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Free subtitles for DaVinci Resolve: make an SRT and import it
Updated 9 November 2026 · by Szymon at szy.monster
Automatic subtitles in DaVinci Resolve are a Studio feature, which is the paid version. The free version can still import, edit, style and export subtitles. All it needs is an .srt file, and you can make that for free.
1. Make the subtitle file
Open AutoSubtitler, drop in your video (or the rendered timeline), and press Make subtitles. When it's done, press Download .srt. Nothing is uploaded: it all runs in your browser.
Tip: if your timeline is an edit of several clips, render a quick low-quality version of the whole timeline first and subtitle that. The times then match the timeline exactly.
2. Import the SRT
In Resolve, go to File › Import › Subtitle… and pick the .srt. It appears in the Media Pool.
3. Put it on the timeline
Drag the subtitle file from the Media Pool onto the timeline, above the video, starting at the same point as the clip. Resolve creates a Subtitle track for it.
If your clip doesn't start at the very beginning of the timeline, slide the subtitle clip so its start lines up with the video clip's start.
4. Style and edit
- Click a subtitle on the track to change its text or timing in the Inspector.
- To style the whole track (font, size, outline, background, position), select the track header, then open Inspector › Track.
5. Export
On the Deliver page, open Subtitle Settings and tick Export Subtitle. Then choose:
- Burn into video for captions drawn into the picture, which is best for social media.
- As a separate file for YouTube-style captions that viewers can switch on and off.
Not sure which? See burned-in vs separate subtitles.
Why not type them by hand?
Resolve's subtitle track is great for fixing a few words, but typing out a 10-minute video with timings takes hours. Letting Whisper write the first draft and correcting it in Resolve takes minutes.
Doing lots of videos? The Windows version of AutoSubtitler uses the biggest Whisper model and subtitles a whole folder of clips when you drag them onto it.