DaVinci Resolve Quick Tip: Creating Subtitles In Version 18.5

by Alex HohenthanerJune 23^rd, 2023

Creating subtitles for your clips used to be a pretty cumbersome task, but the newest AI additions to DaVinci Resolve in version 18.5 have drastically sped up the process. Watch the video or keep reading about how to create subtitles in DaVinci (version 18.5)!

AI can be a blessing and a curse, and as many of us are starting to integrate it into our everyday workflow, more and more tutorials and how-tos are popping up. In case you missed it, make sure to check out our other Quick Tips, such as how to do Auto Transcriptions in DaVinci Resolve 18.5 in 3 minutes, and what Power Bins are useful for.

DaVinci Resolve Neural Engine to the rescue

The Neural Engine features found in the Studio version of DaVinci Resolve 18.5 make creating subtitles a breeze. Simply look under the “Timeline” menu and click “Create Subtitles from Audio”. 

This opens up a new window that gives you options to customize the subtitles. You can choose a language and the format you want, the maximum length of characters per line (either one or two lines), and whether or not you want to leave a gap between the single subtitles.

After a brief period, Resolve will analyze the clips and generate a new track. Subsequently, you will have the chance to review and make any adjustments in the inspector, if needed. To do this, just click on the clip and the inspector will open up in the edit window. 

Customizing captions

If you want to further customize the look of your captions, you can activate this right below the text box. This now allows you to change the font or color of your subtitles. By clicking on the tab “Track”, you can add further features like drop shadows, etc.

Exporting subtitles

When exporting, make sure to have the option “Export Subtitle” turned on in the Subtitle Settings on the Deliver Page. As soon as you turn this on, you can choose to export the subtitles as a separate file, embedded captions, or ready to burn directly into your video.

More info

For more info on getting started in DaVinci Resolve, check out our article with resources for beginners here and head over to MZed.com for Ollie Kenchington’s Definitive Guide to DaVinci Resolve.

Pricing and availability

You can download DaVinci Resolve directly from Blackmagic Design’s website or from retailers such as B&H and CVP. Before updating, check out our article on how to prepare yourself should something go wrong.

Will you use this feature a lot? Any more functions that Blackmagic should implement? Let us know in the comments below!