Translate hardcoded subtitles into an English subtitle file
If a video has subtitles printed into the image in a language you do not read, there is no file to put through a translator. This tool reads those lines from the frames, translates each one into English and gives you an English SRT and VTT, plus an SRT in the original language. Videos up to 5 minutes are free in full. A longer video is $5, paid once, for up to 3 hours.
- Source language detected from the picture, or named by you as a hint
- English cues keep the start and end of the original lines
- Translated, Bilingual, or As shown: three output choices
- Every translated job also includes an SRT of the original text
- Videos up to 3 hours for $5; Unlimited raises it to 6
Translated or Bilingual: which to choose
Translated gives you English only. Each cue shows the English line and nothing else, which is what you want for watching, for uploading next to the video, or for a viewer who does not read the source script.
Bilingual puts the original line on top and the English below it in the same cue. Learners like it, and so do reviewers who want to see what the English was made from without opening two files. On screen it takes more room, so it suits a laptop or TV better than a phone in portrait.
As shown skips translation and gives back the words exactly as printed. Pick it when you only need the text, or plan to translate by hand.
The extra file in the download
When you choose Translated or Bilingual, the download also contains an SRT in the original language as it was read from the picture. That file is useful in three ways: you can check a translated line against its source, you can send the original to a human translator later, and you can run it through another target language without reading the video again.
Before you upload
- One video per job: MP4, MOV, MKV, WEBM, AVI, M4V, 3GP, MPEG, TS, WMV or FLV, or a public Google Drive, Dropbox or direct link
- YouTube links are not taken here
- Choose the top area if the subtitles sit at the top of the frame
- Name the source language if the lines are short or the font is unusual; it helps the reader
- If your player can switch the subtitles off, they are a soft track and can be saved directly instead
How good is the English
Translation is done line by line by an AI model, with each cue kept on its own timing. Treat the result as a draft: it can miss slang, names and puns. If a misread character in the source changes the meaning, the English follows that error, so look at both files when a line seems odd.
How the tool works, what it costs and how your files are handled is on the Extract Hardcoded Subtitles page; prices for every tool are on the pricing page.
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Questions and answers
Can ChatGPT translate burned-in subtitles?
It translates the text in a screenshot well. The trouble is the rest: a feature film has hundreds of subtitle changes, and timings cannot be recovered from pictures pasted into a chat. You would get a list of lines, not an English subtitle file.
How much does it cost to translate a whole film?
A video of up to 5 minutes is free. A film up to 3 hours is $5, one payment, translation included. Unlimited is $19 a week and allows 6 hours per job.
Which source languages can it read?
Subtitles are read in their own script, for example Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Arabic, Russian or Spanish. Try the free part of your video to see how your font reads.
Can I pick a language other than English?
Yes. Any of the 81 target languages can be chosen; English is only preselected on this page.
Does it translate signs and on-screen titles too?
No. Only subtitles are read. Signs, credits, channel logos and titles that are part of the scene are left out on purpose.
Are my videos private?
Only you can open the job. Frames are passed to an AI model provider only to process them, not to train models. Jobs made without an account disappear after 7 days, and you can remove one yourself at any time.