Adobe Premiere Pro is the best-known video editor for professionals. It’s packed with numerous features to customize your videos in great detail.
But sometimes you can get lost in all the possibilities. For example, how do you add captions to your video?
This is not the easiest thing to do in the editor. That’s why we show you the different ways to do it, especially to subtitle big video projects efficiently and at scale.
If you’re using Adobe Premiere Pro, you might wonder if it includes features for automatic subtitling. The good news is that it does.
Premiere Pro offers a built-in Speech to Text feature. This feature is designed to transcribe spoken words in your video and convert them into captions. I
This integration makes the entire workflow seamless, especially if you’re already familiar with Premiere Pro’s interface.
While this tool is powerful, there are some limitations. The Speech to Text feature requires clear audio input to function effectively. If your audio quality is poor or contains heavy accents, the transcription might need more manual corrections.
You should always review and adjust the transcript to ensure it aligns perfectly with your content. Small tweaks might be necessary for names, technical terms, or specific phrasing.
Additionally, using the feature requires an active Creative Cloud subscription.
Even if the available tools may seem daunting, you can quickly master all the features if you know how it works. Here is the detailed method to create subtitles by yourself on Premiere Pro :
First, locate the Text Panel in Premiere Pro. You can find this under the "Window" menu by selecting "Text." The Text Panel is where you’ll generate transcripts and create captions.
Add your video on the timeline. Click the "Transcribe Sequence" button in the Text Panel. Premiere Pro will prompt you to select the audio source for transcription. Choose the correct audio track and language, then start the transcription process. Depending on the length of your video, this may take a few minutes.
Once the transcription is complete, review the text for accuracy. Premiere Pro allows you to edit the transcript directly within the Text Panel. Correct any errors, adjust phrasing, and ensure the text matches the spoken content in your video.
After editing the transcript, click the "Create Captions" button in the Text Panel. Premiere Pro will generate captions based on your transcript. You can customize the caption style, timing, and format to suit your video’s needs. Adjust the placement and appearance of the captions in the timeline or the preview window.
You can also customize the style of your subtitles on the Essential Graphics Interface on your right. You can change the font, the size, the color and position of your subtitles. Usually, the default settings are readable enough for viewers, but you can always add a personal touch.
Finally, to export your subtitles, you’ll just have to click on the dot icon and select export to SRT file. You can also export your video with burn-in subtitles video if you have selected open subtitles like CEA-608 or 708. To do that, you need to export your media with the option “Burn captions into Video”.
By relying on an existing subtitle file (SRT file) you can save a lot of time when subtitling your video. To get such a file, you can create it yourself. Yet, be warned, transcribing it by hand is a long and complex job. Instead, we advise you to use an automatic SRT file generator (Checksub can help you, but there are other options on the internet).
Now, how do you simply import a subtitle file into Premiere Pro? Here is the step-by-step method :
1# To start, make sure you have the right import settings. Click on the “Captions” option on the top Window menu.
2# Press “import settings”.
3# Choose the file type (SRT is the most universal format): either open captions, different stream standards (CEA-608 (standard resolution) or 708 (HD resolution) supported by most video players like YouTube, or teletext). For the rest, you can customize the appearance of your subtitles as you want (if you choose open subtitles).
4# Next, you can enable subtitles display by pressing the wrench next to your video.
5# Allow your subtitles to be displayed by clicking on “Enable” and make sure to sect the same option you’ve chosen for your subtitle standard.
6# You can then import your subtitle file, either by dragging it over the interface, or by clicking on import in the drop-down menu.
7# You’ve probably noticed that the subtitles are not yet well synchronized. To adjust this, here’s how to do it: go to File > synchronize > then click on Timecode.
Now your subtitles are normally added and synchronized on your video!
As you can see, the Premiere Pro subtitling workflow is quite smooth, but it’s not perfect. It’s for example not easy to adjust your captions’ timecode, to reposition them correctly on your timeline, and you don’t have a feature to translate your video.
integrating an AI subtitle generator like Checksub into your workflow can be a game-changer. These tools go beyond the built-in capabilities of Premiere Pro, offering faster, more efficient subtitle creation with advanced features. Here’s how you can leverage AI-powered subtitle generators to speed up your subtitling process:
Start by logging into the AI subtitle platform, such as Checksub. Upload your video file to the platform, which supports multiple video formats. Once uploaded, select the original language of your video. You can also choose additional languages if you need translations.
The AI tool will use speech recognition technology to transcribe the audio in your video. This process usually takes only a few minutes, depending on the video’s length and complexity. The platform’s AI ensures high accuracy, reducing the need for extensive manual corrections
After the transcription is complete, use the platform’s editor to refine the subtitles. You can adjust text, correct errors, split sentences, and sync subtitles with your video’s timeline. Modify the font, size, color, and positioning to match your video’s style. These options make your subtitles visually appealing while maintaining readability.
Once you are satisfied with the result, you can finally download your SRT file from the “exportation” button. You can also export your video with burn-in subtitles by clicking on “Video Exportation”. In both ways, you’ll get a subtitle file or subtitled to video that you can use on Premiere Pro.
Want to speed up your subtitling process in Premiere Pro ? Try Checksub for free.
