How to Translate SRT Subtitles for DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve supports timed text workflows with subtitle tracks, including importing and exporting common subtitle formats. If you already have a timed subtitle track and need another language, the simplest workflow is to export the SRT, translate the file, review it, and import the translated track back into the project.

Blackmagic Design documents Resolve's support for importing timed text and exporting subtitle files such as SRT and VTT on its Edit page. The current DaVinci Resolve 21.1 manual is the right place to check menu names for your installed version.

The short workflow

Export the original subtitle track as an .srt file.
Translate the cue text while keeping the original timestamps.
Review names, numbers, line breaks, and reading speed.
Import the translated SRT into Resolve as another subtitle track.
Preview the track and export the language you need.

You can translate an SRT or VTT file online and download the translated file without uploading the video. The original cue order and timing are kept for the first translation pass.

1. Export the original subtitles from Resolve

Start with the subtitle track that matches the final cut. Export it after the main edit is stable, because trimming or moving clips later can change the timing that the subtitle file depends on.

Keep a copy of the original file. It gives you a reference when you compare the translated text and makes it easier to repeat the process for another language.

The exact command can move between Resolve versions and workspace layouts. Look for the subtitle track's export command or the subtitle settings on the Deliver page. Blackmagic's feature documentation confirms that Resolve can export subtitles as separate SRT or VTT files.

2. Translate the SRT file

Open the SRT and VTT subtitle translator, upload the exported file, and choose the target language. The tool translates the cue text and rebuilds the same subtitle format around the source timing. It does not need the video file for this step.

If the source captions come from a public YouTube Short, you can first use the YouTube Shorts subtitle translator. For a Resolve project, uploading the SRT you exported from the timeline is usually the more reliable route.

Keep these parts stable during translation:

Cue order and numbering.
Start and end timestamps.
The --> separator.
URLs, product names, numbers, and technical terms that should remain unchanged.

The timing can stay correct while the translated text becomes too long to read comfortably. Treat the output as a reviewed first pass, not as a replacement for watching the track.

3. Review the translated captions

Compare the source and translated files before importing the result. Pay attention to:

Names of people, locations, and products.
Prices, dates, measurements, and URLs.
Negation and instructions.
Repeated terms and speaker labels.
Line breaks that create a slow or awkward reading rhythm.

Check one cue near the start, one near the middle, and one near the end. Then preview any line that is much longer than its source. A short English sentence can require more characters in the target language, especially in a vertical or small-screen layout.

4. Import the translated SRT into Resolve

In the Media Pool, use the subtitle import command for the translated file. Blackmagic's subtitle workflow describes importing an SRT into the Media Pool, then dragging the subtitle clip onto a subtitle track in the timeline.

After the import:

Add or select the subtitle track for the target language.
Place the translated subtitle clip at the correct position in the timeline.
Compare the first cue with the video.
Scrub to the middle and end before styling or exporting.

Resolve supports multiple subtitle tracks, so you can keep the source language and translated language in the same project. Rename or color the tracks when the project contains several versions.

When the subtitles appear out of sync

If the translated captions are all shifted by the same amount, check where the subtitle clip was placed and compare the timeline start time with the first timestamp in the SRT. Resolve's subtitle import documentation notes that the timing is positioned relative to the first subtitle and the first frame where the clip is inserted.

If the first cue is aligned but the last cue drifts, inspect the source edit and frame-rate assumptions. Translation changes the words, not the relationship between the original timecodes and the video. A growing offset usually needs a timing or edit review rather than a new translation.

Do not change every timestamp by hand before checking the original SRT. Keep the source file, the translated file, and the Resolve project together while you diagnose the mismatch.

Export the translated track

Once the translated track matches the video, use Resolve's subtitle export settings to create the deliverable you need. The official feature page lists SRT and VTT among the supported subtitle export formats.

Use a separate subtitle file when the platform or viewer should be able to turn the language on and off. Burn the captions into the video only when the destination requires the text to be permanently visible.

For YouTube uploads, select the video and language in YouTube Studio, then upload the timed subtitle file. YouTube's subtitle and caption guide describes the current upload flow.

SRT or VTT for a Resolve project?

SRT is a practical interchange format for a subtitle track because it is plain text and widely supported. VTT is useful when the target player expects WebVTT or when you need its web-oriented cue settings.

Keep the format that your delivery workflow expects. Do not rename an SRT file to VTT, because the timestamp syntax and file rules are different.

Final checklist

Before delivering a translated subtitle track, confirm that:

The translated file imports without an error.
The first, middle, and last cues match the video.
The source and target language tracks are labeled clearly.
Names, numbers, URLs, and instructions are correct.
No cue is empty or too long for its display time.
The export format matches the destination platform.
The original SRT is saved beside the translated copy.

When you are ready to create another language, open the subtitle translator and keep the original file for comparison.

FAQ

Can I translate Resolve subtitles without uploading the video?

Yes. Export the timed subtitle track as SRT, translate the file, and import the result back into Resolve. The video itself is not needed for the file translation step.

Will the translated SRT keep my Resolve timing?

The translation workflow keeps the source cue timing for the first pass. You should still preview the translated track because longer text may need wording or line-break changes.

Can I keep two languages in the same Resolve project?

Yes. Resolve supports multiple subtitle tracks. Import the translated SRT as its own track and keep the source track available for comparison.

Does this translate the voice or create dubbing?

No. It translates subtitle text and returns a subtitle file. It does not create a translated voice track or burn text into the video.