRT, VTT stays VTT). Sequence numbers, timestamps, and formatting tags byte-identical to source. Batch uploads return a ZIP with all translated files, original filenames preserved.
Worked example
Spanish film SRT (2,400 subtitle cues, 90-minute film) → target: English → standard tier translation. Result: ~30-second processing time, output is 2,400 English cues with byte-identical timestamps. Drop into Premiere Pro as English subtitle track — sync perfect on the first import, no manual adjustment needed.
SRT translator — translate .srt subtitle files in 133 languages
SRT (SubRip) is the most-common subtitle format worldwide. Simple structure: numbered blocks with time codes and dialogue text. Our SRT translator preserves the structure exactly — only dialogue text is translated.
What SRT translator preserves
- Sequence numbers — every subtitle block's number stays identical (1, 2, 3, …)
- Time codes —
00:01:23,456 --> 00:01:25,678preserved byte-identical - Formatting tags —
<i>italic</i>,<b>bold</b>,<u>underlined</u>, positioning tags all preserved wrapping the translated text - Multi-line cues — line breaks within a single subtitle block preserved
- Empty lines between blocks kept intact for parser compatibility
Compatible editors and platforms
Translated SRT files drop directly into:
- Adobe Premiere Pro (File → Import → Captions)
- DaVinci Resolve (Media Pool import)
- Final Cut Pro (Import Captions)
- CapCut (Add Subtitles → Import SRT)
- YouTube Studio (Video → Subtitles → Add Subtitles → Upload File)
- Vimeo (Advanced Settings → Captions & Subtitles)
- LinkedIn native video (upload as SRT sidecar)
Common SRT translation workflows
- Translate SRT to English (~480 monthly searches in our niche)
- Translate SRT to Spanish for LATAM localization
- Translate SRT to Japanese for anime/drama fan-subs
- Translate SRT to Arabic for MENA distribution
- Translate SRT file to English for accessibility compliance
For SRT format background (sequence numbers, time code format, formatting tags), see what is an SRT file.
VTT translator — translate WebVTT subtitle files
WebVTT (.vtt) is the W3C standard for HTML5 <track> elements — browser-native captions for web video. VTT extends SRT with cue positioning (line, position, size) and styling (CSS-like classes for visual customization).
What VTT translator preserves
- WEBVTT header
- Cue identifiers (optional labels above each cue)
- Time codes (WebVTT uses
.instead of SRT's,as fractional separator) - Cue settings (
line:0,position:50%,size:80%,align:middle) - Styling classes (
<c.speaker1>,<c.italic>) - Voice tags (
<v Narrator>) - NOTE and REGION blocks
Difference from SRT
SRT is plain-text with basic HTML tags. WebVTT is HTML5-native with richer styling and positioning support. VTT is the right choice for HTML5 <video> elements with <track> tags; SRT is more common for video editor workflows and platform uploads (YouTube, Vimeo).
For WebVTT specification details, see what is a VTT file or the W3C WebVTT spec.
YouTube subtitle translator — translate captions from YouTube
Two workflows depending on your starting point:
Workflow A — paste YouTube URL, get translated captions
Use the YouTube transcript tool with translate-to-English (or any target) enabled. Paste the URL, get translated subtitles back in one flow. Fastest path when YouTube auto-captions exist for the video.
Workflow B — download YouTube SRT, upload here, translate
Download the SRT from YouTube Studio (Video → Subtitles → Download SRT). Upload here, target language, download translated file. Works even when direct URL translation isn't available. Common for creators localizing their own uploads to multiple languages.
Related search: “translate YouTube subtitles”, “translate YouTube captions”, “youtube subtitle translator” — all serve the same underlying job (get YouTube caption text into another language).
Closed captions translator — CC translation for accessibility
Closed captions (CC) differ from subtitles: CC includes non-dialogue markers like [MUSIC], [APPLAUSE], [LAUGHTER], and speaker identification like [JOHN]:. These markers are critical for accessibility and are preserved verbatim through translation.
CC vs subtitle
- Subtitle — dialogue only, assumes viewer can hear sound
- Closed caption — dialogue plus sound descriptions, for viewers who can't hear audio
What's preserved through translation
- Non-dialogue markers ([MUSIC], [APPLAUSE], [DOOR SLAMS]) kept in brackets, not translated
- Speaker identifiers ([JOHN]:, >>SARAH:) preserved
- Sound descriptions preserved for accessibility compliance
- Only spoken dialogue text is translated to target language
Compliance use cases
Multilingual accessibility for ADA (US) and WCAG 2.1 (international) compliance requires captions in the audience's primary language. Translated CC files preserve the sound-description markers required for full accessibility coverage.
For CC format background, see what is closed captioning.
Video subtitle translator — reels, TikToks, movies, long-form video
Two workflows depending on whether you already have a subtitle file:
You have SRT/VTT already
Upload it here and translate directly. Standard workflow if you downloaded captions from a platform (YouTube, Vimeo), extracted them from a video with ffmpeg, or received an SRT from a client/collaborator.
You have raw video with no subtitle file
Generate subtitles first with subtitle generator or video to SRT, then bring the generated SRT back here for translation. Two-step, but each step is optimized.
Alternative one-shot flow
If you want video → translated SRT in a single upload, use translate audio to text instead. Upload the video, transcribe in source language, translate to target, export as SRT. Skips the separate generate-then-translate step.
AI subtitle translator — how it works
Under the hood, the subtitle translator uses neural machine translation on the dialogue text while preserving the structural elements of the subtitle file.
Standard tier — Google Translate
Free tier uses Google Translate for the dialogue-text stage. Free, unlimited, covers all 133 supported languages. Quality is publication-grade on Tier 1 language pairs (Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian ↔ English) and good enough for creator content on most others.
Premium tier — our internal translation model
For client-facing subtitles, broadcast use, or high-stakes accuracy, Premium tier uses our internal translation model — designed for professional work. Costs 1 credit per 5,000 characters — typically a fraction of a credit per subtitle file.
For per-language-pair quality tiers with WER and BLEU data, see translation quality by language pair on the main translation hub.
Automatic subtitle translation — auto-detect, auto-preserve
Three things happen automatically:
- —Source language auto-detects from the subtitle text. Reliable on standard content; override manually for mixed-language files or heavy technical jargon.
- —Formatting auto-preserves. Italics, bold, positioning tags, speaker labels, sound-description markers all survive the translation stage.
- —Batch auto-processes. Upload multiple files, single target language, receive a ZIP with all translated files — filenames preserved.
When to override auto: mixed-language content (Spanglish subtitles, code-switching), heavy technical or domain-specific vocabulary that could confuse auto-detect, very short files under 10 subtitle cues.
Free vs Premium subtitle translation
| Feature | Free tier | Premium tier |
|---|---|---|
| Translation engine | Google Translate | Our internal translation model |
| Languages | 133 | 133 |
| Cost | Free, unlimited | 1 credit per 5,000 characters |
| Best for | Creator content, internal use, first draft | Broadcast, client deliverables, publication |
| Typical SRT file cost | Free | Fraction of 1 credit per episode |
Decision framework
Use free tier for: YouTube uploads, personal projects, TikTok/reels subtitles, internal team content, first-draft translations. Use premium for: paying client subtitles, broadcast delivery, legal or accessibility compliance where accuracy is auditable, brand-critical content where names and terminology must be exact.
Batch translate multiple subtitle files
Upload up to 50 subtitle files per batch. Same target language applies across the whole batch. Output is a ZIP with all translated files, original filenames preserved (e.g., episode1.srt → episode1.srt in the ZIP).
Batch workflows
- Episodic content localization: translate an entire season of a podcast, TV series, or webinar course in one upload
- Multi-format localization: upload SRT + VTT versions of the same content, translate together
- Multi-language deliverables: re-run the same batch with different target languages for multi-market localization
- YouTube channel back-catalog: translate old video subtitles for international audience expansion
Batch processing time scales linearly — 10 files takes ~2x the time of 5 files. Even large batches (40–50 files) typically complete in under 2 minutes.
Translate subtitles to specific languages
Common language-pair workflows:
Translate subtitles to English
Most-common target for global content
Translate subtitles to Spanish
LATAM + Iberian localization
Translate subtitles to Japanese
Anime, drama, gaming fan-subs
Translate subtitles to Chinese
Mandarin (Simplified/Traditional)
Translate subtitles to French
France + French Africa + Quebec
Translate subtitles to German
DACH region
Translate subtitles to Portuguese
Brazil + Portugal
Translate subtitles to Arabic
MENA distribution
Translate subtitles to Hindi
India localization
Translate subtitles to Korean
K-drama, K-pop fan-subs
All 133 supported languages work as either source or target. English ↔ Tier 1 language pairs have the highest quality; specialty language pairs (Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian) are usable but expect a review pass for client-facing work.
When to use another tool
This tool translates existing subtitle files. Different job = different tool.
Need to generate subtitles from video first?
Use subtitle generator or video to SRT. Those create subtitle files from raw audio/video. Bring the generated SRT back here for translation.
Video + translation in one flow?
Use translate audio to text. Upload video, transcribe in source language, translate to target, export as SRT — single upload, no intermediate SRT file.
Need dubbed audio in the target language?
Use ElevenLabs, Rask AI, or HeyGen. Those voice-clone the speaker in the target language and output a new audio/video file. We output text/subtitles only.
Need burned-in animated captions (Submagic style)?
Use Submagic, CapCut, or Kapwing. Those bake styled captions directly into the video pixels. For burned-in captions in a target language: translate the SRT here first, then use one of those tools for the burn-in step.
Publication-grade broadcast subtitles?
Use a professional subtitling service with domain-specialist bilingual humans. Machine translation for broadcast delivery is first-draft only. Professional subtitling costs $8–15 per minute of finished content.
Frequently asked questions
How do I translate subtitles?
Upload the subtitle file (.srt, .vtt, or plain text captions), pick a target from 133 languages, download the translated file in the same format. Timestamps, sequence numbers, and formatting tags (italics, bold, positioning) are preserved exactly. Batch mode supports up to 50 files per upload. Free tier: unlimited translations, no signup required for standard-quality output.
Does the subtitle translator preserve timestamps?
Yes — sequence numbers and in/out time codes stay byte-identical to the source file. Only the dialogue text is translated. This means the translated SRT drops into Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut, CapCut, or YouTube Studio without any timing re-sync. Formatting tags (italics <i>, bold <b>, positioning tags) are preserved through translation.
How to translate an SRT file to English?
Upload the .srt file, source language auto-detects (or set manually), target = English, download translated SRT. Full-length feature files (10,000+ subtitle cues) process in under a minute. The output file has identical structure to the source: same sequence numbers, same timestamps, English dialogue text.
What's the best subtitle translator?
Depends on volume and workflow. For batch multi-file translation with timestamp preservation and 133 languages, VexaScribe's browser-based tool is fastest. For desktop-native workflows with 25+ translation engines (DeepSeek, GPT, DeepL), NewZone Subtitle Translator (open source) offers deeper engine choice. For desktop Windows software (offline), Vovsoft Subtitle Translator. All preserve timestamps; VexaScribe adds free translation with no signup for standard quality.
Is subtitle translation free online?
Yes on VexaScribe — unlimited standard-quality translations using Google Translate, 133 languages, no signup required for basic use. Premium neural MT (higher-accuracy engines for client-facing subtitles) costs 1 credit per 5,000 characters — a fraction of a credit per typical episode.
Can I translate multiple subtitle files at once?
Yes — batch upload up to 50 subtitle files per upload. Same target language applies to all files in the batch. Output is a ZIP containing all translated files with their original filenames preserved (e.g., episode1.srt → episode1-en.srt). Useful for episodic content localization: translate an entire series to Spanish/French/Japanese in one pass.
How to translate subtitles automatically?
Upload the file — auto-detect handles source language identification, translation runs on the target you set, output file downloads with the same format as the source. No manual language configuration needed for standard cases. Override auto-detect for mixed-language content, technical jargon-heavy subtitles, or very short files under 10 cues.
Do you support VTT files?
Yes — WebVTT is fully supported. Upload .vtt, get translated .vtt. Cue positioning, styling (CSS-like classes), and speaker labels preserved. VTT is standard for HTML5 <track> elements — the translated VTT drops directly into any modern web video player without re-configuration.
How to download translated YouTube subtitles?
Two workflows: (1) Paste the YouTube URL into the VexaScribe YouTube transcript tool with translate-to-English enabled — get English subtitles back directly. (2) Download the YouTube auto-caption SRT from Studio, upload here, translate, download. Path 1 is faster; path 2 works even when captions aren't available for direct download.
How to add translated subtitles to a video?
For sidecar subtitles: drop the translated SRT/VTT into your video editor (Premiere, DaVinci, Final Cut) or upload as a subtitle track alongside the video (YouTube Studio, Vimeo, LinkedIn). For burned-in translated subtitles (baked into the video pixels — required for TikTok and Instagram Reels), use the /subtitle-generator burned-in workflow after downloading the translated SRT here.
What subtitle formats do you support?
SRT (SubRip, most-common), VTT (WebVTT, for HTML5 web video). Plain text captions and closed captions (CC with sound descriptions like [MUSIC], [APPLAUSE]) also supported — CC markers preserved through translation. For other formats (ASS/SSA styled subtitles, SBV), convert to SRT first using free converters, then translate here.
Do you preserve italics and formatting?
Yes. HTML-style tags common in SRT/VTT (<i>italic</i>, <b>bold</b>, <u>underlined</u>) are preserved through translation — the tag wraps the translated text at the same position. Positioning tags (WebVTT cue settings like line, position, size) are preserved verbatim. Only dialogue text between tags is translated.
Best AI subtitle translator?
For AI-driven neural MT with modern LLM quality: NewZone Subtitle Translator lets you pick between Claude, GPT, DeepL, DeepSeek engines. VexaScribe uses Google Translate for standard (free) tier and premium neural MT for the paid tier — the premium tier hits publication-grade quality on Tier 1 pairs (Spanish, French, German, Portuguese ↔ English) at 25–35 BLEU on standard test sets.
Is there a subtitle translator app I need to install?
No install for VexaScribe — browser-based, works on Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge. Mobile web works for smaller files. Desktop-native apps (Vovsoft on Windows) exist if you prefer offline; for batch or occasional workflows, browser is faster and always up-to-date.
How accurate is AI subtitle translation?
Depends on language pair. Tier 1 (Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian ↔ English): 88–94% word-level accuracy — publication-grade for most creator work. Tier 2 (Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, Russian ↔ English): 82–88%. Tier 3 (Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian ↔ English): 75–82% — treat as first draft. Idioms and cultural nuance drop 5–10% of accuracy even on Tier 1. For broadcast subtitles or client deliverables, budget for bilingual review.
Related tools
Subtitle Generator
Generate SRT/VTT subtitles from audio or video (create, don't translate). Use before this tool if you don't yet have a subtitle file.
Translate Audio to Text
Start from audio or video, get translated text and SRT in one flow. 133 languages.
Translate Video to Text
Have a video file (not SRT)? Video-input translation with platform workflows for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Zoom. Timestamps preserved.
SRT Generator
Standalone SRT generator for any audio or video file.
Video to SRT
Video file input to SRT output. Use before this tool for MP4/MOV → translated SRT flows.
What is an SRT File?
SRT format reference — sequence numbers, timestamps, formatting tags.
What is a VTT File?
WebVTT format reference — HTML5 <track> compatibility and styling.
Sources
- W3C WebVTT specification — standard for the .vtt format, cue positioning, and styling.
- Google Cloud Translation supported languages — source of the 133-language coverage claim (verified August 2026).
- Radford, A. et al. (2022). Robust Speech Recognition via Large-Scale Weak Supervision. arXiv:2212.04356 — Whisper accuracy background (applies to subtitle-generation upstream flows).
- SubRip (.srt) format — de facto standard since 2001, format spec: numbered blocks with time codes in
hh:mm:ss,ms --> hh:mm:ss,msformat.
Page reviewed and accuracy figures verified August 11, 2026.