Subtitles for your YouTube videos
Upload your own video file, correct the transcript, and export an SRT or VTT subtitle file to upload with the video.
How it works
- Upload the video file you plan to publish. It must be a file you own or have rights to.
- Choose the spoken language and start the transcription.
- Read through the transcript with the video and fix names and terms.
- Export SRT or VTT, then add the file to the video in YouTube Studio.
Subtitles do more than help the deaf or hard of hearing. Many people watch with the sound off, on a train or in a shared room, and a video with accurate captions simply holds them longer. Writing a subtitle file by hand is slow, which is why most creators either skip it or settle for whatever automatic captions a platform produces.
With Scribewren you start from your own video file. The transcript is built with timestamps, you correct the names, jargon and punctuation, and then export SRT or VTT. YouTube Studio accepts both when you add subtitles to a video, so the editing you do here carries straight through to the published version.
A note on rights
Only upload videos that are yours or that you have permission to transcribe. Scribewren does not fetch videos from links, so there is no shortcut for other people's content. Before you publish, play the video with the subtitles on and watch a few places where the speaker talks fast or where jargon appears.
Tips
- Upload the final edit, not an earlier cut, so the timing matches what viewers will see.
- Keep lines short enough to read in a couple of seconds; split long sentences when you edit.
- Watch the video once with the subtitles on before you publish.
- Translation is an Unlimited feature; use it for versions in other languages and have a native speaker check them.
Questions
Can I paste a YouTube link instead of uploading a file?
No. Scribewren works from files you upload yourself, so it suits videos you own or have the right to transcribe.
Which subtitle format should I choose?
SRT is the most widely accepted. VTT is common for web players. Both carry the same timing.
Can I make subtitles in another language?
Translation is available on Unlimited. Always have a fluent speaker review translated subtitles before publishing.
How long can the video be?
Unlimited accepts files up to 10 hours and 5 GB. On Free, only the first 30 minutes are transcribed.
Do you keep my video?
The original is deleted within 24 hours of processing. A playback copy stays for 7 days on Free or 90 days on Unlimited.
Try it on your own recording
Free includes a few transcriptions a day. No card needed. Compare plans.
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