How to translate a YouTube video easily and accurately

Jean-Marc
June 24, 2024

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YouTube is full of delightful content that is sadly inaccessible for a wide range of foreign viewers.

Fortunately, YouTube provides built-in features to translate your videos.

Here's how to make quality subtitle translation on YouTube, but also with advanced subtitling and dubbing AI tools.

Why Translate your YouTube Videos?

If you are a YouTube video creator, you already know the benefits of doing subtitles. Among other things, subtitles can improve the engagement of your audience, and increase the accessibility of your video to any audience.

However, translating your subtitles into other languages than English can also bring you many opportunities. By adapting your content to other major languages (Spanish, Chinese, Russian) or developing countries (Indonesia, South Korea…), you reach new types of fans and communities.

So there are a lot of concrete benefits to gain from translation :

  • You expose your video to cultures that may be more favorable to your ideas and messages.
  • With subtitles, you make it easier for you to be known around the world.
  • By showing that you want to reach them, you earn the like of a specific audience
  • You can learn new ways to connect with culturally diverse communities.

This also applies to users who want to upload a video to YouTube and distribute it to foreign language communities. Anyway, here's how you can do it.

YouTube Built-in Video Translation Feature

The most straightforward way to translate on YouTube is to use the built-in subtitle feature in the platform. You can easily use it to generate subtitles in languages you already know. Here's how it works :

1. Upload Your Video

First, go to YouTube Studio to upload your video. Click on the 'Create' button and select 'Upload videos'. Follow the prompts to upload your video file. Once the upload is complete, continue to the next steps in YouTube Studio.

2. Navigate to Subtitles

In YouTube Studio, look at the left-hand menu and click on ‘Subtitles’. This will display a list of your uploaded videos. Select the video to which you want to add subtitles. This will take you to the subtitles management page for that specific video.

How to translate a YouTube video into a foreign language?

3. Add a New Subtitle

On the subtitles management page, you’ll see an option to ‘Add Language’. Click this and choose the language for your subtitles. After selecting the language, click on ‘Add’ under the ‘Subtitles’ column. This will open a new window where you can add and manage your subtitles.

4. Create or Upload Subtitles

Auto-Generated Subtitles

YouTube offers an auto-generated subtitle feature that automatically creates subtitles based on the audio in your video. To enable this, you don’t need to take any additional steps if your video is in a supported language; YouTube will generate these subtitles automatically. You can then edit these auto-generated subtitles to correct any errors and ensure accuracy.

  • Review Auto-Generated Subtitles: Click on the auto-generated subtitles track and review it for accuracy. Auto-generated subtitles are created using speech recognition technology, which can sometimes misinterpret words, especially if there is background noise or multiple speakers.
  • Edit Subtitles: Use YouTube’s subtitle editor to correct any mistakes. Simply click on the subtitle text you want to edit, make your changes, and save them. This step ensures your subtitles are accurate and synced properly with the video​.

Manual Subtitle Entry

If you prefer to create your subtitles manually, click on ‘Type manually’. YouTube provides an interface where you can enter your subtitles and sync them with the video timeline. This method ensures higher accuracy and allows you to control the exact timing of each subtitle​.

Upload a Subtitle File

If you have a pre-prepared subtitle file (such as .srt or .sbv), you can upload it directly. Click on ‘Upload file’, select the subtitle file from your computer, and upload it. YouTube will automatically sync the subtitles with your video, which can save you a significant amount of time if the file is already correctly timed.

5. Review and Publish

After adding your subtitles, it’s crucial to review them. Play back your video with the subtitles to ensure they are correctly synced and free of errors. Make any necessary adjustments directly in the subtitle editor. Once you are satisfied, click ‘Publish’ to make the subtitles available on your video.

6. Translate Titles and Descriptions

Once you’ve added the subtitles, you’ll also see options to translate the title and description. Click ‘Add’ under the 'Title & description' column. A pop-up box will appear where you can enter the translated text. You can use tools like Google Translate for initial translations, but it’s best to refine these translations to ensure they are accurate and contextually appropriate​​.

How to Turn On Translation on YouTube

YouTube’s translation features can help you enjoy videos in your preferred language. Here’s how you can enable and use these features:

1. Enable Captions

To start, open the video you want to watch on YouTube. Look for the 'CC' (Closed Captions) button at the bottom of the video player and click it. This will enable subtitles if they are available. You’ll see a red line under the 'CC' icon indicating that captions are turned on​​.

2. Access Settings

Next, click on the gear icon (Settings) located next to the 'CC' button. This will open a menu with various options for adjusting your viewing experience. In this menu, click on 'Subtitles/CC' to access the subtitle settings​​.

3. Select Auto-Translate

Within the 'Subtitles/CC' menu, you will see an option for 'Auto-translate'. Click on this to open a list of available languages. YouTube uses Google’s translation technology to offer subtitles in over 100 languages. Scroll through the list and select your desired language. Once selected, the subtitles will automatically be translated into your chosen language.

4. Customize Subtitle Appearance

You can also customize the appearance of your subtitles to make them easier to read. To do this, go back to the 'Subtitles/CC' menu and select 'Options'. Here, you can change the font type, color, size, and background color of the subtitles. Adjust these settings to your preference to ensure the subtitles are clear and readable.

How to Translate YouTube Videos Automatically with Checksub

Checksub offers a streamlined process to translate your YouTube videos using advanced AI tools. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use Checksub for automatic translation:

Step 1: Upload Your YouTube Video to Checksub

First, you need to upload your YouTube video to the Checksub platform. Go to Checksub’s website and log in to your account. Once logged in, click on the ‘Upload’ button and choose ‘YouTube’.

You can either paste the URL of your YouTube video or upload the video file directly from your computer. Checksub supports various video formats, making it easy to get started.

Step 2: Generate Subtitles

After uploading your video, Checksub will automatically generate subtitles. This is done using advanced AI technology that transcribes the audio accurately. You don’t need to worry about the initial transcription process, as Checksub handles it efficiently.

Once the subtitles are generated, you can review and proofread them using Checksub’s intuitive editor. The editor allows you to make corrections and ensure the text matches the spoken words perfectly.

Step 3: Create AI Dubbing

Next, you can use Checksub’s AI dubbing feature to translate your video into your preferred language. This tool uses cutting-edge AI to clone your voice, ensuring that the translated audio sounds natural.

Additionally, Checksub isolates your voice from background sounds, providing a clear and professional result. You can edit the translation and adjust lip synchronization to make sure everything looks and sounds just right. This step is crucial for maintaining the quality and authenticity of your content.

Step 4: Download and Export Your Video

Once you are satisfied with the subtitles and dubbing, it’s time to download your video. Checksub allows you to download the video with stylish or dynamic burn-in subtitles. Alternatively, you can download the dubbed version.

One of the best features of Checksub is the ability to export your video directly to YouTube. This integration saves you time and ensures your translated video is ready for your audience without any extra steps.

Want to subtitle and dub accurately your YouTube videos ? Try Checksub for free.

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