What it does and doesn't do, up front
Vaideo Editor has no automatic subtitles for your own videos: it doesn't listen to the audio or generate the text. What it does have is a caption track built for typing them quickly: each subtitle is a 2-second block you drop at the playhead, type in a list on the left and stretch or shrink on the timeline until it matches the line.
For a short video (a Reel, a Short, a 30-second ad) that's a few minutes' work and the result is exact, with no misheard words. For a half-hour interview, typing everything is a lot of work; there you're better off transcribing with another tool and pasting the lines, or considering the AI video option in the last section.
One style for every subtitle
The style is global: you choose it once and it applies to every subtitle in the video. There are six presets (Classic, Yellow, Box, Minimal, Mint and Pink) and then you adjust size, colour, outline, background box and position: Top, Middle or Bottom. That way you don't restyle line by line and the video stays consistent.
If a particular line gets in the way (it covers a face or a label), select it and switch its position from Global to Free to move just that one. On export, subtitles are burned into the MP4 picture, so they look the same on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube or WhatsApp, even with the sound off.
The automatic alternative: create the video with AI
If you want a narrated video with subtitles and haven't recorded it yet, Vaideo's AI makes the whole thing: you type a topic or paste an article and it generates the script, an AI voice in English or Spanish, images and synced captions. The free plan includes 1 AI video a day, with the “vaideo.org” watermark.
With “Open in the editor” that video lands in Vaideo Editor with the captions on their own track, one per line, already placed. There you fix a word, change the style of all of them at once and export. It's the fastest way to get subtitles without typing them; for a video you shot yourself, you type them by hand. More about the editor at /en/cases/free-video-editor/.
Ideas to use it
Caption a Reel or Short for sound-off viewing
Classic or Yellow style at the bottom and lines of 3-6 words. A 30-second video is about 10 subtitles.
Translate a short video into another language
Type the subtitles straight in the target language over your original audio. Handy for reaching viewers in another country.
Fix the captions of an AI-made video
Open it with “Open in the editor”: each line is on the caption track and you edit it in the list without touching the rest.
Step by step
- 1
Open the editor and import your video
Open Vaideo Editor on your computer. In Media («Medios»), click Import files and drop the video on the timeline (free account to upload).
- 2
Choose the subtitle style
In the Subtitles tab («Subtítulos»), click a style (Classic, Yellow, Box…) and set size, position, colour, outline and background. It applies to all of them.
- 3
Add one subtitle per line
Play, pause where the line starts and click Add: a 2-second subtitle appears on the Subtitles track. Type the text in the list.
- 4
Adjust when it comes in and out
Stretch or shrink each subtitle's edges on the timeline until it matches the voice. Click the timecode in the list to jump to that line.
- 5
Export as MP4
Click Export and download the MP4 with the subtitles burned in. Up to 1080p free; 2K and 4K with Unlimited.
Tips that make the difference
- ★Short lines: two lines max and about 6-8 words per subtitle, so there's time to read them.
- ★Type all the text in the list first and then fix the timing in one pass; it's faster than going line by line.
- ★Use Bottom on landscape and go a bit higher on vertical (Middle or free position) to avoid TikTok and Reels buttons.
- ★An outline or background box keeps subtitles readable over any image; plain white with no outline gets lost on light backgrounds.
- ★If you have a transcript from another tool, paste each line into the list instead of typing it.
Subtitling: other tools vs Vaideo
| Desktop editor or subtitle web tool | Vaideo | |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic transcription of your video | Many have it, often paid or limited | No: on your video, subtitles are typed by hand |
| New video already captioned | Record, edit, then caption | The AI makes the video with captions and you open it in the editor |
| Subtitle styling | Varies a lot; sometimes line by line | One global style: size, colour, outline, background, shadow and position |
| Watermark | Common on free web tools | Your video exports clean, free plan included |
| SRT file | Usually import and export SRT | No: subtitles are burned into the MP4 |
Frequently asked questions
Does Vaideo auto-caption my video?+
No. On videos you upload, subtitles are typed by hand. The only automatic captions are on videos Vaideo's AI creates, which arrive in the editor already placed and editable.
Can I import or export an SRT file?+
No. Subtitles are created in the editor and burned into the picture when you export the MP4. If you have the text from an SRT, you can paste each line into the subtitle list.
Can each subtitle have its own style?+
The style (size, colour, outline, background, shadow) is shared by all. What you can change per line is the position, by switching from Global to Free. For text that looks different, use a clip from the Text tab.
Can viewers turn the subtitles off on TikTok or YouTube?+
No, because they're burned into the picture. That's standard for Reels, Shorts and TikTok, where many people watch with the sound off. To change them, edit the saved project and export again.
Is it free and watermark-free?+
Yes for your own video: the editor is free and exports up to 1080p with no watermark. AI-made videos on the free plan carry the “vaideo.org” watermark; with a pack or Unlimited they don't.
Does it work on a phone?+
No. It runs in your computer's browser, on a screen at least 900 pixels wide.
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