How to add subtitles to a YouTube video
Adding your own subtitles makes your videos easier to follow with the sound off and gives YouTube an accurate text of what you said. It takes about ten minutes.
Make the subtitle file
Open the YouTube subtitle generator, choose your video, and set the spoken language. When it finishes, read through the lines and fix any names or terms, then choose Download SRT.
Open Subtitles in YouTube Studio
Sign in to YouTube Studio and choose Subtitles from the left menu. Select the video you want to caption.
Add the language
Choose Add language and pick the language of the subtitles, for example English.
Upload the file
Next to the new language, choose Add under Subtitles, then Upload file. Pick With timing, select your SRT file, and continue.
Check and publish
Play a few moments of the video in the preview to check the timing, then choose Publish. Viewers can now turn on your subtitles with the CC button.
If the subtitles are out of sync
This usually happens when the video was trimmed after the subtitles were made. Use the subtitle converter to move every line earlier or later by the same number of seconds, then upload the corrected file.
Adding other languages
To add English subtitles to a video in another language, use translate video to English and upload the result as an English track.
Subtitles on Shorts
Shorts can use uploaded subtitles too, but many creators burn captions into the video so they show for everyone. Use Add subtitles to video for that.