How to Generate Subtitles on Mac
Subtitles make video content accessible, improve SEO and engagement, and are required by many platforms. Professional subtitle creation is expensive and slow. Auto-generated captions from YouTube or social platforms are often inaccurate. Here is how to generate accurate, properly timestamped SRT subtitle files on your Mac from any video or audio source.
Step-by-Step Guide
Prepare your video or audio
Have your video file ready on your Mac, or open it in a streaming service or media player. For local files, any format that plays on your Mac will work — MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, WebM, MP3, WAV, and more. The subtitles are generated from the audio track.
Set up the transcription
Open Glasscribe, select "System Audio" as the input source, and set the language to match the spoken language in your video. If your video has multiple languages, you will generate subtitles for the primary language and can add translated subtitles in a separate pass.
Play the media and begin transcription
Start the transcription session, then play your video or audio. The transcript builds in real time with timestamps. Let the entire file play through for complete coverage. You can monitor progress in the floating overlay.
Review the transcript
After the media finishes, review the transcript in session history. Check for accuracy, especially around proper nouns, technical terms, and moments with background music or noise. Clean up any errors before exporting.
Export as SRT
Export the session as an .srt file. SRT (SubRip Subtitle) is the most widely supported subtitle format — compatible with YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, VLC, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and virtually every video platform and editor.
Import subtitles into your video editor or platform
Upload the .srt file to YouTube Studio, drag it into your video editor timeline, or attach it to your video file. Most platforms and editors will automatically sync the subtitles using the timestamps in the SRT file.
Pro Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SRT subtitle format?
SRT (SubRip Subtitle) is a plain-text format that contains numbered subtitle entries, each with a timestamp range and the subtitle text. It is the most universally supported subtitle format across video platforms, players, and editing software.
Can I edit the subtitles after exporting?
Yes. SRT files are plain text and can be opened in any text editor. You can also import them into subtitle editing tools like Subtitle Edit, Aegisub, or your video editor for more precise timing adjustments.
How do I add subtitles to a YouTube video?
In YouTube Studio, go to your video > Subtitles > Add Language > Upload File > select "SRT" and upload your exported .srt file. YouTube will parse the timestamps and display the subtitles in sync with your video.