DaVinci Resolve how-to
How to add subtitles in DaVinci Resolve (free and Studio)
Short answer
In DaVinci Resolve Studio, choose Timeline > AI Tools > Create Subtitles from Audio, set language, caption preset, maximum characters per line and one or two lines, and click Create: Resolve transcribes the speech into a subtitle track. Automatic subtitles are Studio-only; in the free version, right-click a track header, choose Add Subtitle Track and add subtitle clips by hand or import an SRT.
Checked against: DaVinci Resolve 21, free version and Studio (Studio-only features are marked), Edit page unless stated, per the Resolve 21 Reference Manual (July 2026).
Method 1: Studio: automatic
Set a range (optional)
Open the timeline on the Edit page. Set In and Out points, or leave them blank to subtitle the whole timeline.
Create Subtitles from Audio
Choose Timeline > AI Tools > Create Subtitles from Audio.
TimelineAI ToolsCreate Subtitles from Audio
Choose options
Language (Auto detects it), Caption Preset, Max Characters per Line, Lines (single or double) and Gap Between Subtitles (0 frames by default). Click Create.
Method 2: Free version: manual
Add a subtitle track
Right-click any track header and choose Add Subtitle Track. Name it by language; track names are used on export.
Add subtitles
Drag Subtitle from Effects > Toolbox > Titles onto the subtitle track, or import an SRT file into the Media Pool and drag it to the timeline.
Edit text
Type each subtitle in the Inspector's Captions panel; the list there lets you jump between subtitles.
Subtitle settings for short-form video
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Max characters per line | about 32 | Readable on a phone |
| Lines | 1 | Leaves room for platform UI |
| Burn in | Yes for TikTok and Reels | Sidecar files aren't shown there |
If it doesn't work
| What you see | Fix |
|---|---|
| Create Subtitles from Audio is missing | It's a Studio-only feature; the free version adds subtitles manually. |
| Only one subtitle track shows | Resolve shows one subtitle track at a time by design; enabling one disables the others. |
| Subtitles not in the export | In Deliver > Subtitle Settings, choose to export subtitles and burn them into the video. |
Questions people ask
Does the free DaVinci Resolve have auto subtitles?
No. Create Subtitles from Audio is Studio-only. The free version supports subtitle tracks you fill by hand or from an SRT.
How accurate are Resolve's automatic subtitles?
Blackmagic says it adds punctuation, capitalises proper names and marks music, and handles accents and several speakers.
Can I warn myself about subtitles that are too long?
Yes. Project Settings > Subtitles has thresholds for characters per line, minimum duration and maximum characters per second.
More DaVinci Resolve guides
Sources and how we checked
- DaVinci Resolve 21 Reference Manual: Subtitles and closed captioning (p. 1272-1276) (checked 2026-10-05)
Reviewed October 5, 2026 by the Koldflux team. Each step is compared with DaVinci Resolve's own documentation (linked above) and with the top search results for this task; where they disagree, the maker's documentation wins. Steps without a source link follow the menu names that several current guides agree on.