Want to grow your Shorts channel faster and boost viewer retention? Subtitles are the key.
In this detailed guide, you’ll learn how to automatically generate, edit, and add subtitles to YouTube Shorts using AI – for free and with no editing skills required.
📈 Why Subtitles Matter for YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts are fast-paced, vertical videos up to 60 seconds long – designed for mobile-first consumption.
Here’s why subtitles are crucial:
- 85% of users watch videos on mute
- Viewers scroll away in the first 3 seconds if not hooked
- Subtitles improve clarity, retention, and engagement
- They’re essential for viewers with hearing impairments
- Subtitles help with global reach and accessibility
Still not convinced? Shorts with subtitles see up to 28% longer watch time according to internal data from content creators.
💡 How to Add Subtitles Automatically (No Premiere Pro Needed)
Let’s be real – manually adding subtitles frame by frame is a nightmare. Luckily, AI tools like Subvideo.ai can do the heavy lifting for you.
Here’s how it works in 5 steps:
🧠 Step 1: Download Your YouTube Short
First, make sure your video is saved locally. If you uploaded it via the YouTube app:
- Open YouTube Studio
- Go to “Content”
- Find your Short and click the three dots
- Select “Download”
👉 [Insert Screenshot: Downloading YouTube Short in YouTube Studio]
📤 Step 2: Upload Your Video to Subvideo.ai
- Visit Subvideo.ai
- Drag & drop your file or click Upload
- The upload is instant – no sign-up needed
✅ Free plan: You can subtitle up to 3 short videos per day with no registration required.
🌐 Step 3: Choose Language & AI Options
- Choose your original language
- Enable audio optimization if your sound quality is poor
- Choose recognition quality (fast, balanced, high)
- Optional: Enable Speaker Recognition or Translation
⏳ Step 4: AI Transcription and Subtitle Generation
Subvideo uses OpenAI Whisper XL to analyze and transcribe your video. The result:
- Auto-generated subtitles
- Line-by-line segmentation
- Perfect timecodes
- Optional translation into 90+ languages
Processing usually takes 30–90 seconds for a Short.
✏️ Step 5: Edit Your Subtitles (Optional but Powerful)
Click “Edit Subtitles” to open the visual subtitle editor.
You can:
- Fix or reword subtitles
- Change text size, font, color
- Assign speakers (with speaker styles)
- Translate line by line
- Add or remove subtitle lines
- Export
.srt,.txt,.assor burn into video
🔥 Bonus: Burn Subtitles into the Video (Hardcoded)
Want your subtitles to appear directly in the video (even outside YouTube)? Click:
“Export as video with subtitles”
You’ll get a hardcoded video file that works perfectly for:
- Instagram Reels
- TikTok
- LinkedIn video posts
- YouTube Shorts reuploads
💬 Example Use Cases
- Content creators adding captions in multiple languages
- Coaches creating short tips with readable text
- Podcasters repurposing audio clips
- Language learners translating videos line-by-line
🎯 Tips for Better Results
- Use videos with clear speech and minimal background noise
- Always review and adjust subtitle timing if needed
- Use speaker styles (colors, font sizes) to improve readability
- Export
.srtand upload manually in YouTube Studio for soft subtitles
📥 Uploading Subtitles to YouTube Shorts
Currently, YouTube doesn’t allow subtitle file uploads directly in the Shorts mobile app.
However, you can:
- Upload
.srtvia YouTube Studio on desktop - Or burn the subtitles into the video with Subvideo
💸 Pricing – Is It Free?
Yes – Subvideo.ai is free for up to 3 subtitle projects per day, including:
- Full subtitle editor
- Translation
- Burn-in export
No login needed. If you need more, premium plans are available for unlimited usage and long-form video support.
⚖️ Summary: Pros and Cons
✅ Pros:
- Fully automatic subtitle generation
- No account needed for 3/day
- Fast, accurate transcription
- Burn-in subtitles for Shorts, Reels & TikTok
- Online subtitle editor with font & color styling
- Free translation into 90+ languages
❌ Cons:
- Short video limit (30 min on free)
- Subtitle upload to YouTube Shorts still limited via mobile
- Burn-in rendering takes ~1–2 minutes
🧠 Final Thoughts: Why You Need Subtitles on Shorts
Whether you’re a content creator, marketer, educator, or just getting started: Subtitles are your secret weapon.
They help you:
- Reach global audiences
- Boost engagement
- Improve retention
- Look more professional
With tools like Subvideo.ai, you can subtitle your Shorts in minutes – no software, no editing skills, no headaches.
📎 Useful Links
- Try it now: Subvideo.ai
- How to auto-translate subtitles → (Link to next blog)
- Learn about subtitle formats (SRT, ASS, TXT) → (Link to internal article)